RESUMEN

This study determined consumers' attitudes towards physical and mental wellness related to red meat consumption and their willingness to pay (WTP) more for the meat. In 2019, two online surveys of red meat eaters were conducted in the USA (n = 1000) and Australia (n = 523) using commercial platforms. Results showed that over 90% of respondents indicated interest in purchasing red meat to improve their wellness status. Additionally, about 85% indicated their WTP more for red meat for its wellness benefits, with Americans indicating stronger willingness than Australian respondents. The potential of meat consumption to improve overall wellness among red meat eaters was a dominant factor influencing consumers' WTP more. Other factors that increased WTP included frequency of meat consumption, physical exercise, sleep quality, number of children in a household, partnership status, and economic position. Outcomes from this study highlight a unique opportunity for the meat industry to position meat on its qualities that include wellness improvement if backed up with robust scientific evidence.

Asunto(s)

Comportamiento del Consumidor , Carne Roja , Humanos , Australia , Estados Unidos , Carne Roja/economía , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto Joven , Adolescente , Animales , Anciano , Ejercicio Físico

RESUMEN

The percentage of intramuscular fat content of lamb meat is a key index of consumer acceptability. Hyperspectral imaging is a potential technique for in-line measurements of intramuscular fat in fresh meat. However, little work has been conducted to investigate the robustness of hyperspectral imaging data and associated multivariate models over time. Fifteen trials consisting of eight independent flocks across five years were used to quantify robustness of partial least squares regression (PLSR) models developed using data collected with the same imaging system. Two models were developed; one using data from the first year of the trials, and a progressive model that cumulatively includes data in chronological order. The two models performed similarly, in terms of the coefficient of determination (R2), standard error of prediction (SEP) and bias, when experimental conditions were consistent. However, under varying imaging conditions, the progressive model was able to account for this variability resulting in higher R2 and lower SEP.

Asunto(s)

Imágenes Hiperespectrales/veterinaria , Carne Roja/análisis , Tejido Adiposo , Animales , Imágenes Hiperespectrales/métodos , Análisis de los Mínimos Cuadrados , Músculo Esquelético/anatomía & histología , Ovinos

RESUMEN

A method to measure the approximate glycolytic potential of slaughter animals, and thus the ultimate pH, was applied for several months on the slaughter line of a cattle abattoir. The patented method (WO 00112844) determines a so-called glucose value from the hydrolysis of glycogen in a sample of Longissimus lumborum. The value is available before the dressed carcass is weighed and graded. The 13,700 cattle tested were pasture-fed bulls and 'prime' animals, the latter comprising steers and virgin females. The method was used to sort carcasses into two quality grades, table cuts and manufacturing, according to a threshold glucose value that in this application corresponded to an ultimate pH of 5.70. In frequency distributions the glucose value was roughly normally distributed for prime animals but for bulls was lower on average and strongly skewed to low values. The distributions showed that 19% of prime and 62% of bulls had an ultimate pH below 5.70. The results were consistent with prior survey work undertaken in New Zealand with conventional pH measurements made a day after slaughter. Error in the method is examined with respect to commercial outcomes. For most errors the method 'fails-safe', in that normal pH animals are more likely to be classed as high pH than vice versa. In a second phase of the study, meteorological and some abattoir data are related to mean daily glucose values and their variance. The more bulls slaughtered per day the lower the mean glucose value for bulls (r=-0.25, P<0.01), an effect presumably arising from mixing unfamiliar groups of bulls. There was a decrease in mean glucose value with higher maximum daily temperature (P<0.01). Periods of rainfall in the days leading to slaughter were positive for glucose value. For both bulls (especially) and prime, the lower the mean glucose value, the greater the percent variance (r=-0.81 and -0.56, P<0.001) but the cause of this could not be established.

RESUMEN

Parallel electrocorticograms (ECoG) and electroencephalograms (EEG) were recorded during stun-recovery and stun-slaughter of eight calves 4-6 weeks old. Epochs of 8·2 s duration, derived from the ECoG and EEG signals pre-stun, during recovery and during exsanguination, were compared for differences in power content and frequency distribution using Fast Fourier Transform analysis. ECoG signals recorded during the quiescent phase post-stun had a markedly lower power content compared with pre-stun, whereas the EEG signal showed no such reduction in power content. During exsanguination, the mean rate of decline in the ECoG power content was 0·025 log units/s, three times faster than the mean rate of decline of the EEG at 0·008 log units/s. The duration of the electroplectic fit post-stun was detected equally well by the two techniques. The differences between EEG and ECoG traces in this study are thought to arise from differences in the signal-noise ratio of the two techniques and by artefacts in the EEG signal, caused by microscopic movement between EEG electrodes and the surrounding tissue. The slower rate of decline in the power content of the EEG during slaughter means that the time to onset of isoelectric cortical electrical activity will be longer if determined by EEG measurements than by ECoG recording.