Number 39 October 1994
MAFF UK - NUTRIENT ANALYSIS OF CARCASE BEEF
Index to MAFF UK Food Surveillance Information
Sheets, 1994
This survey is part of the Ministry's ongoing surveillance of nutrient
levels in food. It was commissioned in order to provide up to date nutritional
information on a range of raw and cooked retail cuts of beef. The new data were
needed in order to quantify changes in composition resulting from changes in
breeds of animals, husbandry and butchering practices, and cooking procedures.
A total of 15 cuts of fresh beef and veal and two cuts of frozen beef were
each analysed both in the raw state and cooked by one or more different methods.
Lean and fat parts of the meat were analysed separately, making a total of 75
composite samples. Each composite sample comprised about 10 sub-samples
purchased from a range of retail outlets throughout Great Britain, which were
prepared and cooked (if necessary) by the contractor, and then bulked for
analysis.
Analyses were carried out for proximates, individual sugars, inorganics,
vitamins, fatty acids and sterols. Proportions of lean, separable fat and
inedible matter were also recorded for all samples.
The results will be used in MAFF's dietary surveys and will therefore help
to establish the nutrient intake of the population. In addition they have been
incorporated into "Meat, Poultry and Game", the 5th supplement to
McCance & Widdowson's "The Composition of Foods"1.
The reports of the survey (one on fatty acids, one on other nutrients) are
held in the MAFF UK Library at Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR
(Tel: +44 (0)171 238 6573).
References
- Chan,W., Brown, J., Lee, S.M., Buss, D.H. (1995) Meat,
Poultry and Game. 5th supplement to McCance and Widdowson's The
Composition of Foods, 5th edition. RSC.
Further enquiries should be addressed to:
Mrs Susan Church
MAFF,
Food Safety and Science Group
Consumer and Nutrition Policy Division
Room
350, Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Tel: +44
(0)171 238 5764
Fax: +44 (0)171 238 6591
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