The Yield and Value of Edible Portion and Protein From Supermarket Retail Meat Cuts

Abstract

This research was designed to investigate a sample of retail meat cuts to determine the yield of edible portion and protein content of each cut, the price per pound of edible portion and protein, and any differences in these variables among chains and between stores within chains. Three chains. two stores within each chain, fifteen cuts, and three samples of each cut from each store were considered as the possible sources of variation. After purchase a complete physical separation and proximate composition of the edible portion was carried out on each retail cut, The lower priced beef cuts yielded the greatest percentage of edible portion at a substantially lower price compared to the higher priced beef cuts and pork cuts. Significant differences in price per edible pound were found among chains for seven of the fifteen retail cuts. Most of this variation was due to differences among chains and not to differences between stores within chains. The results of the proximate composition closely paralleled those of the edible portion.