Recognising The MSA Meat Grading System

AUSTRALIA - The science behind the world leading Meat Standards Australia (MSA) meat grading system was recognised last night at Australia's prestigious science awards - the Australian Museum Eureka Awards.

26 August 2010

2 minute read

Oceania

The MSA research team won the category 'Research by an interdisciplinary team' against tough competition from finalists iCinema Centre for Interactive Cinema Research and the Nanopatch Influenza Vaccination Team.

Developed from the combined efforts of industry and the science community, MSA is the only grading system globally that is backed by robust fact-based consumer research. The science uses consumer taste panels to verify results that meet consumer expectations for beef and sheepmeat eating quality.

"Put simply, MSA defines the pathways to good, consistent eating quality of beef and sheepmeat, and as a result provides an effective grading system in terms of many of the values consumers are looking for - consistency, tenderness and predictability of eating quality," explained Beef CRC Chairman Guy Fitzhardinge.

"Australia can be proud that we have developed a system that is a world first in terms of predicting eating quality."

The programme has increased the competitiveness of the beef sector in Australia and contributed $366 million to the value of the industry and Australia's economy since its inception in 1999.

Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) Chairman Don Heatley said this was testament to growing consumer confidence in red meat products with 85 per cent of Australian grocery buyers saying they trust their butcher or supermarket to sell good quality beef and lamb.

"This has been underpinned by high levels of compliance achieved by producers in the program with over 16,000 Australian beef and sheep producers now accredited MSA suppliers and over 1.25 million cattle and half a million lambs being MSA graded in 2009-10," Mr Heatley said.

"Beef grading numbers are expected to grow another 20 per cent in 2010-11, with sheep numbers expected to double over the next 12 months, reaching over one million by the end of the year."

The MSA programme's collaborative and multidisciplinary approach has been funded by the Beef CRC and MLA, and involved scientists from Marrinya Pty Ltd, University of New England, University of Melbourne, Murdoch University, CSIRO, Victorian Department of Primary Industries, Industry and Investment NSW and Cosign.