Summer is a great time to explore the great outdoors, and make the most of the gorgeous, warm weather. And if you’re going on a hike, picnic or another outdoor expedition, you may be bringing along popular snacks like beef jerky, dried fruit, trail mix and more.
Have you ever wondered how these snacks are packaged and made? If you have, you’re in the right place! Let’s explore the process of making and packaging some of these snacks – and how essential machine knives from companies like TGW International are for the snacks that you love!
How Machine Knives Are Used to Make Beef Jerky
To show you how machine knives are used to make snacks, let’s take a look at a classic summer trail treat – beef jerky. Jerky is delicious, nonperishable, and lightweight, making it a great trail snack. Here’s how it’s made!
- Beef is accepted to a jerky manufacturing facility. Usually, high-quality, lean flank steak is used to make high-quality jerky.
- The meat is processed to remove bones and connective tissue, using machine knives. Then, fat is removed using one of several methods
- A curing solution consisting of water, salt and other additives is heated and prepared
- The meat is cut into chunks by an automatic cutting machine, using machine knives. Then, it is dipped into the curing solution
- Next, the meat is put into a centrifuge, where more curing solution is added, as well as seasonings
- After this, the meat is frozen and cut into thin strips using machine knives. Then, they are sent to a drying oven, which is heated to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are gradually cooked over a period of about 12 hours
After this, the jerky is prepared – and it’s ready to package! The most popular way to package jerky to minimize moisture and keep it fresh longer is a vacuum-sealed package.
First, the jerky is put into a bag. Then, the package is evacuated of all air, which is replaced with nitrogen. Then, the bag is sealed and cut using machine knives. Removing the air and replacing it with nitrogen helps prevent spoilage.
Machine Knives Are Critical for Your Favorite Snacks!
While jerky is the example we used, machine knives are used to create and package just about every other trail snack – including dried fruit, trail mix, granola bars and more! That’s something to think about that next time you tear open a package on the trail this summer.