USSEC recently held the Soy Ingredients in Meat Processing Workshop (CLAPE) in Bogota, Colombia.  This event was attended by 22 participants from different Colombian companies that consume U.S. soybean protein products.  This weeklong workshop was conducted by USSEC consultant Julio Chavez and experts from Uruguay, Colombia and Costa Rica.  Major topics taught included:  the principles of meat science; the use of soy proteins in meat products; meat raw materials; restructured meat; microbiology; hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP); casings and packaging; and food legislation in Colombia.

A hands-on laboratory was developed to learn the proper use of soy proteins in emulsified and ground fresh products.  Workshop participants visited a food processing plant to experience the hands-on laboratory where they prepared two pork skin emulsions; a pork fat emulsion; a chorizo using 22% hydrated trisodium phosphate (TSP); a hot dog using 22% hydrated TSP and pork fat; and a hot dog using 22% hydrated TSP and substituting 100% of pork fat by the pork fat emulsion.  Many of the workshop participants expect to develop new products using U.S. soy protein and implement changes and improvements in their processes and operations, so they found the information provided by USSEC’s CLAPE workshop to be beneficial.