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RCA 2012 STUDENT CULINOLOGY® COMPETITION PROPOSAL 1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Sell Sheet
3
Product Summary
3
Photo
3
Costing
3
Packaging
4
Shelf Life and Storage
4
Serving Options
4
Nutritional Fact Panel
4
Ingredient Statement
4
Allergens
4
Description of Tex-Mex Appetizer Cuisine
5
Gold Standard Recipes
7
Commercialized Production
9
Formulations
9
Technical Ingredients
11
Production
12
Processing Flow Chart
15
Packaging
16
Packaging Costs
17
Shelf Life and Storage
18
Preparation and Plating
18
References
19
Works Cited
20
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EXECUTIVE SELL SHEET PRODUCT SUMMARY A premiere provider of frozen foods, Hill Country Foods presents Mini Pork Taco Dippers as the newest addition to their line of Tex-Mex inspired products. This sharable appetizer is a delicious and easy-to-prepare dish that the whole family can enjoy. Each kit features diced and fully-cooked pork shoulder with carne asada seasoning, blue and white crunchy corn taco shells, a roasted corn guacamole, Sargento® white queso sauce, and a classic garden salsa. The vibrant colors and bold flavor combinations will make this prepared appetizer stand out in the frozen food section of any major club store. The product has been designed to target busy families, specifically families of Hispanic heritage. United States 2010 Census data indicates that over half of the increase in total population in the US between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population. This Tex-Mex style product incorporates both exotic Mexican and familiar American ingredients making this appetizer just adventurous enough to intrigue any club store shopper. Parents will love the high value ingredients at an exceptional price and the simple preparation that caters to a busy schedule. Kids will enjoy the interactive aspect of dipping the multicolor taco shells into three different sauces. Mini Pork Taco Dippers are a perfect finger food for game day gatherings or fiesta themed dinner parties. COSTING A single box (unit) of Mini Pork Taco Dippers includes 6 portions, each costing $1.33 for a total unit cost of $7.99 and $191.76 per case (24 units). The food cost per portion is 20.18% and the packaging cost per portion is 4.49% for a combined cost of 24.67%. This is just under the goal of 25%, which leaves room for modification if needed. The food cost accounts for a 20% pork trim loss, 20% pork cook loss, and a 15% loss in the milling of the corn. The packaging cost includes film for pouches, nitrogen flush for the taco shells, carton, and case. Although it is not currently factored into the cost, the high amount of automation in the processing flow and the use of equipment with high capacities will reduce production time and therefore labor costs.
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PACKAGING The five components of Mini Pork Taco Dippers (pork meat, taco shells, and three sauces) are packaged separately in film pouches for optimum flavor and texture preservation. All components will be packaged in a carton, and 24 cartons will be packaged into a case. All packaging films and boxes were specifically chosen to withstand freezing temperatures.
SHELF LIFE AND STORAGE In order to reduce the amount of technical ingredients used and to produce a cleaner label, the product utilizes a combination of processing methods and packaging to extend shelf life to 180 days. The extended shelf life was tailored to optimize the time necessary to sell the product in a club store.
SERVING OPTIONS Mini Pork Taco Dippers are to stored frozen until 24 hours before serving. At that point, the taco shells can be removed from the carton and allowed to thaw at room temperature, and the rest of the components can be placed under refrigeration. After 24 hours, both the pork meat and white queso sauce can be reheated prior to serving. The consumer plays a very interactive role with this sharable appetizer and is able to fill the mini taco shells with savory pork meat and dip them into each sauce.
Shown to the right are the Nutrition Facts and Ingredient Statement for our product.
INGREDIENTS: SEASONED PORK MEAT: (pork, water, salt, onion powder, g a r l i c p o w d e r, s u g a r, s o d i u m phosphate, chili powder, paprika, ground black pepper, liquid smoke), WHITE QUESO SAUCE: (water, milk, interesterified soybean oil, whey, red bell peppers, contains less than 2% of cheese culture, citric acid, enzymes, lactic acid, salt, sodium alginate, sorbic acid (preservative), spice, sugar, xanthan gum), TACO SHELLS: (white and blue corn masa, water, soybean oil, salt), SALSA: (tomato, white onion, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, ground black pepper), GUACAMOLE: (Hass avocado, roasted corn, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, salt, ground black pepper) ALLERGENS: Contains milk.
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DESCRIPTION OF APPETIZER TEX-MEX CUISINE Neither truly Texan nor truly Mexican, Tex-Mex cuisine is a blending of the two cultures. This unique amalgamation of cuisines resulted from the many flags that have flown over Texas. Spain, France, and Mexico have all retained possession of Texan territory at some point in history and each culture has left its imprint on the region. The ancient civilization of the Aztecs also contributed many staples foods like corn and beans. This fusion cuisine has been perpetuated by the influx of immigrants from Mexico and by Tejanos (Texans of Mexican decent). The mighty Rio Grand river carves the border between the United States and Mexico. Close to the border lay cities like El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio where Texan and Mexican cultures collide and Tex-Mex cuisine thrives. Although they share many similar ingredients, Tex-Mex cuisine is not to be confused with Southwestern cuisine, which originated from Native American tribes that inhabited the southern regions of the United States. Tex-Mex dishes are traditionally composed of a combination of authentic Mexican and native Texan ingredients and require the use of unique cooking equipment such as cast iron skillets and tortilla presses. Common Tex-Mex dishes include such preparations such as chili con carne, tamales, goriditas, enchiladas, tortas, and fajitas. Entrée dishes usually consist of very generous portions of the main component accompanied by mountainous sides of rice and beans. Appetizers are usually more composed and served in smaller portions or in a communal family style. Common appetizers include ceviche, quesadillas, nachos, chili con queso, empanadas, and flautas accompanied by dipping sauces. The product development team at Hill Country Foods has chose ingredients for this product that are commonly found in Tex-Mex cuisine, including pork, corn, avocado, tomato, garlic, onion, cumin, and cilantro. The Mini Pork Taco Dippers can be found in the frozen foods sections of a club store and has all the components needed for a delicious sharable Tex-Mex style appetizer. Initially, the consumer will be intrigued by the vibrant colors of the product as shown on the front of each box. This is especially important because consumers often eat with their eyes first. Each six portion kit includes 6 ounces of fully-cooked carne asada seasoned pork meat, 18 mini crunchy blue and white corn taco shells (9 shells of each color), 3 ounces of roasted corn guacamole, 3
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ounces of Sargento® white queso sauce, and 3 ounces of classic garden salsa. Each kit includes enough pork meat to fill every shell and sauce to dip every taco. The product development team at Hill Country Foods designed small portions (3 taco shells, 1 ounce of pork meat, and 0.5 ounces of each sauce) that would intrigue the palate and set the stage for the rest of the meal. Crunchy tacos, queso, salsa, guacamole, and carne asada meat are all common preparations in Tex-Mex cuisine. The product takes these elements that are familiar to most consumers and combines them in a new and innovative way. The specific target market for this product is a busy Hispanic family in search of an appetizer that is easy to prepare, includes high quality ingredients, and can be purchased at a relatively low cost. These delicious Mini Pork Taco Dippers, priced at $7.99 for six portions, will meet all criteria for this family. The Hispanic population in the United States has undergone rapid growth over the past few decades. According to the US 2010 Census, over half of the total population growth in the United States from 2000 to 2010 was attributed to the increase in the Hispanic population, which accounted for 15.2 million people, of which 75% were of Mexican heritage. Although the Hispanic population grew in every region of the United States, the most significant growth occurred the South and Midwest. It is because of these statistics it is believe that the target market will grow along with profits derived from the product. The quick and easy preparation of this product is aligned with current food industry and market trends leaning toward convenience items. Families of non-Hispanic heritage will also be interested in this new twist on Tex-Mex appetizers. This particular cuisine is just adventurous and exotic enough to intrigue most consumers without being too far outside their comfort zone. Hill Country Foods is excited to make this addition to its repertoire of Tex-Mex inspired dishes.
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GOLD STANDARD RECIPES
CARNE ASADA SEASONED PORK 170.1 g Pork Butt, Diced
BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS 100 g Blue Corn Masa
55 g Water
OR
6 g Salt
100 g White Corn Masa
4.5 g Onion Powder
200 g Water
4.5 g Garlic Powder
2 g Salt
3 g Sugar 1.5 g Chili Powder
Heat a pot of vegetable oil to 350˚F. In a
0.75 g Paprika
bowl, mix together the masa, water, and 0.8
0.75 g Black Pepper
grams of the salt. Work dough together by
0.75 g Liquid Smoke
hand until cohesive but not sticky. Shape
0.75 g Lime Juice
dough into small balls and use a tortilla press or rolling pin to flatten the masa
Sauté pork until the meat is cooked through
dough. Use a 3 inch circle cutter to cut out
and reaches an internal temperature of
taco shells. Use a modified miniature taco
145˚F. Mix all other ingredients together and
basket to deep fry taco shells for 1-2 minutes
add to the pork. Cover and simmer for 15
or until crispy and golden brown. Place fried
minutes or until pork is tender.
taco shells on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Sprinkle remaining salt on outside of taco shells.
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ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE
WHITE QUESO SAUCE
CLASSIC GARDEN SALSA
100 g Avocado, pit and peel
10 g Butter
150 g Tomato
removed
7.5 g Flour
30 g
White Onion
20 g
Corn
112.5 g Milk
10 g
Jalapeño, seeded
10 g
Vegetable Oil
35.5 g White Cheddar Cheese
10 g
Lime Juice
10 g
Red Onion
7.5 g Pepper Jack Cheese
4g
Cilantro
10 g
Lime Juice
2.5 g Red Bell Pepper
1g
Garlic, peeled
5g
Cilantro
2.5 g Green Bell Pepper
1g
Salt
4g
Salt
0.13 g Onion Powder
1g
Black Pepper
0.5 g
Black Pepper
0.13 g Garlic Powder
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss corn in vegetable oil and roast for 40 minutes. Push avocado pulp through a sieve to remove veins and slow
0.06 g Chili Powder 0.06 g Cumin 1.25 g Lime Juice 1 g Salt 0.5 g Black Pepper
Dice tomato and white onion into 1/2 inch cubes. Dice jalapeño into 1/4 inch pieces. Roughly chop the garlic and finely chop the cilantro. Combine all ingredients into
browning. Dice red onion into Make a white roux with butter
a food processor and blend
1/4 inch cubes and finely
and flour. Incrementally add
for two seconds.
chop cilantro. Once corn has
milk and simmer for 5
cooled, combine all
minutes. Add grated cheese
ingredients.
and heat until completely melted. Dice bell peppers into 1/4 inch cubes. Add remaining ingredients blend in a food processor until smooth.
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FORMULATION FOR ONE PORTION OF COMMERCIALIZED PRODUCT CARNE ASADA SEASONED PORK Ingredient (Supplier)
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
Boneless Pork Butt (Cargill)
34.01
87.79
1.12/lb.
0.084
Filtered Tap Water
3.15
8.13
0.00/lb.
0
Carne Asada Seasoning (Newly Weds Foods)
1.58
4.08
72.50/ 50 lb. bag
0.0051
Subtotal
38.74
100
-
0.0891
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
Filtered Tap Water
12.75
40.99
0.00/lb.
0
Commercial Blue Corn (Sunny State Products)
7.33
23.56
0.36/lb.
0.0058
Commercial White Corn (Sunny State Products)
7.33
23.56
0.21/lb.
0.0034
Soybean Salad Oil (Cargill)
3.6
11.57
0.6173/lb.
0.0049
Classic Salt (Sysco)
0.1
0.32
6.70/25 lb.
0.00006
31.11
100
-
0.01416
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
White Queso Sauce with Particulate (Sargento)
14.18
100
0.3236/ pouch
0.0539
Subtotal
14.18
100
-
0.0539
BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS Ingredient (Supplier)
Subtotal WHITE QUESO SAUCE Ingredient (Supplier)
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FORMULATION FOR ONE PORTION OF COMMERCIALIZED PRODUCT ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE Ingredient (Supplier)
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
Avocado Pulp (Calavo)
10.27
72.43
2.42/lb.
0.0548
IQF Roasted Corn (Van Drunen Farms)
2.05
14.46
1.69/lb.
0.0076
IQF Red Onion, 1/4” (Van Drunen Farms)
1.03
7.26
1.05/lb.
0.0024
FF Cilantro, Small (SupHerb Farms)
0.51
3.6
1.70/lb.
0.0019
Lime Juice (Sun Orchard)
0.18
1.27
30.95/4 Gal
0.0004
Cargill Classic Salt (Sysco)
0.09
0.63
6.70/25 lb.
0.00005
McCormick Ground Pepper (Sysco)
0.05
0.35
73.63/5 lb.
0.0016
Subtotal
14.18
100
-
0.06875
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
IQF Tomato, 3/8” (Van Drunen Farms)
10.31
72.71
1.44/lb.
0.0327
IQF White Onion, 3/8” (Van Drunen Farms)
2.05
14.46
0.86/lb.
0.0039
FF Jalapeno, 1/4” (SupHerb Farms)
0.69
4.87
1.35/lb.
0.0021
Lime Juice (Sun Orchard)
0.69
4.87
30.95/4 Gal
0.0015
FF Cilantro, Small (SupHerb Farms)
0.27
1.9
1.70/lb.
0.001
FF Garlic, Minced Small (SupHerb Farms)
0.07
0.49
1.80/lb.
0.0003
Cargill Classic Salt (Sysco)
0.07
0.49
6.70/25 lb.
0.00004
McCormick Ground Pepper (Sysco)
0.03
0.21
73.63/5 lb.
0.001
Subtotal
14.18
100
-
0.04254
CLASSIC GARDEN SALSA Ingredient (Supplier)
10
FORMULATION FOR ONE PORTION OF COMMERCIALIZED PRODUCT MINI PORK TACO DIPPERS Ingredient (Supplier)
Amount (g)
Percent (%)
Cost of Ingredient in Formulation
Carne Asada Seasoned Pork
39.75
35.06
0.0891
Blue and White Corn Taco Shells
31.11
27.44
0.0142
White Queso Sauce
14.18
12.5
0.0539
Roasted Corn Guacamole
14.18
12.5
0.0688
Classic Garden Salsa
14.18
12.5
0.0425
Total
113.4
100
0.2685
Please note that potential loss of some of the ingredients caused by preparation and cooking was factored in to give a more realistic estimation of the total food cost. The formulation for the carne asada seasoned pork accounts for a 20% trim loss followed by a 20% cook loss for the pork meat. This actual amount of fully-cooked pork per portion (23.62 grams) along with seasoning and water bring the total amount of seasoned pork meat to 28.35 grams or 1 ounce per portion. Please also note that the formulation for the taco shells accounts for a 15% loss caused by the nixtamalization of each type of corn. The actual amount of each color of masa included in the formulation will be 6.37 grams. The taco shell formulation also accounts for a 40% loss of water during deep frying (approximately 5.08 grams of water will be vaporized). This brings the total weight of the cooked blue and white corn taco shells (3 per portion) to 24.11 grams. The final weight of the fully-cooked carne asada seasoned pork (28.35 grams), the taco shells (24.09 grams), and the accompanying sauces (14.18 grams each) brings the total portion size to 95 grams, which is reflected on the Nutritional Facts panel.
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TECHNICAL INGREDIENTS The production plan for this product was designed to emphasize processing techniques and packaging to extend shelf life, rather than technical ingredients. CARNE ASADA SEASONED PORK The seasoning developed by Newly Weds Foods for this product includes salt and sodium phosphate, eliminating the need for it to be accounted for in the formulation. The sodium phosphate binds water in the formulation, making it less available for microbial activity. BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS Experimental formulations of taco shells including various modified starch ingredients were conducted. The best texture, flavor, and color results were observed in the formulations that did not include any technical ingredients and were packaged in nitrogen flushed pouches. Shelf stability is not a major concern in this product because of the low water activity and the frozen storage. The naturally bright color of the deep fried blue and white corn taco shells also prevents the need of any coloring agents. ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE The high pressure processing of the guacamole pouches alleviates the need for acidulants to lower the pH and inhibit microbial growth because the process kills any pathogenic microorganisms of concern. CLASSIC GARDEN SALSA The ingredients in the salsa inherently lower the pH, making addition of acetic acid, citric acid, or any other type of acidulant unnecessary.
Overall, our processing techniques take care of the major microbial concerns, eliminating the need for additional antimicrobials and resulting in a fairly clean label.
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PRODUCTION BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS Blue and white corn kernels will be processed separately until after deep frying. Upon arrival, the kernels will be visually inspected. The kernels will also pass through a magnet separator to remove any metal particles that could damage processing equipment. A sieve, aspirator, or gravity table may also be used to sort the kernels and remove any foreign particles. To begin the nixtamalization process, the kernels will enter into the Casa Herrera Corn Cooking System. This batch cooking system includes a scale for repeatable results and accuracy. The system includes a jacketed cook kettle, a quench tank to cool corn to desired steeping temperature, multiple steep tanks, and a corn washer to remove excess lime and loose paricarp. The cooked corn kernels (nixtamal) will then enter the Casa Herrera Corn Feeder and Heavy-Duty Corn Grinder System. The system monitors volume and moisture to produce masa with a consistent moisture content. It can mill up to 6,000 pounds per hour. From here, the masa and a portion of salt will enter into the Casa Herrera Presheeter, Sheeter, and Odyssey Oven System. The masa will pass through primary and secondary rollers and will be wire cut into small, 3 inch diameter circles. The miniature tortillas will pass through the oven to remove part of the moisture. Before frying, the tortillas will pass through the Casa Herrera Equilibration Conveyor. Baking can cause a moisture gradient in the tortillas, which can lead to excessive puffing and inconsistent crunchy texture in the final product. The Equilibration Conveyor corrects this problem. The mini tortillas will then enter a modified Heat and Control TACO-FORM Frying System where it will lose water and absorb a small amount of oil. This system can produce up to 24,000 taco shells per hour using a very low oil volume. At this point, the two colors of corn taco shells can be processed together. After frying, the taco shells will pass through the Casa Herrera Exhaust Cool Down Conveyor. The taco shells will also pass underneath the Heat and Control Mastermatic Roll Salter (RS42X). The salter has a 42 inch salting width and will evenly dispense salt onto the shells. Finally, the shells will be packaged using the Parsons-Eagle Phaser XP Vertical Form-Fill-Seal System with nitrogen flush option. This modified air packaging system will create a pillow-type pouch that will preserve the crunchy texture of the taco shells during frozen storage. Before entering the packaging system, employees will manually sort and align the taco shells to ensure that each pouch contains 18 mini taco shells, 9 of each color.
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PRODUCTION ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE The cost of the Calavo avocado pulp includes the freight cost to ship the product from Mexico to Texas to Lincoln, Nebraska. The fresh (not frozen) pulp will arrive in 6 pound pouches. The pulp will be manually removed from the pouches and added to the Ross Vertical Cone Screw Blender along with the IQF ingredients, lime juice, and seasonings. This low impact blender will gently incorporate the ingredients. The guacamole will exit through the bottom of the blender into the Cryovac Onpack Model 2052 VFFS. This vertical form-fill-seal system is able to pump sauces with particulate into 3 ounces portioned pouches. The pouches will be loaded in batches into the Avure Technologies QFP 215L-600 High Pressure Processing System. The pressure applied to the pouches must reach 87,000 psi for 3 minutes to achieve the critical control point for this component. This procedure will kill any pathogenic microorganisms of concern (including Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli) while preserving the bright green color and freshness of the guacamole. This will give the guacamole the extended shelf life needed for a club store product.
CLASSIC GARDEN SALSA All of the IQF ingredients for the salsa, along with the lime juice and seasonings can be added directly to the Ross Vertical Cone Screw Blender. After a short period of blending, a pH determination will be performed before the salsa exits the blender to ensure that the salsa has achieved the critical control point of a pH below 4.4. In development testing, the salsa was found to have an average pH of 3.8. The low pH will inhibit the growth of many pathogenic organisms and thereby extend the shelf life of the salsa. After the pH has been verified, the salsa will be pumped aseptically into a vacuum sealed 3 ounce pouch by the Cryovac Onpack Model 2052 VFFS (vertical form-fill-seal system).
WHITE QUESO SAUCE The commercialized queso pouches are manufactured by Sargento®. They will be added to the conveyor system along with the other components just before packaging into cartons.
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PRODUCTION CARNE ASADA SEASONED PORK After passing arrival safety checks, the Cargill boneless pork butt will be unloaded onto a fabrication line where employees will perform visual inspections of the meat and trim any silver skin or excessive fat with a medium sized Bettcher Industries Whizard 850M2 circular cutting tool. The pork butt will also be fabricated into portions (no more than 620 mm in length) that will feed easily through the MPBS Industries Pro Dice 3200 Multi Purpose Dicer with Hopper. The dicer will be fitted with a 15 mm cutting grid to produce small cubes of diced pork meat. The raw diced pork meat will be fed into the Mapeco Continuous Cooker that has a capacity of up to 10,000 pounds per hour. This system is much more efficient than batch cooking and will increase production speed. The pork meat must reach the critical control point of 145°F internal temperature before it exits the Continuous Cooker. In a separate area, the carne asada seasoning and water will be combined by passing the ingredients through an Inline High Speed Powder Induction Mixer. This high shear mixer incorporates the powder at a constant rate into a stream of water, producing a consistent marinade that will be added to the fully cooked pork meat using a Cryovac Onpack Model 2070 VFFS System. This unique system is able to portion and package 6 ounces of solids and liquids together using a vertical form-fill-seal mechanism. Once packaged, the pouch will travel through a circular cooling system to lower its temperature to 41°F before joining the other components on the carton packaging line.
CARTON ASSEMBLY All components will converge on a single conveyor where they will pass through an x-ray and metal detector to ensure the removal of any hazardous foreign objects that may have entered the product during processing. For quality assurance purposes, components will travel down a conveyor line and will be manually packed into cartons. Cartons will be assembled using a Bosch Cobra Carton Forming Machine. Corrugated cases will be assembled using a Loveshaw Little David CF-25 Case Former. Each case will be packaged manually with 24 cartons. After the cases are palletized and wrapped, they are ready to be stored in the freezer and shipped to club store warehouses.
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PROCESSING FLOW CHART TACO SHELLS
GUACAMOLE
PORK MEAT
MARINADE
Visual inspection of blue and white corn kernels
Pre weighed avocado pulp, IQF ingredients, lime juice, and seasonings
Boneless Pork Butt
Carne asada style seasoning and tap water
Bettcher Model 850M2 Medium Whizard Trimmer
Magnet Separator Sieve, Aspirator, or Gravity Table
Ross Vertical Cone Screw Blender
MPBS Industries Pro Dice 3200 Multi Purpose Dicer
Ross High Speed Powder Induction Mixer Pumping system
Pumping system Casa Herrera Corn Cooking System Casa Herrera Corn Feeder and Heavy-Duty Corn Grinder System
Mapeco Continuous Cooker
Cryovac Onpack Model 2052 VFFS (Vertical Form-Fill-Seal System)
Cryovac Onpack Model 2070 VFFS (Vertical Form, Fill, Seal System)
Avure 215L-600 HPP System
Casa Herrera Presheeter, Sheeter, and Odyssey Oven System
Spiral Cooler
SALSA IQF ingredients, lime juice, and seasonings Ross Vertical Cone Screw Blender
Casa Herrera Equilibration Conveyor
Pumping system
Heat and Control TACOFORM Frying System
Cryovac Onpack Model 2052 VFFS (Vertical Form, Fill, Seal System)
Casa Herrera Exhaust Cool Down Conveyor Heat and Control Mastermatic Roll Salter (MS42X)
X-ray and Metal Detector Manual packaging of components into carton
QUESO
Carton
Manual sorting
Case
Parsons-Eagle Phaser XP Vertical Form, Fill, Seal System with Nitrogen Flush Option
Palletizer Frozen Storage
KEY Indicates the flow of the product Indicates an addition of ingredients Indicates a critical control point
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PACKAGING In order to preserve the crisp texture of the taco shells and the desired organoleptic properties of the pork meat, all of the components are packaged separately. A variety of films were used for the components, most from the Cryovac FS Series VFFS Films. These rollstock films create flexible pouches that can be used for liquid and pumpable foods containing particulate. The pouches can be filled hot or cold and can be used to store frozen products. For the pork meat and marinade, FS 5035 film is used to create an 8 inch by 4.5 inch pouch. For the salsa, FS 7135 film is used to create a 7 inch by 3 inch pouch. For the guacamole, a special film (FS 7045) that can withstand high pressure processing is used to create a 7 inch by 3 inch pouch. The taco shells are portioned into modified atmosphere packaging using a Parsons-Eagle Phaser XP Vertical FormFill-Seal System with nitrogen flush option. Each bag will contain about 0.0376 standard cubic feet of nitrogen gas, which will be supplied by Linde Gas. The removal of oxygen allows the taco shells to maintain their crisp texture during freezing. The components are manually packaged into Full Overlap Seal End Paperboard Cartons supplied by Malnove and then into 18 inch x 16 inch x 14 inch Uline corrugated cases. Each case will contain 24 cartons and will be placed in frozen storage after packaging. Below are examples of each type of packaging.
CARNE ASADA STYLE PORK
ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE
BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS
WHITE QUESO SAUCE
FRESH GARDEN SALSA
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PACKAGING COSTS PER PORTION
Material (Supplier)
Type of Packaging
Wholesale Price ($/unit)
Cost of Packaging in Formulation
FS 5035 Film for Pork Meat (Sealed Air)
8” x 4.5” pouch
0.60/msi
0.0072
Laminated Film for Taco Shells (Exopack)
10” x 7” pouch
0.27/msi
0.0063
0.0376 scf
0.52/scf
0.0033
FS 7045 Film for Guacamole (Sealed Air)
7” x 3” pouch
0.75/msi
0.0053
FS 7135 Film for Salsa (Sealed Air)
7” x 3” pouch
0.69/msi
0.0048
Full Overlap Seal End Paperboard Carton (Malnove)
8” x 6.5” x 2.5” carton
142.90/ 1000 cartons
0.0238
Corrugated Box (ULINE)
18” x 16” x 14” corrugated box
1.31/box
0.0091
-
-
0.0598
Nitrogen for Taco Shells (Linde Gas)
Total
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SHELF LIFE AND STORAGE The estimated shelf life of the Mini Pork Taco Dippers is 180 days. When estimating the shelf life for this product, the elements of major concern include the color and flavor of the avocado in the guacamole as well as the preservation of the crisp texture of the taco shells. The use of high pressure processing for the guacamole, modified atmosphere packaging for the taco shells, and the various critical control points all contribute to an extended shelf life of 180 days under frozen temperatures.
PREPARATION AND PLATING Mini Pork Taco Dippers are to be stored under frozen conditions until 24 hours before consumption. At that point, the carton and its contents (except for the pouch containing the taco shells) are to be removed from the consumer’s freezer and placed under refrigeration so that the components may thaw. The taco shells are to be placed at room temperature to thaw. After 24 hours, the pork meat may be removed from its packaging, placed in a microwave safe dish, and reheated in a microwave oven for 30-45 seconds or until warmed through. If desired, the queso sauce can also be removed from its packaging, placed in a microwave safe dish, and heated in a microwave oven for 15-20 seconds. The taco shells can then be filled with the pork meat and the remaining sauces removed from the packaging and placed in serving bowls. Mini Pork Taco Dippers make an excellent interactive, sharable appetizer that the whole family can enjoy.
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REFERENCES CARNE ASADA SEASONED PORK Chod Morrow, Cargill Meat Solutions Kelly Perrier, Cargill Pork Pricing Mike Peters, Cargill Pork Pricing Tim Hoilman, Newly Weds Foods Kathy Connolly, Newly Weds Foods BLUE AND WHITE CORN TACO SHELLS Julie Bryant, Sunny State Products Steven Weier, University of Nebraska, Lincoln ROASTED CORN GUACAMOLE Rick Joyal, Calavo Jeff Morris, Fresherized Foods CLASSIC GARDEN SALSA Delroy Gibb, Cargill Dressing, Sauces, and Oils Brian, Cargill Dressings, Sauces, and Oils Mike Brem, SupHerb Farms Scott Adair, SupHerb Farms Mark Stagg, Van Drunen Farms Tracy Sheehan, Van Drunen Farms Susan Grisdale, Sun Orchard Stacy Sanford, Sun Orchard WHITE QUESO SAUCE Tony Benedict, Sargento Mike Lieber, Sargento PACKAGING Daniel McKamy, Sealed Air Kaye Smith, Sealed Air Sue Winstone, Malnove Susan Elles, Exopack DESIGNATED SUPPLIERS Nicholo Plaze, GPI Julie Snarski, David Michael & Co. Bethany Hall, National Starch Anh Nguy, National Starch
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WORKS CITED 2010 Census. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . "A World of Packaging Solutions from Sealed Air." Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . Fain, Lisa. The Homesick Texan Cookbook. New York: Hyperion, 2011. Print. Flour Tortilla, Corn Chip, Chapati, Pita, Pizza Flatbread Machinery, Equipment. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . "Heat and Control: Food Processing & Packaging Equipment." Manufacturing, Industrial & Business Machinery, Supplies, Equipment and News. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . "High Pressure Processing Food Systems - Avure Technologies." Avure Technologies Cold Isostatic Presses CIP Hot Isostatic Presses HIP HPP Flexform Hydroform Fluid Cell Pressing. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . Industrial Mixers and Blenders - Ross. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . Kittler, Pamela Goyan, and Kathryn Sucher. Food and Culture. Australia: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2004. Print. Loveshaw- Packaging Equipment for the Real World including Auto Case Sealers, Case Erecting Equipment and Label Application Systems. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . Lynch, Francis Talyn. The Book of Yields: Accuracy in Food Costing and Purchasing. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley, 2012. Print. Meat Processing Equipment, Defatting, Pneumatic Scissors, Breading Machine, Gyro Knife, Meat Scissors, Poultry Shears, Trimmer Blades, Cutting Kevlar, Taxidermy Tools | Bettcher Industries, Inc. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . MPBS Industries: Meat Processing Equipment, Meat Packaging Equipment, Food Processing Equipment, Food Packaging Equipment. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. . TEMCO Scales - Net Weighing and Bag Handling Equipment. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. .
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