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Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork)

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A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Meat".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 31027

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Benjamin Holman

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Guest Editor

Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650, Australia
Interests: animal science; animal production; animal nutrition; ruminant nutrition; meat quality; animals food science; feeding; forage; agricultural statistics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Eric Nanthan Ponnampalam

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Guest Editor

Animal Production Sciences, Agriculture Victoria Research, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
Interests: sustainable agriculture; climate challenge; lipid metabolism; fatty acid; meat science; forage utilisation; novel feeds and alternate supplements; methane mitigation; meat quality; nutritional value of meat and milk; consumer desire
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Meat composition and quality are not independent to production system effects. Specifically, the interactions of an animal’s diet (the type, form, energy content, and concentration of macro- and micro-nutrients), an animal’s physiological status and an animal’s environment can have a significant impact on the composition, nutritional value and sensorial appeal of its meat products. If we consider the adoption of forages, novel feeds and more sustainable production systems for holistic benefits, we must also consider their implications on the value of the meat products delivered for human consumption. These impacts include (but are not limited to) eating quality, shelf life, nutritional value and ultimately retail-potential.

This is important due to the consumers of meat having become increasingly discerning of their meal selection, in terms of its value for money, system ethics, enironmental impacts, convenience, and health and wellness. It would therefore be advantageous to present findings from different production systems and their capacity to meet these demands. Doing so would demonstrate the efficacy of whole system managment to transistion between animal and meal, i.e., from farm to fork.

This is the objective of this Special Issue, and we hope that you will be keen to contribute a manuscript to this Issue. We are only inviting 10 articles for this Issue, and if you are keen, please reply to us with the title and brief introduction. We look forward to working with you.

Dr. Benjamin W.B. Holman
Dr. Eric Nanthan Ponnampalam
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

sustainable agriculture
feeding systems
utilisation of forages and supplements
meat production
nutritional value of meat
meat science and technology
eating quality
sensorial attributes
retail potential

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 168 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork)

by Benjamin W. B. Holman and Eric N. Ponnampalam

Foods 2022, 11(7), 933; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11070933 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1745

Abstract

Meat composition and quality are not independent of the effects of animal production systems [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

Research

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14 pages, 959 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Aging and Retail Display Conditions on the Color and Oxidant/Antioxidant Status of Beef from Steers Finished with DG-Supplemented Diets

by Manuela Merayo, Sergio Aníbal Rizzo, Luciana Rossetti, Dario Pighin and Gabriela Grigioni

Foods 2022, 11(6), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11060884 - 20 Mar 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2357

Abstract

The aim of this work was to study the effect of finishing diets including distiller grains (DG) on color and oxidative stability of beef after being exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging. For this purpose, beef samples from animals fed with finishing diets including 0%, 15%, 30%, and 45% DG (on a dry matter basis), which had been exposed to aerobic retail display conditions, with or without previous aging under vacuum packaging, were evaluated. The content of γ-tocopherol, β-carotene, and lutein in diet samples increased with the level of DG. Beef evaluated at 72 h post-mortem showed greater content of γ-tocopherol and retinol as the DG level increased. Meat color was not affected by DG inclusion, but color parameters decreased with retail conditions. Meat from animals fed with DG showed the lowest values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), independently of the retail display conditions. However, all samples were below the threshold associated with rancid aromas and above the a* value related to meat color acceptance. Thus, feeding diets including up to 45% of DG improved the antioxidant status of meat, preserving the color, and delaying lipid oxidation in meat samples under the display conditions evaluated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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15 pages, 1009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Retail Packaging Affects Colour, Water Holding Capacity, Texture and Oxidation of Sheep Meat more than Breed and Finishing Feed

by Minh Ha, Robyn Dorothy Warner, Caitlin King, Sida Wu and Eric N. Ponnampalam

Foods 2022, 11(2), 144; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11020144 - 06 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2026

Abstract

This study investigated the CIELab colour, water holding capacity, texture and oxidative stability of sheep meat from different breeds, finishing feeds, and retail packaging methods. Leg primal cuts from a subset of Composite wether lambs (n = 21) and Merino wether yearlings (n = 21) finished on a standard diet containing grain and cereal hay, a standard diet with camelina forage, or a standard diet with camelina meal, were used in this study. Semimembranosus and Vastus lateralis were packaged in vacuum skin packaging (VSP), or modified atmosphere packaging with 80% O₂ and 20% CO₂ (HioxMAP), or with 50% O₂, 30% N₂, and 20% CO₂ (TrigasMAP). Packaging had a greater effect (p < 0.001) on L*, a*, b*, hue, and chroma than the effects from breed and finishing feed. Purge loss was affected by packaging. Cooking loss was affected by breed for Semimembranosus and packaging for both muscle types. HioxMAP and TrigasMAP increased WBSF and Texture Profile Analysis hardness of the meat compared to VSP. Lipid oxidation, assessed by TBARS, were lower in camelina forage or camelina meal supplemented diets and TrigasMAP compared to standard diet and HioxMAP, respectively. Total carbonyl and free thiol content were lower in VSP. Thus, supplementing feed with camelina forage or meal and lowering oxygen content in retail packaging by TrigasMAP or VSP are recommended to ensure optimal sheep meat quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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12 pages, 1395 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization and Discrimination of Key Aroma Compounds in Pre- and Postrigor Roasted Mutton by GC-O-MS, GC E-Nose and Aroma Recombination Experiments

by Huan Liu, Teng Hui, Fei Fang, Qianli Ma, Shaobo Li, Dequan Zhang and Zhenyu Wang

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2387; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102387 - 08 Oct 2021

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 2459

Abstract

The key aroma compounds in the pre- and postrigor roasted mutton were studied in this study. The results showed that 33 and 30 odorants were detected in the pre- and postrigor roasted mutton, respectively. Eight aroma compounds, including 3-methylbutanal, pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, and 2-pentylfuran, were confirmed as key odorants by aroma recombination and omission experiments. The aroma profiles of pre- and postrigor roasted mutton both presented great fatty, roasty, meaty, grassy, and sweet odors. Particularly, the concentrations of hexanal, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, 1-octen-3-ol, and 2-pentylfuran in postrigor roasted mutton were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in the prerigor roasted mutton. The postrigor back strap was more suitable for roasting than the prerigor back strap. The pre- and postrigor roasted mutton could be obviously discriminated based on the aroma compounds by orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Hexanal and 1-octen-3-ol might potential markers for the discrimination of the pre- and postrigor roasted mutton. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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16 pages, 667 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Meat Quality Characteristics of Holstein Calves: The Story of Israeli ‘Dairy Beef’

by Ariel Shabtay, Einav Shor-Shimoni, Ala Orlov, Rotem Agmon, Olena Trofimyuk, Ofir Tal and Miri Cohen-Zinder

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2308; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102308 - 29 Sep 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2102

Abstract

Global animal production systems are often criticized for their lack of sustainability and insufficient resilience to ensure food security. The ‘farm-to-fork’ approach aims at orienting food systems towards the creation of a positive environmental impact, nutritious, healthy, safe and sufficient foods, and fairer economic returns for primary producers. Many countries rely on an imported supply of live animals to fulfill their needs for fresh meat. In Israel, ~60% of the sources of fresh beef come from the import of live animals. In order to encourage sustainable beef production in Israel, the proportion of local beef should be raised at the expense of imported animals. However, for this to be achieved, the superior performance of local beef should be justified. The current study was conducted to compare between the meat quality characteristics of local (Israeli Holstein; N = 205) vs. imported (Australian; N = 169) animals. Generally, while the imported calves presented a higher dressing percentage (p < 0.0001), the local animals were characterized by tenderer meat (p < 0.0001), longer sarcomeres (p < 0.0001), higher a* color attributes and pH (p < 0.001), superior cooking (p = 0.002) and thawing loss (p < 0.0001), higher intra-muscular fat (IMF) content, and a higher PUFA proportion (p < 0.01 and p < 0.0001, respectively) and PUFA:SFA ratio. The findings shown herein may provide sound arguments for stakeholders and policy makers to facilitate sustainable local beef production in Israel. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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16 pages, 1429 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatty Acids and Nutraceutical Properties of Lipids in Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Meat Produced in Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

by Janusz Kilar and Anna Kasprzyk

Foods 2021, 10(10), 2290; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10102290 - 27 Sep 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2141

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the fatty acid profile and nutraceutical properties of lipids contained in fallow deer (Dama dama) meat produced in organic and conventional farming systems. Longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles from 24 fallow deer carcasses were selected for the study. The fallow deer meat from the organic farming system was characterized by significantly lower intramuscular fat content. The fatty acid profile in the organic meat was characterized by a particularly high proportion (p < 0.0001) of conjugated linoleic acid—CLA (LL—2.29%, SM—2.14%), alpha-linolenic acid—ALA (LL—4.32%, SM—3.87%), and docosahexaenoic acid—DHA (LL—2.83%, SM—2.60%). The organic system had a beneficial effect (p < 0.0001) on the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including n-3 PUFAs, which resulted in a more favorable n-6 PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acid)/n-3 PUFA ratio. The significantly higher nutritional quality of organic meat lipids was confirmed by such nutraceutical indicators as the thrombogenic index (TI), ∆9-desaturase C16, elongase, and docosahexaenoic acid+eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA+EPA) in the LL and SM and cholesterol index (CI), and the cholesterol-saturated fat index (CSI) indices in the SM. LL was characterized by higher overall quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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17 pages, 683 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Maternal Carbohydrate Source (Concentrate-Based vs. Forage-Based) on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Progeny

by Erin R. Gubbels, Janna J. Block, Robin R. Salverson, Adele A. Harty, Warren C. Rusche, Cody L. Wright, Kristi M. Cammack, Zachary K. Smith, J. Kyle Grubbs, Keith R. Underwood, Jerrad F. Legako, Kenneth C. Olson and Amanda D. Blair

Foods 2021, 10(9), 2056; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10092056 - 31 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1928

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of maternal prepartum dietary carbohydrate source on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of offspring. Angus-based cows were assigned to either a concentrate-based diet or forage-based diet during mid- and late-gestation. A subset of calves was selected for evaluation of progeny performance. Dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F), and ultrasound measurements (muscle depth, back fat thickness, and intramuscular fat) were assessed during the feeding period. Carcass measurements were recorded, and striploins were collected for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), trained sensory panel, crude fat determination and fatty acid profile. Maternal dietary treatment did not influence (p > 0.05) offspring BW, DMI, ultrasound measurements, percent moisture, crude fat, WBSF, or consumer sensory responses. The forage treatment tended to have decreased (p = 0.06) 12th rib backfat compared to the concentrate treatment and tended to have lower (p = 0.08) yield grades. The concentrate treatment had increased (p < 0.05) a* and b* values compared to the forage treatment. These data suggest variation in maternal diets applied in this study during mid- and late-gestation has limited influence on progeny performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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13 pages, 1510 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Scopoletin Supplementation and Stocking Density on Growth Performance, Antioxidant Activity, and Meat Quality of Korean Native Broiler Chickens

by Sang Hun Ha, Hwan Ku Kang, Abdolreza Hosseindoust, Jun Young Mun, Joseph Moturi, Habeeb Tajudeen, Hwa Lee, Eun Ju Cheong and Jin Soo Kim

Foods 2021, 10(7), 1505; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071505 - 29 Jun 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2486

Abstract

Stocking density stress is one of the most common management stressors in the poultry industry. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of dietary Sophora koreensis (SK; 0 and 20 mg/kg diet) and stocking density (SD; 14 and 16 chickens/m²) on the antioxidant status, meat quality, and growth performance of native Korean chickens. There was a lower concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) and a higher concentration of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity in the serum and leg muscle with the supplementation of SK. The concentration of MDA was increased and concentrations of SOD were decreased in the leg muscle of chickens in low SD treatments. The SK-supplemented treatments showed an increased 3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate-reducing activity of leg muscles. The higher water holding capacity of breast muscle and a lower cooking loss and pH were shown in the SK-supplemented treatments. The addition of dietary SK resulted in a greater body weight gain and greater spleen and bursa Fabricius weight, as well as lower feed intake and abdominal fat. The low SD and supplementation of SK increased the concentrations of cholesterol. The concentration of glucose was increased in the low SD treatment. Corticosterone level was decreased in the SK-supplemented and low SD treatments. In conclusion, SK supplementation reduced the oxidative stress and increased meat quality and antioxidant status of chickens apart from the SD stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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8 pages, 698 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Odd- and Branched-Chain Fatty Acids in Lamb Meat as Potential Indicators of Fattening Diet Characteristics

by Pilar Gómez-Cortés, Francisco Requena Domenech, Marta Correro Rueda, Miguel Ángel de la Fuente, Achille Schiavone and Andrés L. Martínez Marín

Foods 2021, 10(1), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10010077 - 03 Jan 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2395

Abstract

There is a growing interest of researchers in meat authentication in terms of geographical and dietary background of animals, and several analytical methods have been proposed for the purpose of investigating this. We hypothesized that the odd- and branched-chain fatty acid (OBCFA) profile in intramuscular fat (IMF) might suffice to distinguish lamb meat entering the food chain supply on the basis of the type of diet fed to lambs during the fattening period. A total of 30 individual OBCFA profiles, quantified by gas chromatography, of IMF of Manchego lambs were used. During the fattening period (42 days), the lambs were fed three diets differing in concentrate composition: (i) Control, concentrate typical of commercial fattening rations, rich in starch and based on cereals and soybean meal; (ii) Camelina, similar to Control but replacing 50% of the soybean meal with camelina meal; and (iii) Fibrous, concentrate rich in neutral detergent fiber (NDF), based on fibrous by-products and not including cereals nor soybean meal. The OBCFA were grouped into three classes (linear odd, iso and anteiso fatty acids) and were then submitted to a linear discriminant analysis, using the feeding treatments as grouping variable and the OBCFA class contents in IMF as quantitative variables. The results suggested that a high NDF to starch ratio of the concentrate, being the lowest for Control (CON) treatment and the highest for Fibrous (FIB) treatment, would be negatively related to the odd/anteiso ratio and positively related to the iso/(anteiso+odd) FA ratio in IMF. Determination of OBCFA profile in lamb meat would be useful to monitor the feeding regime (starch- or NDF-rich) of lambs entering the food chain supply. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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20 pages, 1303 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Greek Cattle Carcass Characteristics (Carcass Weight and Age of Slaughter) Based on SEUROP Classification System

by Kostoula Nikolaou, Panagiota Koutsouli and Iosif Bizelis

Foods 2020, 9(12), 1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9121764 - 28 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3362

Abstract

In Greece, all cattle carcasses produced from a variety of breed types are classified according to the SEUROP system. The objective of this study was to evaluate Greek carcass characteristics such as carcass weight and age of slaughter based on SEUROP classification system (muscle conformation and fat deposit classes) and to describe the effect of main factors such as breed, gender, year of slaughter, farm’s geographical region and month of slaughter on these carcass parameters. It is the first study that evaluates local breeds, revealing the wide diversity of the Greek cattle breeding conditions. The analyzed records consisted of 323,046 carcasses from 2011 to 2017. All the examined factors significantly affected the mean carcass weight (298.9 ± 0.2 kg) and the mean slaughter age (559.1 ± 0.3 days). Carcasses from beef meat breeds had on average higher mean carcass weight while the local breeds had lower. The mean slaughter age and carcass weight were higher in winter than in summer. The local and the dairy breeds were classified in similar muscle conformation classes. Finally, Greek cattle carcasses from almost all regions were satisfactory for their quality carcass traits with good muscle conformation (R, O and U class) and low-fat deposit (class 1 to 3). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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Review

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20 pages, 19787 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

The Sources, Synthesis and Biological Actions of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids in Red Meat: An Overview

by Eric N. Ponnampalam, Andrew J. Sinclair and Benjamin W. B. Holman

Foods 2021, 10(6), 1358; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10061358 - 11 Jun 2021

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 6339

Abstract

The maximisation of available resources for animal production, food security and maintenance of human–animal wellbeing is important for an economically viable, resilient and sustainable future. Pasture and forage diets are common sources of short chain omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while grain-based and feedlot diets are common sources of short chain omega-6 (n-6) PUFA. Animals deposit n-3 and n-6 PUFA as a result of their direct consumption, as feeds or by synthesis of longer chain PUFA from short chain FA precursors in the body via desaturation and elongation processes. Research conducted over the last three decades has determined that the consumption of n-3 PUFA can improve the health and wellbeing of humans through its biological, biochemical, pathological and pharmacological effects. n-6 PUFA also play an important role in human health, but when consumed at high levels, are potentially harmful. Research shows that current consumption of n-6 PUFA by the human population is high due to their meal choices and the supplied food types. If consumption of n-3 PUFA from land- and marine-based foods improves human health, it is likely that these same food types can improve the health and wellbeing of livestock (farm animals) by likewise enhancing the levels of the n-3 PUFA in their circulatory and tissue systems. Modern agricultural systems and advanced technologies have fostered large scale animal and crop production systems. These allow for the utilisation of plant concentrate-based diets to increase the rate of animal growth, often based on economics, and these diets are believed to contribute to unfavourable FA intakes. Knowledge of the risks associated with consuming foods that have greater concentration of n-6 PUFA may lead to health-conscious consumers avoiding or minimising their intake of animal- and plant-based foods. For this reason, there is scope to produce food from plant and animal origins that contain lesser amounts of n-6 PUFA and greater amounts of n-3 PUFA, the outcome of which could improve both animal and human health, wellbeing and resilience to disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Meat Products: From Animal (Farm) to Meal (Fork))

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