Carcass meat

Slaughter performance (important for butcher) slaughter yield, balanced carcass weight, composition of carcass Meat quality (important for consumer) measurable or sensory meat quality criteria (appearance, colour, tenderness, juiciness, flavour, roast and boil capacity, biochemical values (e.g. pH-value)), and nutritional value... 

A Total Diet Study carried out in the UK in 1993 detected low levels of a range of individual phthalates in composite samples of carcass meat, poultry, eggs and milk.69 Only low levels (generally < 0.07 mg/kg) were found. Total phthalate was determined (by conversion of any phthalate in the samples to dimethyl phthalate) in carcass meat, eggs, meat products, offals, poultry, fish, fats and oils, milk and milk products. Each food group was found to contain total phthalate in a range between 0.5 and 8.8 mg/kg. This difference may be due to the presence of phthalate monoester metabolites, which would be included in the analytes. The dietary exposures of even 97.5th percentile consumers were estimated to be within the TDIs for DEHP, BBP and DBP. 

Nottingham, PM. 1982. Microbiology of carcass meats. In M.H. Brown, Meat Microbiology, pp. 13-66. London Applied Science. 

C. Food harvested from an area that is contaminated by radiation may present a hazard. Meats and milk are the most vulnerable products because of the possibility for concentrations of radioactive isotopes (strontium, cesium, and iodine). All unpackaged and uncovered food, such as vegetables, fruits, and carcass meats, should be considered contaminated if obtained from a known area of contamination. If food supplies are critically low, the contaminated supplies may have to be consumed. In this event, it may be advisable to dilute the contaminated food by mixing with uncontaminated food. For more information, see page 1-34 of Effects of Nuclear Weapons and Directed Energy on Military Operations published by the AMEDD Center and School. 

Teye, G.A., Sheard, P.R., Whittington, F.M., Nute, G.R., Stewart, A. and Wood, J.D. (2006) Influence of dietary oils and protein level on pork quality. 1. Effects on muscle fatty acid composition, carcass, meat and eating quality. Meat Science, 73,157-165. 

In the case of raw carcass meat, another problem is that of obtaining a representative sample. Because the muscles of the animal (the primal cuts) are irregular in shape and in fat content, samples for analysis must be clearly defined in terms of anatomical position. In the case of boxed beef, which is used in meat processing, it is important to have a sample representative of the total content, particularly in terms of lean and fat. 

Meat is the edible flesh, organs, and glands of animals used for food. Meat by-products include all products, both edible and inedible, other than the carcass meat. In a broad sense, the term meat may include the flesh of poultry, fish and other seafoods, and game. In this section, however, the discussion of meat will largely Ere limited to red meat and to by-products therewith—to Ereef, lamb, and pork. Poultry, fish and seafoods, game, and milk and milk products are treated in separate sections of this book. 

Any edible part of a slaughter animal that consists of, or forms a part of, an internal organ, such as the liver, kidney, heart, or brain distinguished from carcass meat... 

Serra, X., F. Gil, M. Perez-Enciso, M.A. Oliver, J.M. V quez, M. Gispert, I. Diaz, F. Moreno, R. Latorre, and J.L. Noguera, 1998. A comparison of carcass, meat quality and histochemical characteristics of Iberian (Guadyerbas line) and Landrace pigs. Liv. Prod. Sci. 56, 215-223. 

Economics. Estimates of anaboHc steroids in growing cattle indicate that savings associated with reduced feed costs are approximately 50.00 per animal. Increased value of the carcass resulting from the increased amount of saleable lean meat produced is estimated to range from 15.00 to 30.00 per animal. 

Ref. 3. Carcass-weight basis, excludes offals, rabbit, and poultry meat. Includes edible pork fat, but excludes lard and edible greases (except United Less than 1000 metric tons. 

Ref. 1. Carcass-weight equivalent for red meat ready-to-cook equivalent for poultry. 

Fig. 1. Red meat and poultry production in the United States (1). Red meat is based on carcass weight, poultry is based on ready-to-cook weight, and 1991 production is preliminary data. (O) Veal, ( ) beef, (A) chicken, (A) pork, (D) lamb, and (B) turkey.

Other factors Disposal of 15-20 M y sheep carcasses Waste produced from meat and wool processing Impact of climatic, seasonal and disease factors Hazards associated with sheep shearing ... 

Finally, it is important to realise that suckler beef is top of the meat trade range and commands the premium prices. Carcasses are of good shape, meat yields are higher than for dairy beef and the eating quality is more highly regarded. 

Meili (2002) confirms this from Switzerland. Organic beef sells very well in the biggest supermarket. The consumer pays 10% to 15% more for the meat and the farmer receives 40% more for the organic animal than for the conventional. The favoured cross for quality organic beef is the Limousin crossed with a dairy breed. This cross can be slaughtered at 550 kg liveweight to make a 300 kg carcass. 

Supermarkets have a carcass specification for weight conformation and fat content, which ensures that the meat bought is commercially viable and provides the end product that the consumer requires. The supermarkets are able to insist on their own quality regulations for produce, because they are so dominant in the market place. Until such time as organic farmers can co-operate and become equally powerful, they will have to abide by the supermarket standards. At present, they seem to be under pressure to produce regularly shaped and sized, blemish-free products, on a mass scale, available all-year-round and often transported long distances. Despite these pressures, however, British organic farmers are not contract farmers to the extent that many conventional farmers are. 

Castellini C., Mugnai C. and Dal Bosco A. (2002). Effect of organic production system on broiler carcass and meat quality . Meat Science, 60, 219-225. 

Pork is the product of a very complex process. All the various characteristics of pork quality cannot be assessed directly in each carcass because these measurements and assessments would be too expensive. Therefore, previous scientific quality assessment of meat is primarily an indirect approach based on a few easily detectable quantitative traits and on the prescription of minimal standards in relation to the product in terms of size or composition and in relation to the production process. The prescriptions and the exclusion criteria vary between countries or between labelling programmes. The most encompassing prescriptions are enshrined in the EC regulation on organic livestock production (EEC No. 2092/91). Owing to this approach, extreme deviations in quality traits and deleterious effects are prevented. However, there is still space left within these framework conditions for huge variability in pork quality. 

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