Tag Archives: Food NZ

Strengthening the nutrition platform

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Fiona Carruthers.

The meat industry, from food technologists to promoters, now has a credible technical resource for nutritional data on beef and lamb, thanks to a bank of recently completed assessments by Beef + Lamb NZ (B+LNZ) Inc, writes nutrition manager Fiona Carruthers.

Being able to provide nutritional information is becoming increasingly important. In the United States, for example, there is now a requirement that nutritional information must be shown on package labels for certain whole cuts of meat, such as steak, or displayed on charts at the store. Previously, this information was required only for processed foods or for meat products with added ingredients such as marinades or stuffing.

B+LNZ has recently undertaken a project to assess the nutritional attributes of over 50 cuts of beef and lamb. It is the largest analysis ever done on New Zealand’s red meat. Updating and expanding the nutrition composition database strengthens the platform on which all activities and communications are based. Sound science is an integral part of B+LNZ’s nutrition portfolio and this new analysis provides a credible technical resource accessible to everyone inside and outside the industry.

In this issue, details of the sampling and methodology used in the project are explained, as well as some top line results.

Sampling

Several criteria relating to sampling and methodology had to be fulfilled in order for the new data to be eligible for inclusion in databases globally.

Samples of beef and sheep meat for analysis were derived from meat processors across the country over a six month period. The need to obtain a representative number of samples from each region was deemed unnecessary as regional variation was thought to be minimal given New Zealand’s small geographical area. The same was true for the potential influence of breed or feed on composition; it was requested all samples came from New Zealand cattle and sheep raised and finished on pasture. All of the sheep meat analysed was ‘lamb’, that is under 12 months of age without any permanent incisor teeth ‘in wear’. An ‘average’ lamb carcase was determined by selecting from carcase grades in proportion to the national slaughter statistics. Beef samples came from P2 steer carcases – those classified as having light to medium fat cover with good muscle development – weighing between 270-320kg.

Lean and fat samples were analysed separately, giving the ability to provide compositional data for cuts with varying degrees of fat trim, or fully lean, as appropriate. The need for this flexibility is underlined by evidence showing many consumers trim fat after purchasing meat, either before or after cooking.

Methodology

For each of the 23 beef and 25 lamb cuts analysed, an average of 10 samples was collected to give a total combined sample of 3kg lean tissue for both cooked and uncooked product. Sample tissue was prepared by separating bone, fat and lean muscle by boning knife. Analysis was carried out on both raw and cooked samples, using appropriate cooking methods advised by B+LNZ’s food specialist. The diagram below  summarises the procedure followed up to the stage of freeze-drying.

Nutrition methodology flow-chart.

Widely-accepted laboratory procedures were used, in line with the requirements of international nutrient databases. A total of 25 nutrients, including proximate analysis, and 40 fatty acids were analysed in the lean and fat samples. Additional data in this new data set includes figures for long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin D. Full amino-acid profiles were determined for four uncooked, lean cuts of both beef and lamb.

Results

Fat

The new data shows New Zealand beef and lamb continue to be low fat protein options for consumers, particularly when eaten trimmed of visible fat. Many cuts remain eligible for the Heart Foundation ‘Tick’.

  • Average total fat content across all lean cuts (uncooked) = 4.66g/100g for beef, 4.65g/100g for lamb
  • Average saturated fat content across all lean cuts (uncooked) = 2.17g/100g for beef, 2.45g/100g for lamb
  • Average cholesterol content across all lean cuts (uncooked) = 43.5mg/100g for beef, 63.5mg/100g for lamb

Omega 3s

Oily fish and other seafood are undoubtedly the richest sources of omega 3s. Lean red meat provides smaller amounts but contribution to the diet may be significant when relative amounts eaten are considered.

  • Average long chain omega 3s across all lean cuts (uncooked) = 41mg/100g for beef, 48mg/100g for lamb.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is gaining an increasing amount of scientific ‘air-time’, both due to its importance in the diet and increasing levels of insufficiency seen in the New Zealand population and other developed countries. Meat has been viewed historically as a poor source of vitamin D, but 25-OH vitamin D3 is now being recognised as a more ‘potent’ form, with a potency factor of 1.5 – 5 suggested by researchers working in this area. Initial analysis of the vitamin D data shows 100g of beef or lamb can provide about 10% of the daily vitamin D requirement (NZ/Aus = 5μg).

Nutrient claims

Data suggests eligibility for a range of nutrient claims, for example ,g iron, zinc, protein and vitamin B12, according to the trans Tasman Food Standards Code, both as a ‘source’ (≥10% RDI) and ‘good source’ (≥25% RDI), as well as being low in sodium.

This new data confirms lean New Zealand beef and lamb can be promoted on its nutritional attributes. As a nutrient-dense food, a small serving of lean red meat gives large amounts of important nutrients for good health.

Further information is available from Fiona Carruthers, nutrition manager, B+LNZ. Email: [email protected].

Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012).

 

Eyes on US BSE case

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A case of the cattle brain disease bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was diagnosed in a cow in the US in April, holding global meat industry attention, but producing cautious response to date.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that as part of its targeted surveillance system, its Animal and Plant Inspection Service had confirmed a case of BSE in a dairy cow from central California, the first such case since 2006. USDA chief veterinary office John Clifford confirmed that it was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health.

Clifford said tests, using immunohistochemistry and western blot tests, “confirmed that the animal was positive for atypical BSE.” Atypical BSE is a rare form of the disease that appears to occur spontaneously. It is different from classical BSE, which is associated with the consumption of ruminant protein.

The US industry leapt into action to reassure markets and consumers that the beef and dairy in the American food supply is safe with US agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack saying that USDA remained confident in the health of US cattle.

When BSE was discovered in animal in 2003, it had a major impact on the US beef industry, as a number of countries banned imports of beef from the US, including Japan and Korea, which had been major US markets.

According to the US International Trade Commission, losses to the industry ranged from $US2.5 billion to $US3.1 billion annually from 2004 through 2007.

Although most markets slowly re-opened their borders, many still impose restrictions on US and Canadian beef. For example, Japan only allows imports of U.S. beef from cattle aged 20 months or less, but its Food Safety Commission is assessing the risk of easing the limit to 30 months.

So far, the response from other countries to the current case has been cautious. Only one country, Indonesia, has banned all US beef imports and, while two major South Korean retailers were reported to have suspended sales of US beef immediately following the announcement, at the time of writing one has since resumed sales.

 Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012).

Controversy over ‘pink slime’ in the US

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Photo: B+LNZ

A controversy blew up in the US in March and April about the use of lean finely textured beef (LFTB) – also pejoratively coined as ‘pink slime’ – in manufactured ground beef.

Lean, finely-textured beef (LFTB) is lean beef that is separated in a manufacturing process from fatty beef trimmings, to reduce wastage. The process involves treating the LFTB with small amounts of ammonium hydroxide gas or citric acid to eliminate any harmful bacteria present.

The process has been approved as safe by the United States Department of Agriculture and it has been reported that over 70 percent of ground beef used in the US is believed to have incorporated LFTB as an ingredient.

However, a range of media commentators, including ABC News and British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, have criticised the practice. Despite statements by the USDA and meat industry bodies asserting that LFTB is safe for consumption, a number of major retailers and restaurant chains –  including McDonald’s and Burger King – have recently decided not to use LFTB, as a result of considerable negative publicity about the product.

As a result of the controversy, the major producer of LFTB, Beef Products Inc, announced that it is closing down three of its four processing plants. The American Meat Institute estimates that without LFTB, the industry would need 1.5 million additional head of cattle to make up the difference in beef supply.

LFTB is not used in New Zealand, as the leaner, pasture-raised New Zealand beef does not produce the high fat trimmings that provide the raw ingredient for LFTB, the MIA says.

Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012).

Graeme Lowe: 2012 Business Hall of Fame laureate

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A hearty congratulations goes to meat industry legend and processing pioneer, Graeme Lowe, who has been made a Fairfax Media New Zealand Business Hall of Fame laureate for 2012.

Graeme Lowe founded Lowe Corporation more than forty years ago and the company has grown to become one of New Zealand’s leading animal by-products processors and exporters. Based in the Hawke’s Bay, the company now operates three tanneries, two fellmongeries (skin preparation plants) and two rendering plants and employs over 500 people at the peak of the production season.

Lowe and this year’s six other new laureates – Bill Gallagher Senior, Sir Graeme Douglas, Sir Patrick Higgins, Thomas Macarthy (1833-1912) and Mary Jane Milne (1840-1921) – will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a gala dinner on 28 June 2012.

The Hall was created by the Young Enterprise Trust in 1994, to recognise New Zealanders who have made an outstanding contribution to business and society.

Published in Food NZ (June/July 2012). Tickets and more information are here.

Red meat mortality claims rebuffed

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Courtesy: B+LNZ Ltd

A recent American study of 121,432 US health professionals has come to the conclusion that consumption of red and processed meats is associated with an increased risk of early deaths from cancer and heart-disease. However, nothing could be further from the truth say nutritional experts.

The Harvard University paper ‘Red Meat Consumption and Mortality’ authored by An Pan and Qi Sun, plus associates, appeared in Archives of Internal Medicine. It dealt with two long-term studies that ran between 1980 and 2008 of two cohorts of professionals and documented 23,926 deaths. The researchers quizzed participants on their eating and lifestyle factors.

The boldly-stated conclusion of the authors was that: “Red meat consumption is associated with an increased risk of total, cardio-vascular disease and cancer mortality. Substitution of other healthy protein sources for red meat is associated with a lower mortality risk.”

British qualified nutritionist and obesity researcher Zoe Harcombe, who has analysed the data, suggests there are numerous key problems with the study and says that “the study can at best suggest an observed relationship, or association. To make accusations about causation and risk is ignorant and erroneous.”

She also notes that the numbers are very small. “The overall risk of dying was not even one person in a hundred over a 28 year study. “If the death-rate is very small, a possible slightly higher death rate in certain circumstances is still very small. It does not warrant a scare-tactic ’13 percent greater risk of dying [from unprocessed red meat]’ headline – this is science at it’s worst,” she asserts.

Fiona Carruthers, nutrition manager for Beef + Lamb NZ agrees, pointing out that the methods used to try and predict risk of death from cancer and heart disease in this study are known to be inaccurate and unreliable. “The researchers themselves acknowledge the limitations of how they measured the amount of specific foods eaten, including red meat.”

Other similar studies have shown no risk at all, she says. “There are a number of risk factors for cancer and heart disease; obesity remains the most prevalent. Singling out one food in a condition influenced by such a wide range of factors is misleading.”

The scientific and medical communities agree eating lean red meat as part of a healthy, balanced diet is beneficial to health. It is an excellent source of protein, readily available iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin D and a range of B vitamins, as well as being a low-fat food.

“The results of a single study never change dietary advice or recommendations and this is no exception,” Carruthers says. “New Zealand beef and lamb contribute significant amounts of several nutrients to the diets of New Zealanders. Consumers should therefore be advised to continue to enjoy red meat three to four times a week as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.”

Published in from Food NZ magazine (April/May 2012).

 

PM helps to pick best lamb

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The Glammies 2012 judging panel (right to left) are: Prime Minister John Key, Sarah Walker, Ben Batterbury and chief judge Graham Hawkes.

Prime Minister Right Hon Jon Key was on hand at the Upper Clutha A&P Show in Wanaka to select the nation’s best lamb in March.

The Prime Minister joined the judging panel for the 2012 Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) Golden Lamb Awards (Glammies) at the A&P show in March. Others on the panel were 2011 Supercross World Cup Champion, Sarah Walker, 2012 B+LNZ ambassador chef Ben Batterbury and chief judge and Invercargill chef Graham Hawkes.

Don Morrison of Gore with his Growbulk lamb was named as 2012 Grand Champion, taking home a cheque for $2,000, the Glammies Grand Champion trophy plus a bottle of Mt Difficulty pinot noir wine. Each finalist won a plaque showing their placing.

The Glammies, sponsored by Pfizer Animal Genetics, attracted a record 150 entries which all underwent testing at Carne Technologies. Factors such as tenderness, colour and succulence were tested to determine the top twenty finalists tasted in Wanaka.

The competition is supported by processing plants across the country, including: Alliance, Ashburton Meat Processors, Auckland Meat Processors, Blue Sky Meats (NZ) Ltd, Land Meat NZ Ltd, Silver Fern Farms and Taylor Preston.

Published in Food NZ magazine (April/May 2012).

 

Processors win time for E.coli testing

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Meat processors have won extra time to get ready for the introduction of  mandatory testing for the Super Six E.coli Shiga toxin producing (STEC) serogroups for product destined for the US.

The US Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has deferred the original implementation date of 5 March to 4 June 2012, for the required introduction of testing for the Super Six E.coli (non-O157) STEC serogroups (O26, O45, O103, O0111, O121 and O145). The FSIS extension was given to give extra time for processors and laboratories to validate their test methods.

The Meat Industry Association (MIA), through MAF’s Food Safety Authority, had argued for equivalency allowing the transfer of New Zealand’s established E.coli O157:H7 ‘lotting’ arrangements to the Super Six, MIA technical manager Kevin Cresswell says. This argument was accepted – subject to MAF providing the status of the testing method validation of the non-O157 serogroups – meaning that processors here can use an alternative national programme for the sampling of raw beef product for E.coli O157:H7 and six other Shiga toxin-producing E.coli (STEC).

It will simplify the procedure too, saving time and cost, Cresswell explains. “This gives NZ approval to integrate the tests for the six new adulterants with the current E.coli O157:H7 sampling and product disposition protocol.

“This allows for one test per day per premises (as per the current O157) protocol) rather than every consignment having to be retrospectively tested at the same time it is consolidated (by 60 drill samples of frozen cartons as a minimum) as is required by Australia.”

Published in Food NZ magazine (April/May 2012).

 

New nutritional analysis confirms NZ meat packed with nutrients

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The most comprehensive nutritional analysis of New Zealand beef and lamb ever carried out confirms it is densely-packed with nutrients essential for everyday life.

The study, carried out by scientists in the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health at Massey University, analysed 65 nutrients in almost 50 cuts of New Zealand beef and lamb, both raw and cooked.

High quality protein, easily-used iron and zinc and a variety of B vitamins remain the essential parts of red meat’s nutritional make up, but the study revealed some new additions.

“Long chain omega 3 fatty acid levels are higher in meat from animals raised on pasture compared to grain.  These new figures will be of particular interest to our customers overseas, as well as offering Kiwis additional health benefits,” says Professor Roger Purchas from Massey University.  “Our analysis also shows New Zealand beef and lamb contributes in a small way to dietary intakes of vitamin D”.  Worryingly low levels of vitamin D are being seen in Kiwi youngsters, so dietary sources are becoming increasingly important.

The new analysis also confirmed lean red meat as a low fat food, with an average fat content well below 10 percent.  This underlines results of the recent Ministry of Health 2008-9 New Zealand Adult Nutrition Survey, showing red meat’s contribution to dietary fat and saturated fat intakes falling to 6.8 percent and 7.3 percent respectively, dispelling the myth it is a main source of both fat types.

“As an industry, we strive to ensure all our nutrition messages are based on robust science, having undergone rigorous scientific scrutiny,” says Scott Champion, chief executive of Beef + Lamb NZ, which funded the research. “This study provides a solid platform from which to inform and educate all of New Zealand’s customers around the world about the goodness of New Zealand beef and lamb.”

Reproduced from Food NZ magazine (April/May 2012).

Evolving halal

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Tony Egan' Greenlea Premier Meats new managing director

Greenlea Premier Meat’s new managing director Tony Egan spoke at the Fifth World Halal Research Summit in Kuala Lumpur on behalf of the NZ meat industry – the first time a New Zealander has been invited to do so. He talks to Food NZ about his return to the Egan family company and the New Zealand message he took to the Summit.

Egan is enjoying returning to the company he originally joined  in 1993, starting on day one working on the beef chain.

“It’s great to be back,” he says, after his 11 years since he left his role as managing director (marketing and finance) in 2001. Not that he’s been exactly idle in between: he spent five years as chief executive for AFFCO New Zealand, which had a turnover of $1.5 billion and 3,500 staff, before moving on to head up 1,700 staff and 130 locations of New Zealand’s largest quality assurance organisation AsureQuality for another five years.

He rejoined Waikato-based Greenlea Premier Meats in December 2011. The company these days has 360 staff, employed over two sites in Morrinsville and Hamilton, and a throughput of 180,300 animals last season. The loyal staff seem to be  happy with the family values promulgated by the company, which include personal touches such as Easter eggs, Christmas hams and a family open day at Morrinsville where families are invited to come in and see what their parents do at work. As one employee Zane Sayer puts it on the website, “Greenlea has a very pleasant work atmosphere and we take comfort in knowing we are able to work through the entire year.”

Having worked in private and public companies plus a State-Owned Enterprise, Egan reckons he’s covered off most of the business models now and is looking forward to putting his skills to work, both for the family company and also for the industry. He’s already a new council member of the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

His knowledge of the evolution of halal processing requirements for a variety of Muslim markets over the years, plus the fact that AsureQuality was involved in independent testing for porcine and alcohol traces on behalf of halal authorities in its 32 staff Singaporean office, made Egan the ideal contender to speak to the Fifth World Halal Research Summit in Kuala Lumpur on behalf of the industry.The Summit was held in conjunction with the Seventh World Halal Research Forum. With 1,000 delegates expected from 40 countries it was an important opportunity for New Zealand.

MAF: best halal service provider 2011

The invitation follows on from an award received by the Ministry of Agriculture & Forestry (MAF) for best service provider at the 2011 Forum – the first time a non-Muslim country had received the award and came a year after MAF implemented the Animal Products (Overseas Market Access Requirements for Halal Assurances) Notice, Egan explains.

“It’s a great credit to the work MAF’s director of market access Tony Zohrab and the rest of the MAF team have done in this area.”

Currently involving 48 certified processing plants, employing 214 qualified halal slaughtermen in this country, New Zealand’s market for exports of red meat and other edible products to Muslim markets was worth nearly $490 million to the year end June 2011, according to the MIA. With its diverse markets, and offering an outlet for reducing reliance on traditional trading partners, halal represents a sizeable cross-border sector for the meat industry to focus on to grow market share and value in line with the Red Meat Sector Strategy.

Evolution of thought

The message Egan will be taking to Kuala Lumpur on behalf of the industry is that the trade has moved away from the supply of frozen carcases to Iran in the 1970s and 80s towards newer markets in Asia.“There has been an evolution of thought and the New Zealand industry has taken the time, over the last 15-18 years, to better understand those Asian consumers,” Egan says, adding that the journey of understanding has led religion and science to come together.

The perfect example of that understanding is the innovative New Zealand-developed method of halal slaughter that through stunning livestock insensible before slaughter satisfies both Muslim religious requirements for live slaughter and New Zealand and other Western consumers’ requirements for humane slaughter. But that’s only part of the stringent processing standards in place here today as part of the accredited halal programme, which also include: segregation of halal product, supervision during processing, the training and certification of all halal slaughtermen and the commitment and urgency of the workforce to ensure compliance to halal standards.

The Halal Notice represents the evolution of thought and has formed a good foundation for the industry, giving customers an all-important government assurance that what they understand is happening is in fact occurring, Egan says.

“The paradigm has shifted from a one-dimensional process to a multi-dimensional one.”

What does the halal customer need?

The concept of halal, defined by the Qu’Ran as ‘allowed’, ‘permitted’ or lawful’ has slowly become accepted as a consumer lifestyle choice, not only encompassing religion and food, but also finance, non-food products and logistics. It provides a set of laws and guiding principles and separates out those animals that are prohibited ‘haram’ and those permitted ‘halal’, as well as outlining methods of slaughtering, prohibits consuming blood or blood products and intoxicants, such as alcohol).

Halal customer’s needs focus on the concept of ‘tayyib‘, Egan explains: “That food is wholesome, nutritional and safe. It brings in many concepts including environmental sustainability, safety and animal welfare and is not particularly onerous for New Zealand processors to provide.”

Although there are a number of other meat exporting countries servicing halal markets, he believes that New Zealand has the opportunity to take a unique approach, particularly in the innovation of processes in the wholesomeness and in the wholesomeness and food safety areas for which this country is renowned.

With an estimated 1.5 billion Muslims around the globe, halal markets are still growing. Indonesia alone, New Zealand’s largest halal market, was worth over $120 million last year and there is a growing range of other halal customers – Singapore, South Africa, China, France and the US (where there are over 10 million Muslims). Customers are interested not only in the meat itself, but also the by-products like offal. There is a growing halal market for raw materials for pharmaceutical and cosmetic use, where Egan says there is also a role for AsureQuality to play

Challenges ahead, however, include dealing with restrictive tariffs and quotas, limiting New Zealand’s access to various markets which the meat industry is working closely on with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade.

Another area is achieving a consistent understanding of what halal certification means across the many different markets.

“New Zealand’s approach is becoming increasingly accepted as the sensible approach,” Egan says, adding that his speaking opportunity outlined what New Zealand Inc is capable of and what’s possible for the future.

Tony Egan spoke at the Fifth World Halal Research Summit, 4-5 April 2012 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Reproduced with kind permission of Food NZ magazine.