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Beef continues to get leanerIowa The good news is that, on the whole, beef sold in retail stores continues to get leaner. These findings will hopefully help government officials update their nutrition databases to reflect the positive results of the beef industry's efforts. In a retail world where there are more and more diet and health-conscious consumers every day, it's increasingly important that they are provided with accurate information so they can make informed purchasing decisions. A beef checkoff-funded National Market Basket Survey concluded that fat trim levels and separable fat content of some beef cuts in the retail case are leaner than ever before and leaner than reported in government nutrition databases. "The retail case is filled with products that are nutritionally superior to those of the past," according to Will Frazee, beef producer from Emerson, Iowa, and vice chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. "This is a result of genetics, management, marketing and merchandising efforts by the entire beef chain." Since 1991, the beef checkoff has routinely funded Market Basket Surveys to provide more accurate data on the fat content of beef sold at retail. Beef producers have made and continue to make significant efforts to lower the fat content in beef, and beef checkoff dollars are being used to make sure that fat content is accurately reported. This most recent Market Basket Survey, conducted from January to March 2006, examined over 10,000 samples from 94 cuts of beef from 82 retail stores in 11 US cities. Up to four stores in two retail chains in each city were audited, representing at least one-third of the total market share in those metropolitan areas. Of the more than 10,000 cuts examined in the survey, over 72 percent of those cuts had trim levels at or below 1/8-inch. Notably, 11 cuts from the chuck, rib, loin and round that are very popular with consumers were found to be leaner than previously reported; those 11 cuts accounted for 26 percent of all fresh beef items in pounds sold at retail through the year ending September 30, 2006. "The most common nutrition misperception about beef is related to its fat content and this survey shows us that beef is leaner than ever before," says Frazee. The 11 popular cuts that are leaner than previously reported include: Boneless Beef Shoulder Steak, Boneless Shoulder Top Blade Steak and the Beef Chuck Mock Tender Steak all of which are from the chuck. The Ribeye Steak from the rib is also leaner than previously reported. Also leaner than thought are the Boneless Top Loin Steak, Beef Tenderloin Steak, T-Bone Steak and the Boneless Top Sirloin Steak which are all from the loin. Finally, from the round, three cuts that are leaner than previously thought include the Top Round Steak, Bottom Round Steak and the Eye of Round Steak. Date: 6/7/07
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