Source: Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE, 1/15/14


Representatives of the meat industry made statements this week at the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s second public hearing, defending their products as largely lean and healthy protein sources.
In a recent interview featured in the January issue of Meatingplace in Print, Washington lobbyist Chandler Keys warned the newest iteration of the dietary guidelines might take aim at processed meats.

In oral testimony at the hearing AMI Foundation Vice President of Scientific Affairs Betsy Booren defended the benefits of convenience meat products, like marinated roasts, fully cooked home-style favorites like meatloaf or turkey breast and luncheon meats.

She pointed out these products are offered in a variety of different formulations including low fat, low sodium and gluten free. She also championed them as offering affordable protein with an exemplary safety record and noted the products “are important for sub-groups of the population who have limited options and are currently making less nutrient-dense choices.”

Director of Nutrition Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program, Clara Lau, told the committee the beef industry has evolved to cutting retail beef cuts that average less than one-tenth of an inch of fat, compared to a half inch of fat common in 1980 when the first edition of the dietary guidelines were published.

“Farmers and ranchers have responded to dietary guidance by supporting research and education to maximize the availability of lean beef,” Lau said. “The industry has selected for leaner cattle, trimmed excessive fat, and encouraged people to choose appropriate portions of lean beef more often. We listened, we changed, and we wanted you to know about it.”

Lau also addressed the lag in the USDA Nutrient Database to reflect lean beef changes, affecting the accuracy of data used in some observational studies.

“The broad category of red meat used in large observational studies, like the Nurses’ Health Study, does not reflect the leaner supply of beef,” Lau said. “So, the lean beef people are actually consuming is not used when comparing beef consumption with health outcomes. Therefore, these comparisons fall short in assessing lean beef as part of a healthful dietary pattern.”

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