Lifestyle Affects Meat Cut Prices

REGINA - Feb 7/05 - SNS -- Researchers at Saskatchewan Agriculture see a clear link between lifestyle changes in North America and the value of various cuts of beef.

A study, conducted with the help of SAFRR's Beef Development Fund and producers, has recently taken a fresh look at value-added beef development in response to market trends. Phyllis Shand is a researcher at the College of Agriculture's Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science at the University of Saskatchewan.

"In the early 1990s, we were witnessing a change in the value of various cuts in the beef carcass," Shand explains. "While cuts from the loin region seemed to be increasing in value, the front and hip of the carcass became perceived as less consumer-friendly. Consequently, their values decreased."

Shand attributes this to consumers leading busier lives and their need for quick and simple meal options. Most consumers judge the quality and overall acceptability of beef products based on tenderness, which has been identified as the single most important palatability factor affecting consumer satisfaction with beef.

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