title: Effect of animal age and trimming practices on the physical composition of Bonsmara beef.
abstract: Increased economic incentive for producing young and leaner carcasses, as well as demand for lean meat from progressively health conscious consumers, are considered drivers for change in carcass composition over time. Furthermore, many retailers trim visible fat from meat to various degrees and consumers increasingly remove visible fat from meat prior to, or after, cooking. The objective of this study was to determine the composition of South African Bonsmara beef from four age groups from different production systems, as well as to extrapolate the effect of fat trimming on physical composition. Fat content of marketable beef has decreased notably since the 1930s, and beef from the South African Bonsmara breed contains less than 10g lipid per 100g after trimming of subcutaneous fat, irrespective of age. Removal of all visible fat reduces the lipid content to less than 5g per 100g, comparing favourably with other lean animal products.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Institute of Food, Nutrition and Well-being, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa. Electronic address: Nicolette.gibson@up.ac.za.
authors.forename: Nicolette
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Institute of Food, Nutrition and Well-being, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Hettie C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Schönfeldt
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Institute of Food, Nutrition and Well-being, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors.forename: Beulah
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pretorius
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D013019:South Africa
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats
keywords: Beef; Bonsmara; Carcass age; Fatness; Lipid content; Physical composition; South African carcass classification system