“Rendering is sustainable and an essential link in the food and feed chain,” said Nancy Foster, president of the National Renderers Association (NRA) and Fats and Proteins Research Foundation, during her presentation at the International Rendering Symposium, held in conjunction with the 2018 International Production & Processing Expo in Atlanta, Ga. The NRA and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association sponsored the program.
Foster reported that the NRA represents more than 95 percent of rendering in the U.S. and Canada, including packer and independent renderers. The NRA supports the rendering industry through programs on biosecurity and stewardship, regulatory and lobbying government affairs, and international marketing promotion. The rendering industry exceeds $10 billion in annual revenue.
“My dog is not my pet. My dog is family,” said Tim Law, corporate quality manager for Darling Ingredients, as he was describing how most pet owners feel about their pets. Roughly 85 million families own a pet in the U.S., and the pet industry is a $69.4 billion per year business. Law remarked that pet parents expect good prices, quality and appearance, as well as palatability, performance and packaging appeal for their pet’s food. He said that there is a humanizing trend toward pets and described the top four human food trends that the pet food industry is currently experiencing. He ended by stating, “It’s not just the pet anymore; it is the pet parent.”
B.J. Bench, Ph.D., director of FSQA, Specialty Products for Tyson Foods, presented on “Oxidation and Its Challenges.” Bench observed that many variables contribute to oxidation, rancidification or degradation of products with many sequels, such as the passive view of fatty acids degradation or termination that leads to secondary volatile and non-volatile compounds. He remarked that “trying to understand product degradation is a challenge all on its own. Antioxidants offer a product that provides some stability but are not a perfect solution.” Bench concluded by stating that detailed research studies are needed on rendered products to truly understand the culprits that are leading to potential issues along with palatability studies that support a real concern.
