Reducing the fat content of ground beef in a school foodservice setting.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to develop and test the nutrient results of a two-step defatting procedure with ground beef in a school foodservice setting as part of the Eat Smart school lunch component of the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH).


METHODS
The procedure was tested in a school foodservice setting to determine the effect of cooking, draining, and subsequent rinsing with hot water on nutrient composition of ground beef. Samples of raw; cooked and drained; and cooked, drained, and rinsed ground beef were collected and chemically analyzed for total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, iron, and niacin content.


RESULTS
The results indicated that the total fat and the saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were significantly reduced 31% to 35% from cooking and draining (P < .005) and reduced by an additional 25% to 30% from rinsing (P < .0001). Cholesterol content was not affected. Iron content increased after the cooking and rinsing, although not significantly. Niacin content significantly decreased during rinsing by 28% (P < .005), but the mean value of the cooked, drained, and rinsed ground beef still met the criteria of the Food and Drug Administration for a good source of niacin.


CONCLUSIONS
The two-step defatting procedure developed for use in a school foodservice setting lowers the total fat and saturated fatty acid content of ground beef without substantially reducing its nutritional quality.
Snyder
M P
MP
Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015.
Obarzanek
E
E
Montgomery
D H
DH
Feldman
H
H
Nicklas
T
T
Raizman
D
D
Rupp
J
J
Bigelow
C
C
Lakatos
E
E
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002648:Child; D003296:Cooking; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis; D005511:Food Handling; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards*; D009525:Niacin / Q000032:analysis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012574:Schools; D013649:Taste
D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D009525:Niacin; D007501:Iron