Meat, Poultry and Fish Consumption by Cooking Method and Degree of Doneness

Abstract

Cooking and heat processing of foods can impact nutrient contents and contribute to toxicant formation (e.g., heterocyclic aromatic amines in meat). However, national consumption surveys (e.g., NHANES) available for assessing nutrient or contaminant intakes include limited information about cooking method and no information on degree of doneness, cooking temperature or duration. To bridge the data gap, a web‐based consumer behavior survey was conducted to collect information on consumer preference for cooking method and the degree of doneness for several meat, poultry and fish products. A Monte Carlo simulation was used to combine the consumer behavior data with the NHANES 2003–2006 dietary recall data to develop intake by cooking method and doneness categories. Results showed that most consumers prefer their beef just done (28.4%), medium well (20.1%), or well done (24.4%). Most consumers also prefer well done hamburgers, chicken, pork, bacon and fish (32.7%, 56.3%, 46.6%, 50.1%, and 41.1%, respectively) and medium well hotdogs (40.2%). For the foods captured in the survey the mean per capita intake was the highest for chicken (26.2 g/day), second highest for beef (19.76 g/day) and lowest for pork (7.6 g/day). Steak and hamburger are the most highly consumed beef “cuts” (mean per capita 8.5 g/day and 8.4 g/day, respectively). Skinless chicken breast is the most highly consumed chicken cut (mean per capita 9.6 g/day), and pork chops are the most highly consumed pork cut (mean per capita 2. 9 g/day). Data from this study can be combined with published nutrient or toxicant levels to estimate population exposures.