Search Results (71)

A high intake of saturated fats and cholesterol from processed meats is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk. This study aimed to develop a nutritionally enhanced Bologna-type sausage by partially replacing the beef content with a structured emulsion gel (EG) formulated from pine nut oil, inulin, carrageenan, and whey protein concentrate. The objective was to improve its lipid quality and functional performance while maintaining product integrity and consumer acceptability. Three sausage formulations were prepared: a control and two variants with 7% and 10% EG, which substituted for the beef content. The emulsion gel was characterized regarding its physical and thermal stability. Sausages were evaluated for their proximate composition, fatty acid profile, cholesterol content, pH, cooking yield, water-holding capacity, emulsion stability, instrumental texture, microstructure (via SEM), oxidative stability (TBARSs), and sensory attributes. Data were analyzed using a one-way and two-way ANOVA with Duncan’s test (p < 0.05). The EG’s inclusion significantly reduced the total and saturated fat and cholesterol, while increasing protein and unsaturated fatty acids. The 10% EG sample achieved a PUFA/SFA ratio of 1.00 and an over 80% reduction in atherogenic and thrombogenic indices. Functional improvements were observed in emulsion stability, cooking yield, and water retention. Textural and visual characteristics remained within acceptable sensory thresholds. SEM images showed more homogenous matrix structures in the EG samples. TBARS values increased slightly over 18 days of refrigeration but remained below rancidity thresholds. This period was considered a pilot-scale evaluation of oxidative trends. Sensory testing confirmed that product acceptability was not negatively affected. The partial substitution of beef content with pine nut oil-based emulsion gel offers a clean-label strategy to enhance the nutritional quality of Bologna-type sausages while preserving functional and sensory performance. This approach may support the development of health-conscious processed meat products aligned with consumer and regulatory demands. Full article

This study evaluates the perceived value of the “100% Autochthonous Breed” label in beef purchasing decisions, comparing its influence with two well-established official certifications: organic and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). A face-to-face survey was conducted with 900 consumers across Spain, using a choice-based conjoint experiment and hierarchical cluster analysis. The results indicate that although price is the primary determinant at the aggregate level, segmentation revealed distinct consumer profiles for whom the “100% Autochthonous Breed” label generated higher utility than other attributes. Specifically, four clusters were identified: Group I (18.6%) preferred the organic label; Group II (46.6%) prioritized low price; Group III (22.9%) valued the combination of PGI and the autochthonous breed label; and Group IV (11.9%) showed a preference for high-priced products featuring the “100% Autochthonous Breed” label. The findings highlight the strategic potential of this certification as a differentiation tool for sustainable, extensive, and territorially embedded livestock systems. Full article

This study analyzes Brazilian consumer behavior regarding quality and visual cues in fresh red meat and cooked beef. Using eye tracking to collect visual attention metrics and psychological scales to assess food behavior, the research examines how visual attention to beef attributes impacts product choice. A discrete choice method combined nine hypothetical products with varied attributes. Results showed that consumers display different visual behaviors toward cues, influencing their probability of choosing a product. For fresh beef, color was the most significant factor, especially bright red and brown hues. Color influenced both the time to first fixation and total fixation time, while breed also affected total fixation time. Dark-red color and unspecified breed information increased the purchase probability, while Nellore breed and brown color decreased it. Total fixation numbers were significantly impacted by color, breed, marbling, and price. In cooked beef, tenderness, price, and flavor were key visual cues. Tenderness and flavor influenced the time to first fixation, whereas price and flavor impacted the number of fixations. This research contributes to understanding visual cues and attention in food choices, suggesting strategies for enhancing beef labeling and communication to better inform Brazilian consumers. Full article

Beef carcass grading plays a pivotal role in determining market value and consumer preferences. While traditional visual inspection by experts remains the industry standard, it suffers from subjectivity and inconsistencies, particularly in high-throughput slaughterhouse environments. To address these limitations, we propose a one-stage automated grading model based on EfficientViT, a lightweight vision transformer architecture. Unlike conventional two-stage methods that require prior segmentation of the loin region, our model directly predicts beef quality grades from raw RGB images, significantly simplifying the pipeline and reducing computational overhead. We evaluate the proposed model against representative convolutional neural networks (VGG-16, ResNeXt-50, DenseNet-121) as well as two-stage combinations of segmentation and classification models. Experiments were conducted on a publicly available beef carcass dataset consisting of over 77,000 labeled images. EfficientViT achieves the highest accuracy (98.46%) and F1-score (0.9867) among all evaluated models while maintaining low inference latency (3.92 ms) and compact parameter size (36.4 MB). In particular, it outperforms CNNs in predicting the top grade (1++), where global visual patterns such as marbling distribution are crucial. Furthermore, we employ Grad-CAM and attention map visualizations to analyze the model’s focus regions and demonstrate that EfficientViT captures holistic contextual features better than CNNs. The model also exhibits robustness across varying loin area proportions. Our findings suggest that EfficientViT is not only accurate but also efficient and interpretable, making it a strong candidate for real-time industrial applications in beef quality grading. Full article

In the Netherlands, around 52,000 dairy cows die on the primary farm each year due to natural death, euthanasia, or on-farm emergency slaughter (OFES). The decision as to what is the best option is made by the farmer, often after consulting a veterinarian, a livestock trader, or a slaughterhouse operator. To determine which factors play a role in this decision-making process, semi-structured interviews were conducted with dairy farmers, private veterinary practitioners, livestock traders, and slaughterhouse operators in the Netherlands. Dairy cattle culling decisions are influenced and limited by strict enforcement of livestock transport regulations and limited options for on-farm killing methods. Requirements regarding mortality rates imposed by the dairy industry and private quality labels for raw milk also influence culling decisions in the Netherlands. Most participants stated that restrictive conditions regarding OFES and mobile slaughterhouses (MSHs) appear to have (unintended) negative effects on cow welfare and meat salvage in general. Different interests, such as cow welfare, food safety, economic concerns of various stakeholders, the reputational interests of the dairy and beef industries, and sustainability objectives such as meat salvage can be conflictive. The results of this study show that the decision-making process regarding culling or (prolonged) veterinary treatment of dairy cattle is complex because various factors, interests, and uncertainties must be weighed. This weighing can vary between individual dairy farms and individual dairy farmers. Full article

Background: Plant-based meat analogs (PBMAs) have attracted attention as alternatives to traditional meat. Methods: In this study, three beef products (BPs; BP-1, BP-2, BP-3) and three PBMA products (PPs; PP-1, PP-2, PP-3) purchased from a Korean market were evaluated for nutritional profile-based nutritional facts, such as proximate composition, total calories, and levels of mineral, cholesterol, sugar, fatty acids, and amino acids, and for sensory characteristics. Results: Cholesterol and vaccenic acid were detected only in the BP samples. The levels of crude lipids, zinc, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, threonine, and lysine, and the score for taste and flavor were higher for the BPs than for the PPs (p < 0.05). By contrast, the levels of carbohydrates, calcium, iron, magnesium, sodium, glucose, sucrose, total sugar, isoleucine, phenylalanine, and glutamic acid were higher for the PPs than for the BPs. The levels of protein, potassium, phosphorus, copper, aluminum, valine, leucine, histidine, and arginine did not differ significantly between the BPs and the PPs. Multivariate analysis indicated that palmitic acid influenced the differences in nutritional profiles between the BPs and the PPs. Additionally, discrepancies were observed between the measured and labeled values for total sugar in PP-1 and PP-3. Conclusions: These findings offer valuable insights for the development of processed meat products using beef and PBMAs and may help consumers make informed purchasing decisions through the provision of accurate and reliable nutritional information. Full article

Organic labeling is a potentially influential factor in shaping consumer behavior toward beef products. However, limited research has examined consumer responses about perceptions of organic beef. This research thus explores the relationship between organic perception of beef, price fairness, and revisit intention. This research also investigates the moderating role of freshness in the impact of organic perception of beef on price fairness using information overload as a theoretical underpinning. An online survey targeted American consumers, with 415 responses collected via Clickworker. All participants were based in the United States regarding the consumption amount in the market. The Hayes Process Macro Model 7 was employed to test the research hypotheses. This research performed a median split analysis to scrutinize the moderating effect of freshness on the relationship between organic perception and price fairness. The findings indicate that the perception of organically produced beef positively affects price fairness and revisit intention. Furthermore, price fairness was found to influence revisit intention. The study also revealed a significant moderating effect of freshness on the relationship between organic perception of beef and price fairness. These outcomes contribute to the literature by clarifying the interrelationships among these four attributes within the context of beef products. Full article

With the rise of omnichannel (OC) retailing in food e-retail, understanding how OC retailing and product quality attributes influence consumer purchasing behaviour and value perceptions is crucial for developing e-retail strategies and enhancing consumer services. This study examined their impacts on Chinese consumers’ purchases of Australian beef (brisket) through a discrete choice experiment in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen and analysed 872 valid responses using multinomial logit, random parameter logit, and latent class models. Our findings reveal that Chinese consumers prefer buying Australian brisket via OC apps and offline stores, paying approx. 44% and 134% more per 500 g, respectively, compared to self-operated e-commerce stores. Brand, manufacturer and origin traceability are key quality attributes, with additional paid for brisket manufactured and packaged in Australia (under Australian brands) and featuring the MLA “True Aussie Beef” label over QR codes. This study also identified four distinct consumer clusters: (i) premium shoppers, (ii) channel and traceability-oriented shoppers, (iii) omnichannel and price-oriented shoppers and (iv) tech-savvy and discerning shoppers, highlighting varying sensitivities to e-retail channels and product attributes. These findings offer strategic and actionable insights for Australian beef exporters and OC retailers seeking to optimise consumer engagement and value creation in China’s evolving e-retail landscape. Full article

This study develops a pH-responsive label by incorporating anthocyanin from Clitoria ternatea into a bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) film derived from acid whey fermentation. The labels were designed to display two distinct colors—pink and purple—by adjusting the pH of anthocyanin and were integrated into beef mince packaging to monitor quality changes over a 15-day storage period at 4 °C. Color variations were assessed using a chroma meter and visual inspection, with both label types exhibiting a shift to blue in response to a deterioration in freshness. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in total color difference (∆E) were observed across data collection days. The pink label showed an ∆E of 14.19 between day 0 and day 8, increasing to 27.39 by day 15. The purple label exhibited an ∆E of 12.94 by day 8 and 27.86 by day 15. A Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVBN) analysis and microbial evaluations confirmed a degradation in the quality of the beef mince, with strong correlations between ∆E and ∆TVBN (r = 0.956 for pink, r = 0.993 for purple). Additionally, good correlations were recorded between label total color differences and coliform counts (r = 0.933 for pink, r = 0.875 for purple), as well as Total Plate Counts (TPCs) (r = 0.982 for pink, r = 0.950 for purple). These results highlight the potential of acid whey-derived nanocellulose films as real-time quality indicators for intelligent food packaging systems. Full article

Livestock-focused climate-smart (CS) technologies aim to reduce emissions, increase productivity, and improve resilience to climate change. This study reviews CS practices and technologies for cattle production and discusses economic feasibility by exploring the likelihood of consumers’ acceptance of CS beef products and producers adopting these novel technologies on their farms. We identify four key CS technologies and practices cattle farms can adopt: CS farm management (grazing and manure management), methane-reducing feed additives, selective breeding, and genetic engineering. While all these technologies have the potential to reduce methane emissions, practices such as grazing management and using on-farm bio-digesters that do not seemingly alter the animal products are more likely to be accepted by consumers and producers than technologies such as genetic engineering. Although consumers’ willingness to pay for CS beef would be the biggest driver of the on-farm adoption of CS technologies, employing several other market and non-market approaches, such as carbon credits, labeling, tax rebates, subsidies, etc., could help more producers adopt CS technologies. Future studies should focus on understanding the determinants of CS technology adoption and consumer acceptance of CS meat/milk products. Full article

This study investigates the presence of undeclared meat species in beef sausages and analyzes the impact of poultry meat addition on fatty acid composition. A total of 68 beef sausage samples produced and obtained from markets in Kosovo were analyzed, comprising 43 industrial and 25 traditional (homemade) sausages. Using the Liquid Chip Display (LCD) Array System, Meat 5.0, we detected that 52.94% of the samples contained meat from other species, with poultry being the most frequently added (45.55%), followed by mutton (4.41%) and turkey (2.9%). Notably, 46.42% of industrial sausages with added meat and 100% of homemade sausages with mixed meat were undeclared, highlighting significant mislabeling concerns. Fatty acid analysis with Gas Chromatography Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID) revealed that sausages with poultry meat exhibited lower levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly linoleic (C18:2) and alfa-linolenic (C18:3) acids. The inclusion of poultry meat significantly reduced the proportion of palmitic (C16:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids while increasing unsaturated fatty acids. As the percentage of poultry meat increased, SFAs decreased from 54.08% (at 10% poultry meat) to 29.55% (at 90%), while PUFAs rose from 4.09% to 26.64%. These findings indicate that poultry addition enhances the nutritional profile of sausages by improving the fatty acid balance. This study highlights the need for stricter labeling regulations to ensure consumer transparency. Future research should explore these modified products’ sensory and quality attributes to assess their market acceptance. Full article

The food system has been in focus as one of the major drivers behind the environmental and climate crisis. In this context, there is a growing need for more transparent and reliable information on the environmental impacts of food production and consumption as part of the transition process towards more sustainable food systems. Stakeholders along the food supply chain are confronted with multiple requirements and systems as the demand for environmental reporting at the product, company, and country level increases all at the same time. Simultaneously, consumers are often more interested in the sustainability of the food products they consume. While there is currently a lack of coherent supranational or even national legislation regulating methodological procedures, private initiatives for the environmental and carbon labelling of food products have developed rapidly. This article finds that most labels are characterised by a lack of transparency, clarity, and comprehensibility. Examining 14 labels, mainly from the German food retail market, we found a puzzling variety of data sources and methodologies used to calculate the values and claims displayed. We highlight this variety in data sources and footprint values by looking at milk and beef as case studies. Full article

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a multifactorial disease complex commonly affecting beef and dairy operations. Vaccination against major BRD-related pathogens is routinely performed for disease prevention; however, uniform reporting of health and performance outcomes is infrequent. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of commercially available BRD-pathogen vaccination on titer response with respect to health or performance in beef and dairy cattle. This study was conducted under Prisma 2020 guidelines for systematic reviews and PRESS guidelines utilizing five databases. Criteria for study inclusion were as follows: research conducted in the USA or Canada, between 1982 and 10 October 2022, on beef or dairy cattle, using a commercially available vaccine labeled for a respiratory pathogen of interest, which evaluated antibody titers alongside either performance or morbidity. A total of 3020 records underwent title and abstract evaluation. Full-text analysis was conducted on 466 reports; 101 studies were included in the final review. Approximately 74% of included studies were beef cattle-based versus 26% dairy cattle-based. This review aimed to assess how vaccination titer responses affect beef and dairy cattle health and performance, but varying study methods made comparisons difficult, highlighting the need for consistent reporting. Full article

Food labels and storytelling are marketing tools used by the food industry to highlight and communicate important product characteristics to consumers. By using these tools, food companies can influence consumers’ attitudes toward the product and potentially the likelihood of purchase. In the present study, we investigated how storytelling about an innovative and sustainable organic beef production system influenced participants’ preference and acceptance of a veal steak product and, further, if some information characteristics were more important than others for consumer satisfaction. Without being aware that the samples were identical, participants (n = 224) tasted two veal steak samples: one steak sample was presented with information about the production system, and the other without information. Results showed that when the steak sample was presented with product information, compared to without information, it received significantly higher hedonic ratings (overall liking, liking of flavor, and liking of texture). This was likewise reflected in a greater preference for the steak sample when presented with product information. Furthermore, product information was found to positively impact the participants’ satisfaction with the steak sample regardless of their preference. Overall, our results suggest that the use of storytelling about the innovative and sustainable product system for veal steaks can positively influence consumers’ attitudes toward the product. Full article

Nutrient composition of beef offal was evaluated to expand availability of nutrient data for the following beef items: beef heart, liver, kidney, tongue, honeycomb tripe, oxtail, marrow bones, testicles, and blood. These items are consumed both domestically and internationally, with significant regional variations that can be contributed to unique cultural meals and dietary patterns. Standardized procedures were used to dissect and homogenize beef offal samples. Nutrient analysis occurred at United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service-approved laboratories using validated methods and standards. Each of the offal items in the study qualified for at least one “Good Source” or “Excellent Source” nutrient labeling claim as defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration, based on composition of the separable lean component. This study provides analytically derived nutrient information for U.S. beef offal items. The results reflect that these products could be beneficial in providing essential nutrients as a component of a healthy diet. Full article