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MEAT INDUSTRY IN THE U.K.

SOME OF THE THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCE

OF ONE INDIVIDUAL.

N.R.P. Wilson, more commonly known as Ralph began his career with meat in the early 1950’s in Yorkshire and progressed from being a butcher, through meat inspection , technical and other senior management positions in large meat companies to become a well known consultant in the U.K. meat industry

The material found on these web pages has been prepared after a lifetime of working with meat, and with meat people, (who really are a wonderful set of people) and it may perhaps help to give just a little back to an industry that regularly receives hard knocks from a public that does really need this wonderful product

MEAT THE WAY IT WAS? THE WAY IT IS?

PERHAPS EVEN THE WAY IT MAY ALL BE?

A photographs of ribs of beef showing the winners of the Northampton Fatstock market show in the 1960’s. The beef had been quartered at the 10th rib

Modern beef quarters cut through at the tenth rib to show the comparable face of meat and fat levels that are available

This book, if it is indeed a book in the true sense of that word, or perhaps more accurately it should be looked at as a series of journeys to look at various aspects of the meat industry. It gives a fairly general background of some of the aspects of the meat industry that may prove useful to some entrants to the meat industry. If any parts do appear to be of interest it is hoped that the readers will copy out what they need and then either use it as it is or adapt it to more properly fit in with the work that they are doing. If any readers do find parts useful to them perhaps as the years pass they may feel that they too could help this industry by leaving their thoughts in a similar fashion that will be accessible to others and may enable them to take advantage of such experiences later on.

An e mail address is also available in case anyone should have any useful tips to pass on that may be included in it as it is updated. There is no charge of any kind for making use of any part of the material that is included, but, if anyone should find the contents useful and wishes to give a contribution to help with the ongoing updating and maintenance of the web site, such aid would be very welcome.

The first parts of the book deal with some very basic aspects of the meat industry as has been seen, and reported, in the U.K. (but with a few references to how things have changed in some other countries of the world). It continues to try and provide a general insight into the meat industry and various aspects of that industry to try and give some aid to newer entrants to the industry who do sincerely wish to progress in that industry. In doing so, as has been said, it is hoped they may at the same time wish to give something back in order to sustain other parts and participants of the meat industry that may then be feeling to be under some pressure. Although an attempt has been made to provide some guidance on some aspects of the work, this book is only a starting point and actual ‘hands on’ practical work is an invaluable and necessary aspect.

Later parts of the book provide a few basic recipes to make some meat products (some that have been used by the author and some that he has ‘collected’ as he travelled through his life) while the latter part includes some suggested forms, layouts and other documents such as HACCP preparation, a company manual, a cleaning program and various operation policies etc that have in the past proved to be useful and may in turn provide to be of some help to those who seek to tread the path within the meat industry.

As many of the subjects ‘interrelate’ in some way with other parts it may be found that there is occasionally some overlapping and some repeating of some items. For this there is no apology as if some parts do deserve a greater stress then so be it.

Similarly, Chapter titles or headings are to some extent rather long on some of them. Perhaps this was due to trying to make the mind work ahead of the writing! For this the writer does offer apologies if it should cause any problems for the reader. As it is anticipated that it will be read on a computer it was felt that there would be little need for an index since a search can be made by the computer.

The photographs at the start above demonstrate just how noticeable some changes have been in such a short period of time in the appearance of the ‘prized’ beef.

For any contact regarding maintenance of the web site (even considering a small donation to help with the site maintenance) and if you have questions that perhaps I may be able to help with contact may be made at:

comments@nrpwilson.co.uk

There may come a time in the future when I may need to ask someone else to carry on and run with the web site to help our wonderful industry. It may be you! Do be prepared

As can be seen, some links have already been provided but there may be many other parts of interest within the book itself. Take some time and see what you find.