Fat Content Of Beef Research Articles

How volatile composition facilitates olfactory discrimination of fat content in beef and pork

Foods differing in fat content can be distinguished through olfaction alone. The mechanisms underlying the ability of humans to discriminate between foods differing in fat content through olfaction are underexplored. In this study, beef and pork samples were prepared (raw and roasted) with low (muscle tissue; raw: 2–5%; roasted: 5%), medium (muscle tissue with lard; raw: 25–30%; roasted: 36–44%), and high (lard; raw: 40–42%; roasted: 69–70%) fat content. Olfactory triangle discrimination tests and ranking tests were performed to explore whether humans can discriminate and rank fat content of the samples through orthonasal olfaction. Headspace-Solid Phase Micro Extraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (SPME-GC–MS) was used to characterize the volatile compound composition of the headspace of samples differing in fat content. Partial least-squares regression and partial least squares-discriminant analysis were performed to determine the volatile compounds that were responsible for olfactory fat content discrimination. We found that fat content in both raw and roasted samples can be distinguished through orthonasal olfaction. Perceived odor differences did not always contribute to olfactory identification of fat content. Roasted beef and pork meats with higher fat content had more abundant fatty acids, aldehydes, and ketones. Phthalic acid, isobutyl 2-ropylpentyl ester, and carbon disulfide facilitated the olfactory discrimination of fat content in raw pork and beef samples. 2-Methyl-propanal, benzaldehyde, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, 2,3-pentanedione, 2,5-octanedione, and 2-butanone contributed to odor differences of roasted beef samples differing in fat content. We conclude that beef and pork samples differing in fat content differ in volatile compound composition of the headspace, and that these differences facilitate discrimination between samples differing in fat content based on olfaction alone.

PSXV-2 Genome-Wide Association and Gene Network Analysis of Fatty Acid Composition in Beef from Brangus Cattle

Abstract Beef is high in key nutrients; however, it is often perceived as unhealthy because of its high fat content, particularly its saturated fat. The fat content of beef is controlled by multiple genetic factors and impacts meat quality traits. The objectives of this study were to 1) characterize the natural variation in fatty acid (FA) composition of Bos taurus indicus influenced beef cattle, 2) estimate phenotypic and genetic correlations of FA composition with carcass and meat quality traits, 3) use genome-wide association (GWAS) to identify genes with the greatest effect on FA composition, and 4) use gene network analysis to identify genes with small effects on FA content. The following traits were recorded on 1,066 Brangus steer: carcass weight (kg; 373 ± 36.3); marbling (436 ± 84.2); quality grade; back fat (cm; 1.6 ± 0.6); ribeye area (cm2; 83.3 ± 9.5); yield grade (3.2 ± 0.9); Warner-Bratzler shear force (kg; 5.1 ± 1.0); and 27 FA [saturated (%; 47.6 ± 3.1), monounsaturated (%; 46.3 ± 3.5), and polyunsaturated (%; 6.1 ± 2.0)]. Carcass traits had weak beneficial correlations to FA composition suggesting the possibility to manage or select for beef with less saturated fat without negatively impacting meat quality. GWAS identified four QTL and gene network analysis identified 177 genes related to lipid storage, transportation, and modification.

Evaluation of the Functional, Proximate and Sensory Properties of Cowpea/Soybean Fortified Dabuwa (A Nigerian Dried Stiff Porridge) Produced from Different Cereals

Dabuwa is a dried stiff porridge made from fonio and maize in the ratio of 1:3, beef fat and spiced with fresh onion and caraway (black) seeds. It is a popular food indigenous to the Shuwa Arab nomads of North-eastern Nigeria. An attempt was made to modify dabuwa not only from maize but also from millet and rice. The cereal flours were supplemented with legume flours, the beef fat content was reduced, fresh onion and caraway seeds were replaced with a dried spice-mix of onion, ginger and cardamom. A 3×2×2×2 full factorial design was scaled down to a fractional factorial design of 3×2×2 which generated 12 runs. Supplementation (cowpea and soybean) was done at a constant level of 30%. Fonio was incorporated at either 12.5% (F1) or 22.5% (F2). Each formulation had the other cereal (maize, millet or rice) added at 57.5% (Ma1, Mi1, R1) or 47.5% (Ma2, Mi2, R2); while traditional dabuwa comprising of 25% fonio and 75% maize served as the Control. The blends and dabuwa were evaluated for functional and sensory properties, and proximate composition. Results indicated a general increase on water absorption capacity (216.76% to 270.34% of the blends) unlike oil absorption capacity (0.97ml/g to 1.09ml/g), and an enhanced bulk densities (0.74-0.86g/ml). Dabuwa samples enriched with soybean were shown to be denser in nutrients than those supplemented with cowpea, though no particular trend was observed. Moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate (by difference) and calorific contents of the blends varied significantly (p≤0.05) from 7.38 to 12.18%, 1.80 to 2.96%, 4.33 to 16. 29%, 1.62 to 6.59%, 2.45 to 9.57%, 53.66 to 82.90%, and 337.12-393.37kcal/100g respectively. Proximate composition of modified dabuwa varied thus:4.86-10.85%, 0.92-2.48%, 10.11-16.38%, 0.96-4.65%, 2.02-10.60%, 58.55-86.54%, and 351.03-421.17kcal/100g for moisture, ash, crude protein, crude fiber, fat, carbohydrate contents and calorific value respectively. Sensory scores revealed that rice- and maize-containing dabuwa were liked moderately, but millet containing dabuwa were neither liked nor disliked by the panelists. It was concluded that dabuwa could be prepared not only from maize, but also from rice or millet with legume fortification for enhanced nutrient density without affecting negatively the well known traditional sensory properties of the dabuwa.. Therefore, production and consumption of dabuwa should be re-popularized and its consumption patronized so as to provide macro and micro nutrients to the consumers and avoid the disappearance of a worthy age-old food product.

Use of Agaricus bisporus mushroom in beef burgers: antioxidant, flavor enhancer and fat replacing potential

This study aimed to evaluate the potential use of Agaricus bisporus mushroom as a natural antioxidant, fat/salt substitute and flavor enhancer in beef burger. Ten treatments were considered using a fractional factorial design (salt [0.5, 1.25 and 2.0%], fat [10, 15 and 20%] and mushroom content [0, 15 and 30%]). Treatments were characterized by instrumental and sensory measurements. The statistical design indicated that fat content had little influence on the results. The principal component analysis showed that the incorporation of mushrooms and salt modified the texture, moisture and water activity. Oxidative stability decreased as the salt content increased, at a low-fat content. Finally, the sensory profile was affected by the mushroom and salt contents, with the fat content exerting the least influence. Therefore, mushroom incorporation in beef burger may be a feasible strategy to reduce the fat content of beef burgers.Graphical abstract

Consumer preferences for beef with improved nutrient profile1.

Although beef is a nutrient-rich foodstuff excelling in protein, vitamins, and minerals, there is controversy regarding the fat content of beef and its healthfulness in the diet. Although much of the fatty acid (FA) content in beef is considered "healthy fats," many consumers are confused about the different classifications of FA. The objectives of this study were to determine consumers' knowledge about the nutritional value of beef and its importance in purchasing decisions, and to gain a better understanding about preferences for changes in FA composition. Objectives of the study were completed through 2 consumer studies: 1) an online survey and 2) a taste-panel auction. In the online survey, respondents were asked to choose between 2 steaks that varied in polyunsaturated and saturated FA levels, iron content, and price. Respondents were also asked to categorize "Monounsaturated Fat," "Polyunsaturated Fat," "Saturated Fat," and "Trans Fat," as either "healthy" or "unhealthy" both before and after an educational excerpt was provided. The results from the online survey indicated many consumers are unclear about the differences in beef nutritional value, specifically FA content. Initially, only 66.4%, 69.1%, 79.1%, and 79.2% of respondents correctly categorized the monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans fat, respectively. However, more than 90% of respondents correctly categorized the various FAs after an educational excerpt was provided. After survey respondents better understood the healthfulness of FA in beef, they were also willing to pay a premium for a steak with improved FA composition. However, these premiums diminished when participants had to actually put forth a monetary value for a steak in the taste-panel auction. Research shows that there is variation among cattle for FA composition. This provides opportunity to identify cattle with a favorable composition and market this product to the increasing population of health-conscious consumers. Our results provide insight for beef promotion and marketing opportunities and indicate that relaying information about FA content is extremely important to collect a premium for healthier beef.

Enhancing signal-to-noise ratio and resolution in low-field NMR relaxation measurements using post-acquisition digital filters.

The traditional way to enhance signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals is to increase the number of scans. However, this procedure increases the measuring time that can be prohibitive for some applications. Therefore, we have tested the use of several post-acquisition digital filters to enhance SNR up to one order of magnitude in time domain NMR (TD-NMR) relaxation measurements. The procedures were studied using continuous wave free precession (CWFP-T1 ) signals, acquired with very low flip angles that contain six times more noise than the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) signal of the same sample and experimental time. Linear (LI) and logarithmic (LO) data compression, low-pass infinity impulse response (LP), Savitzky-Golay (SG), and wavelet transform (WA) post-acquisition filters enhanced the SNR of the CWFP-T1 signals by at least six times. The best filters were LO, SG, and WA that have high enhancement in SNR without significant distortions in the ILT relaxation distribution data. Therefore, it was demonstrated that these post-acquisition digital filters could be a useful way to denoise CWFP-T1 , as well as CPMG noisy signals, and consequently reducing the experimental time. It was also demonstrated that filtered CWFP-T1 method has the potential to be a rapid and nondestructive method to measure fat content in beef and certainly in other meat samples.

Understanding Beef Nutritional Attributes Contributes to Consumers’ Willingness-to-Pay for a Healthier Product

ObjectivesNutritional value impacts consumers’ purchasing decisions of food products. Beef is a nutrient rich foodstuff excelling in protein, vitamins, and minerals. There is growing controversy regarding fat content of beef and its healthfulness in the diet. Although much of the fatty acid (FA) content in beef is considered “healthy fats,” many consumers are confused about the different classifications of FA. Research at the University of Florida shows there is variation among cattle for FA composition. This provides opportunity to identify cattle with a favorable composition and market this product to the increasing population of health-conscious consumers. Before producers invest in such marketing opportunities, it is necessary to understand how consumers perceive this information. The objective of this study was to determine consumers’ knowledge of beef nutritional value and its importance in their purchasing decisions and willingness-to-pay.Materials and MethodsA national survey was administered online to over 1000 respondents. The study began with 7 questions, each asking the respondent to choose between 2 steaks that varied in polyunsaturated and saturated FA levels, iron content, and price. Following the 7 choice questions, respondents were asked to categorize “Trans Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” “Monounsaturated Fat,” and “Polyunsaturated Fat,” as either “healthy” or “unhealthy.” After receiving an educational excerpt, respondents were re-asked the 7 steak choice questions and the fat-categorization question. Lastly, respondents were asked demographic questions along with questions regarding their normal fat consumption habits.ResultsThe results from the survey indicate many consumers are confused about the differences in beef nutritional value, specifically FA content. Initially, only 66.40, 69.05, 79.14 and 79.24% of respondents correctly categorized the monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans fat, respectively. However, a favorable shift occurred and more than 90% of respondents correctly categorized the various FA once provided the educational excerpt. Furthermore, once respondents better understood the healthfulness of FA in beef, respondents were willing-to-pay a premium for a product of improved FA composition (Table 1). Also, prior to information regarding FA, respondents preferred more iron content, especially compared to better FA composition, but these preferences reversed after the informational excerpt was provided and respondents better understood that not all fat in beef is bad.Table 1Premiums/discounts in U.S. dollars respondents are willing-to-pay per lb of steak before and after the educational excerptConclusionIn the past, much controversy surrounding fat content of red meat and its role in the diet led to many health professionals recommending cutting such food from the diet. In recent years, research on different FA categories supports the idea that not all fat is bad. Our results indicate that relaying this information to consumers is extremely important to their purchasing decisions and willingness-to-pay for beef. These findings provide insight for beef promotion and marketing opportunities to the increasing population of health-conscious consumers.

Understanding Beef Nutritional Attributes Contributes to Consumers’ Willingness-to-Pay for a Healthier Product

ObjectivesNutritional value impacts consumers’ purchasing decisions of food products. Beef is a nutrient rich foodstuff excelling in protein, vitamins, and minerals. There is growing controversy regarding fat content of beef and its healthfulness in the diet. Although much of the fatty acid (FA) content in beef is considered “healthy fats,” many consumers are confused about the different classifications of FA. Research at the University of Florida shows there is variation among cattle for FA composition. This provides opportunity to identify cattle with a favorable composition and market this product to the increasing population of health-conscious consumers. Before producers invest in such marketing opportunities, it is necessary to understand how consumers perceive this information. The objective of this study was to determine consumers’ knowledge of beef nutritional value and its importance in their purchasing decisions and willingness-to-pay.Materials and MethodsA national survey was administered online to over 1000 respondents. The study began with 7 questions, each asking the respondent to choose between 2 steaks that varied in polyunsaturated and saturated FA levels, iron content, and price. Following the 7 choice questions, respondents were asked to categorize “Trans Fat,” “Saturated Fat,” “Monounsaturated Fat,” and “Polyunsaturated Fat,” as either “healthy” or “unhealthy.” After receiving an educational excerpt, respondents were re-asked the 7 steak choice questions and the fat-categorization question. Lastly, respondents were asked demographic questions along with questions regarding their normal fat consumption habits.ResultsThe results from the survey indicate many consumers are confused about the differences in beef nutritional value, specifically FA content. Initially, only 66.40, 69.05, 79.14 and 79.24% of respondents correctly categorized the monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and trans fat, respectively. However, a favorable shift occurred and more than 90% of respondents correctly categorized the various FA once provided the educational excerpt. Furthermore, once respondents better understood the healthfulness of FA in beef, respondents were willing-to-pay a premium for a product of improved FA composition (Table 1). Also, prior to information regarding FA, respondents preferred more iron content, especially compared to better FA composition, but these preferences reversed after the informational excerpt was provided and respondents better understood that not all fat in beef is bad.Table 1Premiums/discounts in U.S. dollars respondents are willing-to-pay per lb of steak before and after the educational excerptConclusionIn the past, much controversy surrounding fat content of red meat and its role in the diet led to many health professionals recommending cutting such food from the diet. In recent years, research on different FA categories supports the idea that not all fat is bad. Our results indicate that relaying this information to consumers is extremely important to their purchasing decisions and willingness-to-pay for beef. These findings provide insight for beef promotion and marketing opportunities to the increasing population of health-conscious consumers.

A Comparative Study of Fat Content in Beef and Sheep Meat

A Comparative Study of Fat Content in Beef and Sheep Meat

Impact of Fat Content of Beef on Heat Resistance of Non-O157:H7 Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia Coli

Impact of Fat Content of Beef on Heat Resistance of Non-O157:H7 Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia Coli

Formation of free and protein-bound carboxymethyllysine and carboxyethyllysine in meats during commercial sterilization

The effect of commercial sterilization treatments on the levels of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in meats was investigated. The amounts of both free and protein-bound Nε-carboxymethyllysine (CML) and Nε-carboxyethyllysine (CEL) in beef (rump, ribeye, short plate), pork (hind leg, tenderloin, belly), and chicken (chicken breasts, drumsticks) were determined using an HPLC–MS/MS method. Beef and pork had a small proportion (raw <15%; sterilized <8%) of free AGEs compared to the total AGEs, but raw chicken breasts had very high levels of free CEL (7.12±9.98mg/kg; n=13) with large biological variation compared to pork (0.19±0.09mg/kg; n=9) and beef (0.44±0.19mg/kg; n=9). Commercial sterilization (121°C for 10min) did not significantly affect the amounts of free CML or CEL, but led to about 0.6- to 3.6-fold increase of protein-bound CML and CEL. The amounts of protein and fat content in beef or pork had very little effect on the formation of protein-bound AGEs during sterilization process.

黒毛和種牛肉の官能評価において総合評価に寄与する官能特性と脂肪含量の関係

黒毛和種牛肉の官能評価において総合評価に寄与する官能特性と脂肪含量の関係

Molecular Factors Underlying the Deposition of Intramuscular Fat and Collagen in Skeletal Muscle of Nellore and Angus Cattle.

Studies have shown that intramuscular adipogenesis and fibrogenesis may concomitantly occur in skeletal muscle of beef cattle. Thus, we hypothesized that the discrepancy of intramuscular fat content in beef from Nellore and Angus was associated with differences in intramuscular adipogenesis and fibrogenesis during the finishing phase. To test our hypothesis, longissimus muscle samples of Nellore (n = 6; BW = 372.5 ± 37.3 kg) and Angus (n = 6; BW = 382.8 ± 23.9 kg) cattle were collected for analysis of gene and protein expression, and quantification of intramuscular fat and collagen. Least-squares means were estimated for the effect of Breed and differences were considered at P ≤ 0.05. A greater intramuscular fat content was observed in skeletal muscle of Angus compared to Nellore cattle (P≤0.05). No differences were observed for mRNA expression of lipogenic and lipolytic markers ACC, FAS, FABP4, SERBP–1, CPT–2, LPL, and ACOX (P > 0.05) in skeletal muscle of Nellore and Angus cattle. Similarly, no differences were observed in mRNA expression of adipogenic markers Zfp423, PPARγ, and C/EBPα (P>0.05) However, a greater PPARγ protein content was observed in skeletal muscle of Angus compared to Nellore cattle (P≤0.05). A greater abundance of adipo/fibrogenic cells, evaluated by the PDGFRα content, was observed in skeletal muscle of Angus than Nellore cattle (P≤0.05). No differences in fibrogenesis were observed in skeletal muscle of Angus and Nellore cattle, which is in accordance with the lack of differences in intramuscular collagen content in beef from both breeds (P>0.05). These findings demonstrate that difference in intramuscular fat content is associated with a slightly enhanced adipogenesis in skeletal muscle of Angus compared to Nellore cattle, while no difference in fibrogenesis.

Determination of Intramuscular Fat Content in Beef using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Determination of Intramuscular Fat Content in Beef using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

接触型電極を装着したLCRメータを用いたインピーダンス測定による牛肉中脂肪含量の推定

接触型電極を装着したLCRメータを用いたインピーダンス測定による牛肉中脂肪含量の推定について検討を行った．ウシの半腱様筋，胸最長筋，および中殿筋からステーキを作製し，接触型電極を装着したLCRメータを用いてインピーダンスを測定した．またステーキの粗脂肪含量をソックスレー法により測定した．ステーキの粗脂肪含量とインピーダンスとの関係を単回帰分析により解析した結果，粗脂肪含量とインピーダンスとの間には正の高い相関がみられた．

High-throughput non-destructive nuclear magnetic resonance method to measure intramuscular fat content in beef

High intake of saturated fat from meats has been associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and others diseases. In this paper, we are introducing a simple, high-throughput, and non-destructive low-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance method that has the potential to analyze the intramuscular fat content (IMF) in more than 1,000 beef portions per hour. The results can be used in nutritional fact labels, replacing the currently used average value. The method is based on longitudinal (T(1)) and transverse (T(2)) relaxation time information obtained by a continuous wave-free precession (CWFP) sequence. CWFP yields a higher correlation coefficient (r = 0.9) than the conventional Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) method (r = -0.25) for IMF in beef and is just as fast and a simpler pulse sequence than CPMG. The method can also be applied to other meat products.

Development of a hybrid image processing algorithm for automatic evaluation of intramuscular fat content in beef M. longissimus dorsi

An automatic method for estimating the content of intramuscular fat (IMF) in beef M. longissimus dorsi (LD) was developed using a sequence of image processing algorithm. To extract IMF particles within the LD muscle from structural features of intermuscular fat surrounding the muscle, three steps of image processing algorithm were developed, i.e. bilateral filter for noise removal, kernel fuzzy c-means clustering (KFCM) for segmentation, and vector confidence connected and flood fill for IMF extraction. The technique of bilateral filtering was firstly applied to reduce the noise and enhance the contrast of the beef image. KFCM was then used to segment the filtered beef image into lean, fat, and background. The IMF was finally extracted from the original beef image by using the techniques of vector confidence connected and flood filling. The performance of the algorithm developed was verified by correlation analysis between the IMF characteristics and the percentage of chemically extractable IMF content ( P < 0.05). Five IMF features are very significantly correlated with the fat content ( P < 0.001), including count densities of middle (CDMiddle) and large (CDLarge) fat particles, area densities of middle and large fat particles, and total fat area per unit LD area. The highest coefficient is 0.852 for CDLarge.

Relationship of plasma leptin concentration to intramuscular fat content in beef from crossbred Wagyu cattle

Plasma leptin concentrations and beef cattle carcass characteristics in eight Continental Crossbred steers [0% Wagyu Cattle (WC)] were compared to crossbred cattle with 50 and 75% WC (eight steers each) genetic makeup to determine if a relationship exists between plasma leptin concentrations and intramuscular fat content (marbling) in beef cattle. Plasma leptin concentrations were measured at two stages of cattle growth, 16 and 4 wk prior to slaughter (W P S). Beef cattle characteristics including marbling score, ribeye area, i.m. total lipid content, and backfat depth were determined, and correlation coefficients obtained between these traits and leptin concentration at both sampling dates. Plasma leptin concentrations increased relative to the lipid content in the 24 steers based on the significant positive correlation observed between plasma leptin and total lipids (% wet weight) from both pars costalis diaphragmatis (p.c.d.)(16 WPS: r = 0.69, P = 0.0004; 4 WPS: r = 0.35, P = 0.104) and longissimus (16 WPS: r = 0.59, P = 0.002; 4 WPS: r = 0.51, P = 0.011) muscles. A trend was observed, however, at 4 WPS when the groups of varying Wagyu genetics were compared. Plasma leptin was positively correlated with muscle lipid content for the 0% Wagyu cattle (longissimus: r = 0.62, P = 0.103; p.c.d.:r = 0.40, P = 0.410)but there was almost no correlation in these parameters for the 50% WC (longissimus: r = 0.11, P = 0.797; p.c.d.: r = 0.005, P = 0.990). Plasma leptin concentration was negatively correlated with lipid content in the 75% WC (longissimus: r = –0.60, P = 0.120; p.c.d.: r = –0.65, P = 0.164). The results suggest that increasing Wagyu genetics negates any relationship between leptin concentrations and i.m. fat content in cattle. Key words: Wagyu crossbred cattle, meat quality, intramuscular fat, marbling, leptin

Quantification of Intramuscular Fat Content in Beef by Combining Autofluorescence Spectra and Autofluorescence Images

Autofluorescence spectra, autofluorescence images, and near-infrared (NIR) reflectance spectra were tested to determine intramuscular fat and connective tissue in meat slices (longissimus dorsi) from 45 Norwegian Red cattle. Excitation wavelength 332 nm was used to generate fluorescence that was spectroscopically measured and imaged over a total area of 33 and 21 cm2, respectively, for each sample. Five types of image features were extracted: the angle measurement technique, the autocovariance spectrum, measures derived from the gray-level co-occurrence matrix, singular value decomposition, and percentage of bright areas in the images. The fat content was 0.5–10.5% (w/wet w) and connective tissue 0.42–0.92% (w/wet w). Partial least-squares regression resulted in the following correlations ( R) and root mean square errors of cross-validation (RMSECV) for fat: autofluorescence spectroscopy (0.84, 1.10%), NIR (0.87, 1.01%), and the best image feature (0.78, 1.30%). The best result was obtained by combining autofluorescence spectra with image features (0.92, 0.80%). Connective tissue was poorly predicted ( R = 0.41) because of narrow range. The study demonstrates that the combination of spectral data and structural information from images can result in better and more robust prediction models.

Bioelectrical impedance: fat content of beef and pork from different size grinds.

Multiple linear regression equations were developed for predicting the percentage of fat content of beef and pork. The predictor variables were bioelectrical resistance, temperature, and weight of product. Equations were developed for trim and product ground through a .95- or a .32-cm plate. The trim, .95-cm, and .32-cm grinds had 64, 108, and 96 observations, respectively, for beef product and 56, 101, and 92 observations, respectively, for pork product. Each of these observations was the average of bioelectrical impedance measurements taken in triplicate. The fat percentage ranges were 4 to 50% for beef and 7.5 to 50% for pork. The prediction equation applied to beef trim provided the following values: R2 = .80, Mallows's C(P) = 5.1, and root mean square error = 6.64. The R2 for equations predicting fat percentage in .95- and .32-cm ground beef were .84 and .95, respectively. The prediction equation applied to pork trim provided the following values: R2 = .77, Mallow's C(P) = 5.0, and root mean square error = 6.2. The R2 for equations predicting fat percentage in .95- and .32-cm ground pork were .87 and .96, respectively. The analyses were repeated with data sets of observations with less than 35% fat. The sample sizes and R2 for the trim, .95-, and .32-cm ground beef were 48, .36; 76, .60; and 65, .86; respectively. The sample sizes and R2 for the trim, .95-, and .32-cm ground pork were 42, .64; 62, .66; and 58, .92; respectively. Resistance, temperature, and weight remained as predictor variables for ground product with less than 35% fat. The smaller the grind, the more accurate the prediction. These results are positive for developing inexpensive, on-line systems for efficiently mixing ground product to a specific fat percentage.