Experts recommend that adult men and women consume 5 - 6 ounces of high quality, digestible protein per day depending on age and exercise.  Meat and poultry provide the majority of protein in an omnivore diet.  Although vegetarians and vegans can consume enough protein by combining the right grains, legumes, and plants, eating meat makes it easier to consume the right amount of protein.  What's more, the nutrient contribution of meat is typically not lost during cooking, which is essential for the elimination of certain harmful bacteria.  Meat is also the only food source of several nutrients important for overall health and brain function, especially beef liver, including Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, Carnosine, and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), a specific form of the Omega-3 fatty acid that helps protect against dementia and Alzheimer's disease in adults.

Different meats provide different nutrient profiles; the following chart is an example of those different profiles.

Natural vs. Conventional Meat Production Standards

Conventional farming practices for raising cows, pigs, and chickens are different from the standards and practices of raising animals for meats labeled natural or organic.  Typically animals raised conventionally are given hormones* and antibiotics, spend some or all of their lives packed together in intensive-production pens, feedlots, or cages, and are fed foods that may include animal byproducts.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) allows the term “natural” on meat labels if the meat is only minimally processed and has not had any artificial ingredients (color, flavor, preservatives, etc.) added to it; but there are no USDA requirements for how the animals are raised.

*Federal regulations only prohibit the use of hormones in raising pork, poultry, goats, veal, and bison.

Demand for humanely raised, higher quality meats has lead farmers to adopt a much broader set of practices for meat labeled natural, including, for example:

• No use of growth hormones or antibiotics
• No use of animal byproducts in the feed
• Humanely raised to include the comfort, physical safety, and health of the animals
• Clean, calm, and humane practices during slaughter and product production

Although the USDA has only defined free-range or free-roaming for poultry products, the term is also applied to cattle.  In the case of poultry, the USDA requirement is that poultry must be given a minimum of five minutes of open-air access each day for approved use of the free-range claim on a poultry product.  For other animals there are no government standards, so farmers and suppliers implement generally accepted standards within the industry or set by third-party certifiers such as AWA (Animal Welfare Approved) and Certified Humane Raised & Handled.

In the case of cattle, free-range generally means that the cattle are pasture-raised, free to graze on pasture grass for some, if not the majority of their lives.  However, the actual practices vary from farmer to farmer.   That's why it’s useful for store staff and consumers to learn more about the vendors' requirements for the term natural and learn about the farmers and how they operate their farms and raise their livestock.

There is often confusion between the terms free-range, grass-fed, and grass-finished.  In conventional meat production, cattle are grain-fed, typically with corn.  In some cases, corn or grain-fed is labeled as vegetarian fed.  In some cases, the only benefit to the cattle and to humans of vegetarian feed is that the animals are not fed animal byproducts in their feed.   Corn-fed cattle spend the first 12 - 18 months of their lives in a pasture, and then are moved to pens where they are fed corn, hay, and other grains for several months because:

• Corn-fed cattle gain weight much more quickly than cattle in a strictly grass-fed environment and can be produced year-round regardless of weather and environment.
• The current system of ranching is designed around the accelerated growth of cattle in feedlots, where corn fed cattle are easier and more cost-effective to produce.
• Corn-fed cattle produce a consistent flavor, which is expected by many American consumers.
• Meat from corn fed cattle is typically less expensive for the consumer.

Grass-fed cattle may be kept in pastures for a longer period of time and then may be moved to corn-fed pens if there is insufficient pasture grass or the environment (especially the weather) doesn’t allow for continued grazing.   In some, but rare cases, the cattle may be allowed to continue to pasture graze to become grass-finished. 

Grass-finished cows only eat grass and forage throughout their life span.  Grass-finished beef is often described as having a distinct taste and may require different preparation methods, including marinades and shorter cooking times.  Grass-finished beef contains slightly more omega-3 fatty acids (less than one-tenth of a gram more per 3.5 ounces) and also can provide more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). CLA is a polyunsaturated fatty acid health professionals believe has cancer-fighting properties.  Where corn-fed beef has a creamy white fat, the fat on grass-fed and finished meat is darker or more yellow coming from the beta carotene found in the grass. 

Antibiotics & Hormones

A major source of antibiotic overuse is in livestock production.   In the U.S., antibiotics are routinely given to healthy chickens, pigs, and cattle to prevent outbreaks of illness in large scale industrial farms.  Many of the antibiotics administered to animals are also used for treating human bacterial infections.   There is growing concern over evidence that antibiotic use in animal feeds is causing antibiotics to lose effectiveness in fighting disease in humans as the bacteria becomes resistant to the antibiotics.

Federal regulations do not allow growth hormones (BGH, rBGH, BST & rBST) to be given to poultry or pigs.   Therefore, the words “no added hormones” on poultry or pork products are for marketing purposes.   The use of growth hormones in dairy and beef cows is controversial, with concerns extending to the earlier onset of puberty in children who regularly consume hormone-laden milk and meat products.  Some beef producers have responded to consumer demand and have chosen not to use hormones and will state this on their label.

Organic Meats

Meats certified as organic are produced on certified organic farms that have met extensive requirements that are the same for dairy products labeled organic.  They include:

• Produced without genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge
• Managed in a manner that conserves natural resources and biodiversity
• Raised per the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List)
• Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program authorized certifying agent, meeting all USDA organic regulations
• Generally, managed organically from the last third of gestation (mammals) or second day of life (poultry)
• Allowed year-round access to the outdoors except under specific conditions (e.g., inclement weather)
• Raised on certified organic land meeting all organic crop production standards
• Raised per animal health and welfare standards
• Fed 100% certified organic feed, except for trace minerals and vitamins used  to meet the animal’s nutritional requirements
• Managed without antibiotics, added growth hormones, mammalian or avian byproducts,  or other prohibited feed ingredients (e.g., urea, manure, or arsenic compounds)

Storage & Handling

Raw meat and poultry products must be maintained at 40° F or below to retard the growth of pathogenic bacteria that may be present on their surfaces. Chilled temperatures for raw meats must be maintained throughout the entire production and delivery process. 

One of the extremely important places in handling perishable meat and poultry products safely is in receiving. Employees should verify the products are at a safe temperature upon arrival.  According to the Food and Drug Administration Food Code, the temperature of meats at receiving must be no higher than 41°F when received. Employees should also check the conditions of the packaging materials and the sight and smell of the products.

Raw meats should never be handled with bare hands in a retail setting and should always be kept at required chilled temperature until cooked or packaged for sale.  Utensils such as knives and cutting boards used for meats should never be used for other foods (e.g., produce or other prepared foods) unless they are thoroughly cleaned according to required policies. This is to avoid the transmission of harmful bacteria that can be present in the meat or introduced during packaging.

Leaving meats out too long at room temperature can cause bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Campylobacter) to grow to dangerous levels that can cause illness.  Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140°F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. The 40°F to 140°F range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone."   Never leave food out of refrigeration over two (2) hours. If the temperature is above 90° F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.

Words to Remember