US Meat Research Articles

A ‘differential’ differential demand system: an application to US meat demand*

ABSTRACT I present a ‘differential’ (threshold) Rotterdam demand model. I argue that a standard model, which holds parametric relationships constant across all sizes of shocks to prices and expenditures, may produce misleading elasticity estimates. This arises because consumers may react less or even not at all to small shocks to prices and expenditures. However, when shocks are large enough to exceed any adjustment or transactions costs, consumers may react more strongly, thereby producing more elastic responses. I estimate the demand for meats in the US over the 1980–2019 period. I consider four meat products – beef, pork, chicken, and turkey – and assume that meats are weakly separable from other demand decisions. I confirm that reactions to larger shocks will result in more elastic price and expenditure adjustments. A test of the difference in the regimes delineated by the size of shocks to prices and expenditures is statistically significant.

Misconceptions and meat: The impact of new knowledge on meat demand

AbstractFood labeling is intended to clarify information for consumers, yet sometimes labeling can be misleading. This study examines US consumer choice for labeled and unlabeled products across meat animal species in which differing regulations exist by species regarding hormone use in production and where consumer perception of hormone use by species varies. In the case of hormone use in US meat animal production, pork and poultry products labeled as being produced with no added hormones must also state that federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones in production. However, this required information is often obscured on retail labels. Results from expected utility models indicate that after consumers receive information regarding regulations and actual hormone use across species, the difference in utility and in willingness to pay for products labeled “produced with no added hormones” versus unlabeled product is lower for products where hormone use is restricted by federal regulations [EconLit Citations: Q13, D12, Q18].

Dietary exposure levels to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and non-ortho-polychlorinated biphenyls in US meat, poultry and siluriform fish from 2018 to 2019

Daily dietary exposure estimates from beef, pork, chicken, turkey and siluriform fish were calculated using toxic equivalency (TEQ) data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s survey of dioxins and dioxin-like compounds (DLCs) in the domestic meat supply and consumption data. Exposure estimates for the whole population and age groups were based on mean consumption of a commodity and mean or 90th percentile TEQ dioxin levels from the survey. Ratios of the exposure estimates to the U.S. EPA oral reference dose (RfD) of 0.7 pg TEQ/kg bw/day were calculated to determine if domestic meat might contribute materially to consumer exposure. In general, normal consumption of lean beef, pork, chicken and turkey will not cause exposures exceeding the RfD. Non-lean meats will have higher dioxin levels as dioxins accumulate in fat, therefore consumption of non-lean meat might cause higher exposure than compared to lean meat. However, on a mean basis, none of the exposure estimates for non-lean beef, pork, chicken or turkey exceeded the RfD for any of the age groups. For some age groups, especially toddlers, there are commodities such as non-lean beef in the 90th percentile of dioxin TEQs and siluriform fish that might exceed the RfD on occasion.

Impacts of Farrowing Pen Design, Season, and Sow Parity on Litter Performance and Piglet Mortality.

Piglet mortality during lactation is a significant concern in swine production, influenced by complex interactions involving sow, piglet, environmental, and management factors. While crushing by the sow may be the ultimate cause of piglet mortality, there are many factors influencing the outcome, including parity, thermal stress, and animal housing systems. New farrowing systems are continuously being developed; however, it is difficult for producers to make decisions without any scientific basis. This study aimed to assess the impact of different farrowing pen layouts on piglet performance, considering parity and season. A total of 546 sows and 9123 piglets were monitored across 36 lactation cycles. Sows were randomly assigned to three farrowing pen layouts (standard, diagonal, and offset) in three rooms (20 sows by room). All farrowing pens had the same space allocations (2.7 m by 1.8 m and 2.1 m by 0.6 m for the sow area). The three types of farrowing pens were blocked by position within the room. Piglet performance traits (percent of stillborns, percent of mortality, percent of overlays, and average daily weight gain: ADG) and sows traits (health and parity) were monitored following US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) procedures. Results indicated that treatment, parity, and season influenced some piglet performance traits. The offset farrowing pen had a lower percent of stillborns compared to the standard. No significant differences were observed between the diagonal crate and the other treatments. When evaluating high mortality sow (>two piglets), the offset and standard treatments had a lower percent of overlays. Piglets from first-parity sows had lower ADG than those from higher-parity sows. A higher percent of overlays were observed in Autumn and Summer compared to Spring and Winter, and Summer had lower average daily weight gain than other seasons. The results suggest that modifying the layout (offset), with sows placed further away from the heating source, can reduce the percent of overlays in sows with high mortality (>2 piglets). In addition, the influence of season on the piglet production traits demonstrated the importance of proper management of the environment, even in systems with a certain level of climatic control.

Where you stand depends on where you sit: inconsistencies in Taiwan legislators' positions on importing US meat

Abstract This study examines the political dynamics that shape legislators' policy positions on importing US meat into Taiwan during the past decade, focusing on the cases of US beef in 2012 and US pork in 2021. The trade policy surrounding this issue has become politically contentious, involving conflicting national interests and constituency preferences. Legislators face a dilemma, torn between prioritizing the interests of their constituents and aligning with their party's interests. The central argument posits that legislators affiliated with the ruling party are more inclined to advocate for or adjust their stances to support the removal of import bans on American meat, while those associated with the opposition party tend to exhibit a greater reluctance to endorse such a stance. Factors such as the legislators' constituent's interests, district vs party-list affiliations, the urban–rural divide, or education level do not consistently explain legislators' positions on the US meat trade policy. To examine these arguments, this study employs a mixed-method approach, incorporating quantitative analysis and two case studies of individual legislators. The findings of this study offer empirical support for the central proposition.

Exploring factors influencing repeated recalls in the US meat and poultry industry

AbstractRepeated recalls are an important issue impacting public health and the food industry. Survival functions are used to investigate the timing of repeated recalls and double hurdle regression models explore factors influencing the probability of repeated recalls and the number of repeated recalls in the US meat and poultry industry between 2003 and 2019. Findings suggest that 25% of recalls are repeated and the average period between recalls is 1340 days (3.67 years). Kaplan–Meier survival analysis results suggest that the number of repeats and similar reasons for recalls significantly impact survival functions but no statistically significant differences were seen across plant sizes. Regression results suggest that product type (processed vs. fresh products) had no significant impact on the probability of a repeated recall but a significant positive impact on the number of repeats. Extraneous material contamination positively influenced the probability of a repeated recall but negatively influenced the number of repeats. The scope of marketing (depth and breadth) had a significant positive impact on the probability of a repeated recall but had no significant impact on the number of repeats. Large plants are more likely to experience a repeated recall and a greater number of repeats. Considering market failures in the provision of safe food, government detection is an important way to discover food safety problems. The results show that government detection of problems is effective in reducing the probability of a repeated recall and the number of repeats. Based on these findings, we draw policy and management implications for the government and plants to avoid repeated recalls. [EconLit Citations: M11, Q13].

Comparative resilience of US and EU meat processing to the Covid19 pandemic

Despite the similarities in the drop and recovery patterns of US and EU meat production during the Covid19 pandemic, the literature in the two continents assessed their respective meat processing industries’ resilience differently - resilient in the EU and non-resilient in the US but offered no resilience metrics in support of their assessments. We cast the differing transatlantic views in the context of the economic resilience literature and operationalize several metrics for cattle, pig, and chicken slaughter. We find the US less resilient than the EU in cattle and pig slaughter. Resilience in chicken slaughter depends on which metric is used. We discuss possible drivers of resilience and highlight how our metrics can be used for further research to inform resilience policy on both continents.

Meat processing plant survival: The role of plant and regional characteristics

AbstractFederal and state governments are making major investments in expanded meat processor capacity and improved industry resilience. To improve decision‐making, this research identifies characteristics related to the probability of meat processing plant survival using hazard analysis and establishment‐level data on US meat processors (including beef, pork, goat, lamb and mutton, and large game processors) 1997–2020. We find plant survival is associated with both plant characteristics and local context, though specific factors related to survival vary with plant size and rurality. Smaller plants are less likely to survive than larger plants, and for smaller plants survival is most strongly related to business diversification. For larger plants, local context, including workforce variables, has the strongest relationship with survival. Our analysis shows little relationship between meat processing industry concentration and plant survival, though we find weak evidence of a positive relationship between industry concentration and large nonmetro plant survival.

Effects of a Moderate or Aggressive Implant Strategy on the Rumen Microbiome and Metabolome in Steers

The effects of growth-promoting implants have been well-defined for their ability to impact growth performance in beef cattle. Production-relevant microbes and microbiomes in the rumen have also been associated with growth traits. However, the role of implants on the rumen microbiome has not been determined. The objective of this study was to determine if different doses of implant hormones cause gain-associated ruminal microbial community changes. To assess this, a completely randomized design was used and 336 fall-born steers 450 to 470 days of age from the germplasm evaluation population at the US Meat Animal Research Center (Clay Center, NE) were divided into two treatment groups: 1) a moderate implant strategy (n = 167) of Revalor-IS (80 mg trenbolone acetate and 16 mg estradiol) followed by Revalor-S (120 mg trenbolone acetate and 24 mg estradiol) or 2) an aggressive implant strategy (n = 169) of Revalor-IS followed by Revalor-200 (200 mg trenbolone acetate and 20 mg estradiol). Steers were fed the same diet (57.0% dry-rolled corn, 30% wet distiller’s grains with solubles, 8.0% alfalfa hay, 4.25% vitamin and mineral supplement, and 0.75% urea, on a DM basis). On d 85 after implants administration, rumen contents were collected via orogastric tubing. Samples were sequenced to target and identify bacteria, archaea, and protozoa. Untargeted metabolomics was performed on rumen content using ultra high performance liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry. Production data between implant strategies was analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA (SASv9.4, Cary, NC) followed by separation of least squares means. Microbial diversity between strategies did not differ for archaea or protozoa (P > 0.05). Average daily gain was different (P = 0.01; 1.72 vs 1.66 ± 0.02 kg, aggressive vs moderate, respectively); however, large microbial community shifts were not associated with implant strategy. Two metabolites, N-acetyllysine and N-acetylornithine, were found in greater abundance in the moderate implant strategy (P ≤ 0.04). Understanding associations between the rumen microbiome and implant strategies may allow improvement of growth efficiency in beef cattle.

Testing front-of-package warnings to discourage red meat consumption: a randomized experiment with US meat consumers

BackgroundReducing red meat is a strategy to improve public health and mitigate climate change in the United States and other high-income countries. Policies requiring warnings on the front of red meat packages are a promising intervention to shift consumers towards healthier and more sustainable food choices. We aimed to explore participants’ reactions to health and environmental warning messages about red meat.MethodsBetween June and July 2020, we recruited a national convenience sample of US red meat consumers (n = 1,235; mean age 44 years) for an online survey. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four label conditions: no-label control, health warning, environment warning, and combined health and environment warning (both warnings shown side-by-side). Participants viewed three types of burritos (red meat [steak], chicken, and vegetarian) and selected their preferred item (primary outcome), the item they perceived to be most damaging to health, and the item they perceived to be most damaging to the environment (secondary outcomes). Participants then viewed their assigned warning on a series of other red meat products (no-label control participants were randomly re-assigned to one of the warning conditions) and rated the warnings on perceived message effectiveness, believability, negative emotions, perceived risk, attention, and learning something new. Finally, participants reported their intentions to reduce red meat consumption.ResultsThere were no significant differences in selection of the steak burrito between label conditions or in selection of the item most damaging to the environment. Those exposed to the health warning were more likely to select the steak burrito as most damaging to health compared to those exposed to other label conditions (health 73 %, combined 64 %, environment 60 %, no-label control 63 %, p < 0.05). The combined and health warnings elicited higher perceived message effectiveness ratings than the environment warning (combined mean 2.91, health 2.84, environment 2.61, p < 0.05).ConclusionsWarnings did not have a significant effect on item preference in the choice experiment. However, combined and health warnings performed better than the environment warning across a variety of warning label reaction measures. More research will be needed to understand whether warnings elicit behavioral change in real-world environments.Trial registrationAnalyses and hypotheses were preregistered on https://aspredicted.org/ph7mb.pdf on 23 June 2020.

Cytokine and Haptoglobin Profiles From Shipping Through Sickness and Recovery in Metaphylaxis- or Un-Treated Cattle.

Fifty-six head of cattle, 28 animals with bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC), and 28 healthy animals that were matched by treatment, sale barn of origin, day, and interactions among these variables, were identified from a population of 180 animals (60 each purchased at three sale barns located in Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky) enrolled in a study comparing animals receiving metaphylaxis to saline-treated controls. Cattle were transported to a feedlot in KS and assigned to treatment group. Blood samples were collected at Day 0 (at sale barn), Day 1, Day 9, and Day 28 (at KS feedlot), and transported to the US Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, NE where plasma was harvested and stored at −80°C until assayed for the cytokines IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the acute stress protein haptoglobin (HPT). Our objectives were to determine if cytokine and haptoglobin profiles differed between control and metaphylaxis treatment groups over time, and if profiles differed between animals presenting with BRDC and those that remained healthy. There was no difference between the treated animals and their non-treated counterparts for any of the analytes measured. Sale barn of origin tended to affect TNF-α concentration. Differences for all analytes changed over days, and on specific days was associated with state of origin and treatment. The Treatment by Day by Case interaction was significant for HPT. The analyte most associated with BRDC was HPT on D9, possibly indicating that many of the cattle were not exposed to respiratory pathogens prior to entering the feedlot.

Potential functional variants in AHR signaling pathways are associated with age at puberty in swine.

Puberty in female pigs is defined as age at first estrus and gilts that have an earlier age at puberty are more likely to have greater lifetime productivity. Because age at puberty is predictive for sow longevity and lifetime productivity, but not routinely measured in commercial herds, it would be beneficial to use genomic or marker-assisted selection to improve these traits. A GWAS at the US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) identified several loci associated with age at puberty in pigs. Candidate genes in these regions were scanned for potential functional variants using sequence information from the USMARC swine population founder animals and public databases. In total, 135 variants (SNP and insertion/deletions) in 39 genes were genotyped in 1284 phenotyped animals from a validation population sired by Landrace and Yorkshire industry semen using the Agena MassArray system. Twelve variants in eight genes were associated with age at puberty (P<0.005) with estimated additive SNP effects ranging from 1.6 to 5.3days. Nine of these variants were non-synonymous coding changes in AHR, CYP1A2, OR2M4, SDCCAG8, TBC1D1 and ZNF608, two variants were deletions of one and four codons in aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AHR, and the most significant SNP was near an acceptor splice site in the acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, ACACA. Several of the loci identified have a physiological and a genetic role in sexual maturation in humans and other animals and are involved in AHR-mediated pathways. Further functional validation of these variants could identify causative mutations that influence age at puberty in gilts and possibly sow lifetime productivity.

The climate responsibilities of industrial meat and dairy producers

Our view of responsibility for climate change has expanded to include the actions of firms, particularly fossil fuel producers. Yet analysis of animal agriculture’s role in climate change—estimated as 14.5% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions—has mainly focused on the sector as a whole. Here we examine the world’s 35 largest meat and dairy companies for their commitments to mitigating climate change and find four companies that have made an explicit commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. In general, these commitments emphasized mitigating energy use, with minimal focus on emissions (e.g., methane) from animal and land use, which make the biggest warming contributions in the agricultural sector. We also compare the companies’ projected global emissions under a business-as-usual scenario to their headquarter countries’ future emissions, assuming each country’s compliance with their commitments to the Paris Climate Agreement. Taking this view of responsibility and emissions accounting (which is not the conception of responsibility in the Paris Agreement), our results show that including industrial meat and dairy producers’ full global emissions in national accounting would impact national targets for greenhouse gas reductions. As examples, by our calculations, two companies—Fonterra in New Zealand, and Nestle in Switzerland—would make up more than 100% of their headquarter country’s total emissions target in the coming decade. Finally, we evaluated using 20 yes-or-no questions and a variety of sources the transparency of emissions reporting, mitigation commitments, and influence on public opinion and politics of the 10 US meat and dairy companies. According to the evidence we collected, all 10 US companies have contributed to efforts to undermine climate-related policies. Each of these analyses approaches responsibility in new and different ways. Under the swiftly changing social conditions provoked by climate change, we can expect new imaginings of responsibility for GHG emissions, as well as increased attention to the role of corporate actors and their accountability for climate change impacts.

Life-cycle assessment of treating slaughterhouse waste using anaerobic digestion systems

The meat industry in the US generates considerable amount of slaughterhouse waste (SHW), which is typically converted into more useable products through the rendering process. Although rendering generates sellable fat and meal commodities, it has large environmental impacts because it is energy intensive. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a promising technology for treating SHW and reducing environmental impact through biogas production to generate heat or electricity, as well as by enabling nutrient recovery and pathogen reduction. This study compared the life-cycle energy use and global warming impact of treating SHW with traditional rendering with AD to produce heat and electricity. The study also considered the co-digestion of SHW with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and sewage sludge. A cradle-to-grave life-cycle assessment (LCA) method was used to quantify the energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of these systems for treating SHW. We compared three scenarios: (1) AD of SHW, (2) Co-AD of SHW with OFMSW, and (3) Co-AD of SHW with sewage sludge to reference systems of simple rendering and composting. The study findings revealed that the total cradle-to-gate energy use and GHG emissions by treating SHW with AD and co-AD were 0.5−6.7 GJ/1000 kg-SHW and 400−834 kg-CO₂-eq/1000 kg-SHW, whereas for the rendering control scenarios total cradle-to-gate energy use and GHG emissions were 1.9 GJ/1000 kg-SHW and 96.4 kg-CO₂-eq/1000 kg-SHW, respectively. However, considering all the benefits of treating SHW with co-AD, including the displacement of fossil fuel and electricity and nitrogen fertilizers generated as system outputs, these systems perform better than the rendering process. Compared to the reference systems, the GHG reduction potential of treating SHW with co-AD varied between 426.8 and 524.0 kg-CO₂-eq/1000 kg-SHW. Among all input parameters, methane (CH₄) leak from the AD system, and nitrogen fertilizer displacement were the most sensitive parameters affecting the results. By implementing AD of SHW in meat industries in the southeast US, the energy production and GHG emissions reduction potential were estimated to be 22–29 × 10⁶ GJ and 1.6–2.0 × 10 9 kg-CO₂-eq per year, respectively. The results indicate that the AD of SHW can substantially reduce GHG emissions of the US meat industry as well as produce bioenergy to provide energy security in the US. • Co-AD of SHW with a co-substrate can produce energy of 6.03–7.60 GJ/1000 kg-SHW. • Co-AD of SHW with sewage sludge can reduce up to 524.0 kg-CO₂-eq/1000 kg-SHW. • Methane leak and fertilizer displacement substantially impact GHG emissions of AD. • AD of SHW in the southeast US can reduce GHG emissions by 2.0 × 10⁹ kg-CO₂-eq/year.

Unique water scarcity footprints and water risks in US meat and ethanol supply chains identified via subnational commodity flows

Within the US, supply chains aggregate agricultural production and associated environmental impacts in specific downstream products and companies. This is particularly important for meat and ethanol, which consume nearly half of global crop production as feed and feedstocks. However, lack of data has thus far limited the ability to trace inputs and impacts of commodity crops through domestic supply chains. For the first time, we use a commodity-flow model to link spatially distributed water resource impacts of corn and soy to individual meat and ethanol processing facilities. This creates transparency in the supply chains, illuminating substantial variation in embedded irrigation water and water scarcity footprints among meat and ethanol processed at different facilities. By calculating unique blue water scarcity footprints for end-products, we show that beef processed in Iowa or Illinois, for example, has fewer water impacts than chicken processed in California and pork processed in Oklahoma. We find that over 75% of irrigated feed embedded in meat is consolidated in six companies and 39% of irrigated feedstock for ethanol is consolidated in five companies, with potentially negative impacts to supply costs and risk management. This subnational variation and consolidation of impacts in key supply chains creates opportunities for producers and consumers of agriculture-based products to make management, investment, and sustainability decisions about those products.

A commentary on animal welfare in the US meat and poultry industry

The welfare of farm animals continues to generate vociferous and passionate debate. For many people, their closest, though indirect, contact with animal welfare is through the food they buy, and then, eat, and though animal welfare seems removed from the social practice of buying and eating animal products, it is very much a public issue. This short commentary paper looks to shine some light on animal welfare by reviewing, and reflecting on, how some of the leading meat and poultry producing companies in the US address animal welfare in their annual sustainability reports. The paper reveals that while most of the leading meat and chicken producing companies within the US emphasised their strategic commitment to animal welfare, their commitments are contested, and there are issues about how these commitments are evidenced.

The dynamic dependence between the major US indices and the meat commodities indices

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine empirically the conditional correlation between the major US indices (S&amp;P500 index and Dow Jones Industrial index) and three selected meat commodities as: Feeder Cattle, Leen Hogs and Live Cattle during the period from July 22, 2010 to June 30, 2017.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the authors use for the first time the GARCH-DECO (1,1) to examine empirically the conditional nexus between the major US indices (S&amp;P500 index and Dow Jones Industrial index) and three selected meat commodities as; Feeder Cattle, Leen Hogs and Live Cattle during the period from July 22, 2010 to June 30, 2017.FindingsFrom the empirical findings, the authors conclude the existence of a highly significance of conditional heteroscedasticity parameters can demonstrate us to distinguish the nature of the volatility dependency between S&amp;P500 index and Dow Jones Industrial index and three selected meat commodities indices.Originality/valueThis can find clear the significance of relationship in the process of financialization of the major US index and meat commodities indices in the case of this paper.

Predicting Escherichia coli loads in cascading dams with machine learning: An integration of hydrometeorology, animal density and grazing pattern

Accurate prediction of Escherichia coli contamination in surface waters is challenging due to considerable uncertainty in the physical, chemical and biological variables that control E. coli occurrence and sources in surface waters. This study proposes a novel approach by integrating hydro-climatic variables as well as animal density and grazing pattern in the feature selection modeling phase to increase E. coli prediction accuracy for two cascading dams at the US Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC), Nebraska. Predictive models were developed using regression techniques and an artificial neural network (ANN). Two adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) structures including subtractive clustering and fuzzy c-means (FCM) clustering were also used to develop models for predicting E. coli. The performances of the predictive models were evaluated and compared using root mean squared log error (RMSLE). Cross-validation and model performance results indicated that although the majority of models predicted E. coli accurately, ANFIS models resulted in fewer errors compared to the other models. The ANFIS models have the potential to be used to predict E. coli concentration for intervention plans and monitoring programs for cascading dams, and to implement effective best management practices for grazing and irrigation during the growing season.

Carbon-Equivalent Taxes on US Meat

Almost 6 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions come from methane and nitrous oxide in the livestock sector. This study calculates carbon-equivalent consumption taxes for beef, milk, pork and chicken that could accompany fossil-fuel taxes or regulations in the rest of the economy. Beef production is much more emissions-intensive than that of pork or chicken. At a social cost of carbon dioxide of $75 per ton, the carbon-equivalent tax would be about 20 percent on beef, 4 percent on milk, and about 3 percent on pork and chicken. Compensation to low-income households would be appropriate, as would partial exemption for certified farms and ranches once low-emission feeding and genetic techniques become clearer or widespread testing of animals for enteric methane becomes feasible.

Effect of Enhancement on Three Beef Muscles with Phosphate or Alternative Functional Ingredients on the Eating Quality of Australian Beef

ObjectivesImported meat products are commonly used in the value-addition sector of the US meat industry. Non-meat ingredients, such as sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), are often introduced into imported subprimals by the processor to mitigate potential palatability issues. Although STP can positively affect palatability attributes, its use in meat products can be concerning to some consumers. Our objectives were to determine the effects of enhancement with phosphate or alternative functional ingredients on the palatability of three imported Australian beef subprimals.Materials and MethodsRibeye rolls, strip loins, and eye of rounds were collected from carcasses (N = 69) at two commercial abattoirs in Australia. Subprimals were shipped under vacuum in a commercial refrigerated vessel at 0 to 2°C to the USA, where they were transported to Texas Tech University for processing. External fat, connective tissue, and accessory muscles were removed from subprimals, leaving the longissimus thoracics (LT), longissimus lumborum (LL), and the semitendinosus (ST). Muscles were then portioned into six equal sections. One section served as a non-enhanced control (CON), while the remaining five were injected to 112% of green weight with water, salt, and 1 of 5 ingredients: STP, sodium bicarbonate (SBC), sodium carbonate (SC), native potato starch (PS), or beef flavoring (BF). Sections were cut into steak pieces (5 × 5 × 2.5-cm thick) and frozen at 90 d postmortem. Thawed samples were cooked on a clamshell grill using a fixed time cooking schedule targeting a medium degree of doneness, cut into 2 equal portions, and served warm to 2 consumers. Panelists (n = 1380) evaluated each sample for tenderness, juiciness, flavor and overall liking on anchored 100-mm lines scales. Each consumer evaluated 6 test samples from the treatment combinations arranged in a predetermined, balanced order. Sensory data were analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS using muscle, ingredient, and their interaction as fixed effects and abattoir as a random effect (α = 0.05).ResultsNo interactions were detected between muscle and ingredient (P ≥ 0.44); however, both muscle and ingredient affected (P &lt; 0.01) consumer sensory ratings. The LL and LT similarly (P &gt; 0.05) scored more tender, with greater flavor and overall liking (P &lt; 0.05) than the ST. The LT was juicier than LL, which was intermediate, and ST was the least juicy (P &lt; 0.05). Samples that were not enhanced were scored lower (P &lt; 0.05) for all measured palatability attributes compared to all other treatments, except STP and CON had similar tenderness scores (P &gt; 0.05). Of the injected samples, STP resulted in lower (P &lt; 0.05) consumer sensory scores than all other treatments. Consumers rated SBC, SC, and PS as the most tender samples (P &lt; 0.05). Samples enhanced with SBC and SC were juicier (P &lt; 0.05) than all other treatments except PS. The flavor of SC was liked more (P &lt; 0.05) than all other treatments except SBC and PS. Samples from SBC, SC, and PS had greater (P &lt; 0.05) overall liking than STP and CON, but PS and BF were similar (P &gt; 0.05).ConclusionUltimately, these results revealed that several alternative functional ingredients can be used to improve palatability scores of imported Australian beef while generating eating quality outcomes that are similar or superior to injection with STP.