The argument between local chicken producers and chicken product importers continues apace. A major SA chicken producer/supplier has thrown in its own contribution to the debate – although not without a counter case being expressed by the importers body. Chicken “brining” (the injection of f lavourants) has moved from being a quality enhancement for meat bought by middle and upper income buyers to being an economic necessity for maintaining lower unit costs for low income households, according to Izaak Breitenbach, MD of Afgri Poultry – a listed SA agricultural services and foods group. When devised overseas, the brining process was primarily used for white breast meat, which in its raw form is tougher and less moist than the other chicken portions. That same logic was adopted here. But, very quickly, chicken producers found that it played another vital role with the protein-hungry, lower income consumer market. This market sector (a proportionately large one) had a very limited household spend. And its usage varied season-toseason. Research, Breitenbach told FTW, revealed that the winter price breakpoint for individually quick frozen (IQF) portions was R32/bag, while in the summer season this was R35-R37/bag. The reason for this, he revealed, was that the low income consumer had to spend more on heating material in the winter, and therefore had less to spend on food (almost always chicken). “Treating the carcass or portion with a f lavour enhancer (which costs less than meat) also reduces the producer’s cost per kilogram of meat, making portions the lowest cost animal protein source money can buy,” he said. “Also, food inf lation over the past year was 37%, whereas poultry inf lation has been 0% since 2007.” The department of agriculture, forestry and fisheries (Daff) has just announced that it intends to cap the brining of IQF portions at a level of 15% and of whole birds at 10% – with intended implementation on September 1. “Afgri is in support of Daff ’s proposed regulation,” said Breitenbach. “This is based on our opinion that the maximum brining levels suggested are ethical, fair, reasonable and scientifically justifiable.” The brining debate was kick-started by the Association of Meat Importers and Exporters (Amie), and it is still opposed to Breitenbach’s arguments. Said David Wolpert, CEO of Amie: “We have been totally opposed to the blatant abuse of consumers by excessive brining, and welcome the limits as set by the Daff – although we would have preferred even lower limits.” The association also argued strongly against the quantity of water in the brine solutions that are injected. “Water,” said Wolpert, “represents just under 97% of the solution, so brining is obviously merely a system of commercial gain at the consumer’s expense. “We should point out that at current levels brining in SA exceeds 500 million litres of water per annum – which is more than double the annual chicken imports into the country.” But, while this implies that imported chicken products are unbrined, Breitenbach insisted that this was only a half-truth, and that the importers’ chicken brining argument was based on a loose foundation. “Certainly, no brined IQF chicken portions are being imported into SA,” he said. “It is whole birds and portions, and these are processed into IQFs and brined here in SA by local processors.” INSERT & CAPTION We have been totally opposed to the blatant abuse of consumers by excessive brining, and welcome the limits as set by the Daff. – David Wolpert
