US RESEARCHERS LAUNCH BURGER NUTRITION ASSESSOR

By Monica Dobie

- Published: 25 October, 2006

Meat processors and retailers of ground beef can now find out the fat and protein ratio in the meat they handle by logging onto a new 'Ground Beef Calculator' developed by the US Agricultural Research Service's Nutrient Data Laboratory.

The calculator programme is free of charge and generates a custom nutrient profile for a variety of ground beef products containing any fat level between 5% and 30%. Estimates for most vitamins and minerals and major fatty acid classes are also calculated automatically, based on chemical analyses and mathematical equations.

Users simply type in the percentage of fat or lean of any one of five product types: raw ground beef, broiled patty, pan-broiled patty, pan-browned crumbles or baked loaf. The nutrient profiles generated can then be printed directly from the web page. Processors would find generated nutrient information particularly useful to meet labelling requirements, said an ARS note.

To access the Ground Beef Calculator, visit http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata/GroundBeefCalculator