Is beef with yellow fat potentially healthier for you than beef
with white fat?
T.W. Knight and A.F. Death
AgResearch, Grasslands, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1997,
57: 134-136
Fat samples were collected from 20 Angus grass fed steers 24
hours after slaughter. Fat colour was measured with a Chromameter (b*
values) and the carotenoid concentration and fatty acid (FA) composition
of the fat were analysed. Carotenoid concentration in the fat was low
(1.54 ± 0.11 ug/g fat) compared to that found in vegetables. As b*
values, and therefore the yellowness of the fat increased the proportion
of saturated FA decreased (r = -0.58; P<0.001) and mono-unsaturated
FA increased (r = 0.68; P<0.0001). The relationship was not as
strong for carotenoid concentation even though the correlation between
carotenoid concentration and b* values was high (r - 0.86; P<0.001).
The conclusions were that the potential health advantages of beef with
yellow fat compared to beef with white fat were small, especially as the
relationships appeared to only apply within a herd.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
beef; carotenoids; fat colour; fatty acids.
Last Updated 12-09-1998
