Beef Variety Meat Study

This beef variety meat study was conducted through collaboration between USDA's MAFCL and Colorado State University meat scientists. Retail-ready samples of beef organs and other beef variety meats were collected from three major U.S. processing facilities in order to obtain national representation. From each of the three suppliers, samples were collected on two days, seven days apart, for heart, liver, kidney, tongue, tripe, oxtail, and marrow; four packages of each item were collected on each date for a total of eight packages per item. For blood, three separate containers were obtained from the supplier. For testicles, three separate packages were obtained from the sole supplier. For broth (in cooked study only), three separate containers were obtained from the culinary team at the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Samples were cooked according to established protocols. Raw and cooked samples were homogenized and composited according to established protocols prior to being assayed for proximate nutrients, minerals, and cholesterol at approved laboratories using validated analytical methodology and standard reference materials. Data were thoroughly reviewed to meet scientific criteria by a team of quality control scientists. These data can facilitate inclusion of these nutrient-dense foods within a healthy diet and can provide a foundation for expanding the dataset in future studies.

Cooked beef variety meat data

Excel file contains nutrient values for cooked beef variety meat items

Raw beef variety meat data

Excel file contains nutrient values for raw beef variety meat items