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Is Grass-fed Beef Microbiologically Safer Than Conventional Bee?

TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
edited July 2010 in Everything Else
Nope.

Of course, this is a relatively small sample set - 50 samples versus 50 samples - so there could certainly be more comprehensive studies. I've seen other studies at various conferences that corroborate these findings, though. The most noteworthy thing I find is the stuff regarding antibiotic resistance in the organisms isolated. Very often, proponents of all-natural grass-fed beef argue that the widespread use of antibiotics in conventional beef promotes increased levels of antibiotic resistance, but these findings seem to indicate that, at least where the microbes which contaminate the meat are concerned, there is no appreciable difference in acquired resistance.

Comments

  • AprecheApreche
    Does it actually taste different, or is that a psychological thing? Any double blind tests?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Does it actually taste different, or is that a psychological thing? Any double blind tests?
    Grass-fed definitely tastes better. Sometimes, it's only somewhat better, and very often it doesn't really warrant the additional cost.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    Does it actually taste different, or is that a psychological thing? Any double blind tests?
    Grass-fed definitely tastes better. Sometimes, it's only somewhat better, and very often it doesn't really warrant the additional cost.
    I would assume that preperation and cut (as it can vary greatly) makes quite a bit of difference in the taste issue.
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    I would assume that preperation and cut (as it can vary greatly) makes quite a bit of difference in the taste issue.
    Well, yes, that's true, but it's also true across both conventional and grass-fed. If you take a conventional primal and a grass-fed primal and cut them both exactly the same, the grass-fed cuts will taste better.

    Well, OK, they'll taste more like actual beef. Whether or not you prefer that is subjective.
  • Kate MonsterKate Monster
    That seems odd to me. Wouldn't corn fed beef have a tendency to have a higher fat content (based on the way corn is metabolised v. grass)? Wouldn't the higher fat content make more flavorful beef? Wasn't corn-fed the sought after beef not so long ago?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Wouldn't the higher fat content make more flavorful beef?
    Well, I believe that corn is a simpler food overall than grass. The grass doesn't fatten the cattle as much, but it adds more complex flavor to the lean parts of the beef. The corn gets the cow fatter faster, but the meat itself is less flavorful overall.

    Fat is very good at carrying flavors that are already there, but if what you've got is kind of bland, adding fat will just make it taste fatty. Does that make sense? I'm pretty sure that's what the deal is with the grass feeding. I'm not an animal nutrition expert, though, so take that with a grain of salt. And some pepper. And perhaps a bit of basil.
  • WyattWyatt
    Do we know the average age of a slaughtered grass-fed cow compared to the average age of a slaughtered corn fed cow? I don't have any facts, but I'd hypothesize that: The differences in beef flavor may have to do more with age rather then diet.

    Corn-fed is slaughtered the youngest and tastes only good. Grass-fed is older and tastes a bit better. Kobe beef is older still and tastes the best.

    I'm leaving veal out of this. Arguably, we're talking about cows and not calves.
  • AprecheApreche
    I'm leaving veal out of this. Arguably, we're talking about cows and not calves.
    Wait, so what is the changing point?
  • TheWhaleSharkTheWhaleShark
    Wait, so what is the changing point?
    Generally, anything under a year is considered a calf. Most veal is slaughtered before 9 months.
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