Boning Up On New Zealand's Meat Cuts
NEW ZEALAND - A Meat & Wool New Zealand project is underway to update the nutrient values of New Zealand red meat by analysing 25 beef and 25 lamb cuts and offals.
30 July 2009
2 minute read
“Obtaining up-to-date nutritional data for the major beef and sheepmeat cuts will help our efforts to promote these products and differentiate them from those of our competitors,” says Meat & Wool New Zealand Chief Executive Dr Scott Champion.
“The data will be used both globally, through the market development activity carried out by Meat & Wool New Zealand and meat companies, and in New Zealand through the promotional work of Beef + Lamb New Zealand, which is 50 per cent funded by Meat & Wool New Zealand.”
“We need to have a good knowledge of the composition and nutritional value of New Zealand red meat products because consumers throughout the world are placing greater importance on the nutritional qualities of food products. There is also an increasing emphasis on providing nutritional information at both retail and foodservice across all key markets.
“The nutritional data we have for New Zealand beef and sheepmeat is unlikely to reflect the way it is produced today, particularly in terms of leanness and cholesterol content. A number of important nutrients have also come to prominence in recent times that previous studies did not take account of, including omega 3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid.
“Nutritional data is also essential so we can make accurate and up-to-date comparisons between grass-fed and grain fed beef, which is the basis of our promotional activity, most notably in Asia.”
The project will produce a database containing up-to-date information on the nutrient content of New Zealand beef and sheepmeat cuts and offals, both raw and cooked.
This data will be included on the United States Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, and any other applicable overseas nutrient databases. Meat & Wool New Zealand also plans to use the data to develop nutritional labelling templates for use by meat exporters and in Meat & Wool New Zealand’s promotional programmes, and technical promotional collateral for use by meat companies.
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