LEAN MATTERS
Chronicling Beef’s Change from Gate
to Plate
Leaner Beef: Changes in Breeding
1942 prize-winning Hereford
steer
Used with permission from Audrey Monroe, MS, RD
2011 prize-winning HerefordGelbvieh cross steer
LEAN MATTERS
Leaner Beef: Changes in Feeding
Cattle receive feed that is rationed and balanced
by professional nutritionists.
Animal feed ingredients are used to help
optimize cattle nutrient intake and maintain
their natural muscle building ability, leading to
high-quality lean muscle and less external fat.
LEAN MATTERS
Leaner Beef: Trimming External Fat
The cattle community’s “War on Fat” successfully reduced the
amount of external trim on retail beef cuts.
LEAN MATTERS
Leaner Beef: Calling Industry To Action
“The beef industry must begin a comprehensive effort to reduce fatness of retail beef cuts
… The implications of the study challenge the traditional production practices and
marketing systems in the beef industry. However, a consumer-driven industry listens and
re-directs its approaches from point of sale back through the production chain.”
--Texas A&M Scientists and Beef Checkoff Lead Industry to Action,
1986 Reciprocal Meat Conference Proceedings
Source: 1986 Reciprocal Meat Conference Proceedings, Volume 39, 1986
LEAN MATTERS
Leaner Beef: Trimming External Fat
Sirloin: Then
Sirloin: Now
Through increased retail trimming, beef external fat has decreased
80% in the past 20 years
Calculated from Cross et al., 1986 and Mason et al., 2006
LEAN MATTERS
Today’s Breeding & Feeding = LESS FAT
* Values are for 100 grams of sirloin steak, cooked via broiling (Watt and Merrill, 1963; USDA, 2010)
Source: McNeill et al., Evolution of Lean Beef. Meat Science, 2011 pp 1-8
LEAN MATTERS
Lean Beef: Easy to Find and Popular
• 65% of beef cuts in the fresh meat case are lean.
• Many of Americans’ favorite cuts such as Tenderloin, Strip Steak and 93 percent
lean Ground Beef are lean.
Popular Beef Cuts are Leaner Than You Thought
Definition of “Lean”
Per 100g (3.5 oz) cooked
serving
Most popular lean beef
steaks chosen at
restaurants:
Most popular lean beef
steaks in the meat case:
<10 g total fat
Top Sirloin
Top Loin
(Strip or New York
steak)
< 4.5 g saturated fat
Tenderloin (Filet Mignon Top Round steak
or Medallions)
< 95 mg cholesterol
Top Loin
(Strip or New York
steak)
Fresh Look Marketing Group, Total US Beef, 52 Weeks Ending 9/25/2011
Top Sirloin
LEAN MATTERS
Today’s Growing Number of Lean Cuts
LEAN MATTERS
Nutrient Data: The Anchor for Nutrition Education
LEAN MATTERS
Chronicling Change Timeline
Uniform Retail Meat Identity Standards Adopted
US Govt issues first Dietary
Guidelines for Americans
USDA updates nutrient
database identifying 7 beef
cuts as lean
National Market Basket Study assessed
nutrient comp of beef cuts at retail
SR 16:
19 lean cuts
Dietary Goals for American People released--call for
reduction in foods high in fat and high in animal fat
SR 26 released
including Phase 3, loin
and round of NDI
SR 24;
38 lean
cuts
Analyzed nutrient
comp of beef cuts
with 1/8” trim
Analyzed nutrient comp
of beef cuts with ¼” trim
National Consumer Beef
Retail Study sparked reduced
trim levels for retail beef cuts
Ground Beef
Calculator
launched
SR 18 released:
29 lean cuts
SR 23 released; USDA releases
final rule on Nutrition Labeling
SR 14 released—includes
beef with ¼” and 0” trim
As of March 1, 2012, all
retailers must comply with
Mandatory Nutrition
Labeling; URMIS
nomenclature updated
LEAN MATTERS
Nutrient Database Improvement Research Provides
Gold-Standard, Nationally Representative Data
LEAN MATTERS
Nutrient Database Improvement Research:
A Distinctive Public/Private Collaboration
LEAN MATTERS
Accurate Nutrient Data Empowers Consumers
LEAN MATTERS
Today’s Leaner Beef Delivers on Flavor and Nutrition
A 3-ounce serving of Lean Beef =
About 150 Calories
10 Essential Nutrients
LEAN MATTERS
Thank You!
LEAN MATTERS