Consumers Meat And Animal Products

This book addresses the production practices employed in the production of food animals and animal products that enable marketers to sell a variety of products to meet consumer demand. Food animal production practices have come under increased scrutiny by consumers who object to inputs and practices. The industry has been a proponent of using technologies to reduce production costs, resulting in lower-priced meat and animal food products, and now consumers are starting to look at other objectives. This book considers the key issues of concern to consumers, including the treatment of animals, the use of antibiotics, feed additives and hormones, and how these are monitored, regulated, and communicated to consumers. It also reviews labeling and information provided to consumers, including organic, genetic engineering, welfare standards, and place of origin. While the main focus is on the United States, there are descriptions of European practices and legislation. Overall, it aims to provide an objective and balanced appraisal, which will be of interest to advanced students and researchers in agricultural, food and environmental economics, law and policy, and animal production and welfare. It will also be very useful for early career professionals in the food and agricultural sectors.

This lively book examines recent trends in animal product consumption and diet; reviews industry efforts, policies, and programs aimed at improving the nutritional attributes of animal products; and offers suggestions for further research. In addition, the volume reviews dietary and health recommendations from major health organizations and notes specific target levels for nutrients.

This book comprehensively describes the biological underpinnings of red meat production, discussing the current state of the science in the context of the provision of red meat products perceived by consumers to offer a quality eating experience. Covering advances in the science of red meat production, it focuses on production system elements that affect product quality. The chapters explore the latest developments in the determination of consumer preferences, and interpret of these preferences in terms of quality characteristics of red meat, investigating the science-based orchestration of red meat production to achieve product consistency. The book highlights topics such as consumer preferences, the biological and production system elements affecting red meat safety, and the intrinsic (appearance, aroma, and sensory quality) and extrinsic (humane animal and environmentally friendly production) characteristics of red meat. For each characteristic, it discusses the underlying biological and biochemical processes and examines means of altering production systems to impact consumer eating experiences. The book also features a perspective on creating holistic integrated systems for producing red meats to meet consumers’ expectations around the globe. Written by leading authorities in the area of global red meat production systems, it is a comprehensive resource for consumer-oriented red meat producers.

A scorching manifesto on the ethics of eating meat by the best placed person to write about it - farmer and chef Matthew Evans, aka The Gourmet Farmer. 'Compelling, illuminating and often confronting, On Eating Meat is a brilliant blend of a gastronome's passion with forensic research into the sources of the meat we eat. Matthew Evans brings his unflinching honesty - and a farmer's hands-on experience - to the question of how to be an ethical carnivore.' Hugh Mackay 'Intellectually thrilling - a book that challenges both vegans and carnivores in the battle for a new ethics of eating. This book will leave you surprised, engrossed and sometimes shocked - whatever your food choices.' Richard Glover How can 160,000 deaths in one day constitute a 'medium-sized operation'? Think beef is killing the world? What about asparagus farms? Or golf? Eat dairy? You'd better eat veal, too. Going vegan might be all the rage, but the fact is the world has an ever-growing, insatiable appetite for meat - especially cheap meat. Former food critic and chef, now farmer and restaurateur Matthew Evans grapples with the thorny issues around the ways we produce and consume animals. From feedlots and abattoirs, to organic farms and animal welfare agencies, he has an intimate, expert understanding of the farming practices that take place in our name. Evans calls for less radicalisation, greater understanding, and for ethical omnivores to stand up for the welfare of animals and farmers alike. Sure to spark intense debate, On Eating Meat is an urgent read for all vegans, vegetarians and carnivores.

Animal products are vital components of the diets and livelihoods of people across sub-Saharan Africa. They are frequently traded in local, unregulated markets and this can pose significant health risks. This volume presents an accessible overview of these issues in the context of food safety, zoonoses and public health, while at the same time maintaining fair and equitable livelihoods for poorer people across the continent. The book includes a review of the key issues and 25 case studies of the meat, milk, egg and fish food sectors drawn from a wide range of countries in East, West and Southern Africa, as part of the "Safe Food, Fair Food" project. It describes a realistic analysis of food safety risk by developing a methodology of ‘participatory food safety risk assessment’, involving small-scale producers and consumers in the process of data collection in a data-poor environment often found in developing countries. This approach aims to ensure market access for poor producers, while adopting a realistic and pragmatic strategy for reducing the risk of food-borne diseases for consumers.

Quality foods, such as traditional, EU certified, organic and health claimed are part of a growing trend towards added value in the agri-food sector. In these foods, elements of production, processing, marketing, agro-tourism and speciality stores are combined. Paramount above all is the link to the consumer, which requires a personal approach. At this point, one enters the field of food consumer science. This can be seen as a hybrid of two distinct sciences. On one hand, there is the 'hardware' component, i.e. the science of food. On the other hand, the 'software' component, related to the science of consumers' preferences and behaviour. In animal science, nearly all attention is given to the 'hardware' aspect. However, to build a successful business in quality food products, the 'software' aspect is essential. This publication devotes special attention to the consumer and gives insight into an area of knowledge still very much in development. It is intended to enhance understanding of the complex relationships in the route from products to consumers and offers practical solutions in this field. This publication includes review articles covering basic aspects of food consumer science and research trends in the field, and a series of country reports and articles on relevant studies related to the topic, with emphasis on Southern Europe.