Regresar

Relationship between the essential and toxic element concentrations and the proximate composition of different commercial and internal cuts of young beef

Abstract:

This paper seeks to evaluate the relationship between the trace element concentrations and the proximate composition of different cuts of young beef to provide helpful information to consumers in the selection of meat that could fit different nutritional requirements. Ten commercially cuts of young beef (rib boneless entrecote, tenderloin, eye round, thick flank, tail of rump, chuck tender, shin, upper chuck, flank and brisket) together with two internal muscles (diaphragm and cardiac muscle) from ten male Galician blonde calves aged approximately 9 months at slaughter and a carcass weight of 242 ± 2 kg were analyzed. A strong negative association between the main essential trace elements (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Se) and the protein concentration of the muscles was found, which could be related to the variable predominance of slow- or fast-twitch fibers in the different muscles. Since trace mineral concentrations in muscle are partly genetically determined and related to palatability traits, understanding the relationships between the trace element concentrations and the proximate composition could be a valuable tool for selective breeding of beef to improve the nutritional value of meat.