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Nutritional and bioactive compounds present in seaweeds make them suitable supplements or feed ingredients in livestock diets. This study assessed the effect of blanched seaweed ( Saccharina latissima ) as a supplement in finishing bulls’ diets on carcass traits and the quality of the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles. A concentration of 0.8% dry matter of blanched S. latissima in bulls’ diets was the maximum amount allowed, owing to iodine and arsenic thresholds in animal feed. Nineteen Limousin crossbreed bulls were randomly assigned to two groups, fed a control (CD, n  = 9) diet or a test diet supplemented with blanched seaweed (SW, n  = 10), and fed for 48 days pre slaughter. The carcasses from the bulls finished on a seaweed-supplemented diet were heavier ( p  < 0.05) than those in the control group, while levels of conformation and fatness were similar between the groups ( p  > 0.05). The pH was lower ( p  < 0.05) in the LL of CD-fed animals in early post mortem than in the LL of SW-fed animals, whereas no differences ( p  > 0.05) were found in the ultimate pH. The meat from the bulls fed both diets had a similar ( p  > 0.05) drip loss and shear force at days 7 and 14. The cooking loss at day 7 was not affected ( p  > 0.05) by diet, whereas on day 14 the cooking loss was greater ( p  < 0.05) for SW than for CD meat. Warmed-over flavor and shear force were muscle dependent and lower ( p  < 0.05) for LL than SM. Seaweed supplementation in finishing bulls’ diets had no clear effect on color changes ( L *, a *, and b * values) during chilled storage, although reduced b * values ( p  < 0.05) suggest an improved color stability of meat from SW- compared with CD-fed animals. The iodine content was higher ( p  < 0.05) in the SW meat than in the CD meat, even when using the low seaweed supplementation level requested by the authorities. A small increase of arsenic in the meat with seaweed supplementation has no implications on human health. Cost-efficient processing methods for the further reduction of iodine and arsenic are needed to increase the utilization of seaweed as a feed additive/ingredient and attain a clear effect on meat quality.

Innovative feeding strategies tend to improve the quality properties of raw material and dry-cured products. In the present study, Norwegian White female lambs (n = 24) were finished during 35 days on three different diets: control (CD), control supplemented with seaweed (5% DM) (SD), and pasture (PD). The quality of raw meat (Semimembranosus + Adductor) and deboned dry-cured lamb leg (fenalår; n = 24) was studied. The heme, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA content in raw meat was not affected with finishing diet. The SD significantly increased the selenium, iodine, and arsenic content in raw meat and in the dry-cured leg the iodine and arsenic. The dry-cured leg from SD-lamb had the highest amount of iodine with 130 µg I/100 g which corresponds to 60% of Adequate Intake. Aldehydes, ketones, and esters in raw meat and dry-cured lamb leg were significantly affected by finishing diet; CD showed increased esters in raw meat and aldehydes in the dry-cured leg compared to SD and PD. The significantly higher content of simple sugars, mannose being the most dominant, was found in the dry-cured leg from SD-lamb compared to CD and PD. Finishing diets had no effect on the taste profile of dry-cured lamb leg. This study showed the potential of seaweed in iodine biofortification of lamb meat and dry-cured products. Iodine-rich meat products should reduce iodine-deficiency among humans.

Bovine meat provides healthy nutrients but has also been negatively linked to greenhouse gases and non-communicable diseases. A double-blind intervention study was carried out to compare beef meat from bulls fed with feed supplemented with selenium, vitamin D, E, K (SeDEK-feed), and n-3, or REGULAR feed. Thirty-four young healthy women (19–29 years old) consumed 300 g of these beef types per day for 6 days in a cross-over design. Diet registrations, blood samples, anthropometric measurements, and clinical data were collected four times. Both beef diets were higher than their habitual diet in protein, fat, saturated fat, and several micronutrients; contained more vegetables and fewer carbohydrates and were followed by a higher feeling of satiety. The SeDEK beef had higher amounts of selenium, vitamin 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), E, and K (MK4), and increased serum selenium and 25(OH)D3 from the participants’ normal values if they were below 85 µg/L of selenium and 30 nmol of 25(OH)D3/L, respectively. Our study showed that optimized beef increased serum selenium in young women having moderate selenium levels and improved blood 25(OH)D3 in a woman having low to normal 25(OH)D3. Meat should be optimized to increase specific consumer groups’ needs for selenium and vitamin D.

“Alemayehu Kidane” was not included as an author in the original publication [...]

Supplementing ruminants’ diet with seaweed has shown positive effect on meat quality and micronutrients important for human health. The objective of the present study was to investigate the use of Saccharina latissima in a lamb diet to improve the eating quality and nutritional value of meat. Six-month-old female Norwegian White lambs (n = 24) were fed, 35 days pre-slaughter, three different diets: a control (CON) and two seaweed diets (SW); supplemented with either 2.5% (SW1) or 5% (SW2). The quality properties of longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semimembranosus with adductor (SM+ADD) muscles were examined. The dietary inclusion of seaweed reduced cooking loss and shear force of lamb meat, although the effect was not significant at both supplementation levels. SW1 fed lambs showed a significantly (p < 0.05) improved meat color stability and antioxidant potential. Seaweed also reduced lipid oxidation (TBARS) and the warm-over flavor in SM+ADD compared to the CON lamb. Seaweed fed lambs showed an increased content of selenium and iodine in LTL, thereby fulfilling the requirements for the label “source of nutrient” and “significant source of nutrient”, respectively. An increased arsenic content in LTL was, however, also observed with seaweed inclusion (to 1.54 and 3.09 μg/100 g in SW1 and SW2 group, respectively). While relevant positive effects were found in meat using seaweed in lamb feed, some optimization of this feed approach will be desirable.

The last century has witnessed many innovations in agriculture and food technologies that have ensured the production of sufficient quantities of good hygienic food. Animal scientists have contributed substantially to efficient breeding and feeding practices by adapting animals for faster growth and improving feed efficiency and utilization. Breeding goals and feeding recommendations have been proposed with a primary focus on profitability to promote significant changes in the macronutrient content, i.e., animal body protein and fat reduction. However, improving the nutritional quality of meat was not included in the profit assessment. Increasing the lean meat fraction is consistent with the goal of public dietary guidelines for human nutrition proposed in 1980, emphasizing the importance of reducing the consumption of animal fat, particularly saturated fat. The application of breeding and feeding tools to modify and improve the fatty acid composition has been partly implemented in pigs and broiler chickens to supplement the dietary recommendations for humans. The health benefits of lean “red meat” have been questioned in recent years, with dietary guidelines and upper limits being introduced for human intake. Animal breeding indirectly reduces the total and heme iron (the redness generator) content in meat, due to covariation with priority breeding goals. Two micronutrients play important roles in the human diet and are derived largely from meat (selenium) and milk (iodine) if the amount provided and absorbed is sufficient and predictable. The iodine content can be highly dependent on the use of novel (more sustainable) feeds. The micronutrients discussed in this study (Fe, Se, I, and vitamin D) highlight opportunities for the utilization of breeding and feeding knowledge to adjust their levels to procure meat with a high nutrient density. The gaps in micronutrient levels in humans must be addressed by navigating within approved animal feeding levels. Animal scientists must recognize the nutritional impact of breeding and feeding and advertise them. In addition, human nutritionists must acknowledge the existing and potential changes in animal production to meet the dietary guidelines. Sustainable food production within the “One Health” concept can only be achieved through cooperation.

Innovative feeding strategies tend to improve the quality properties of raw material and dry-cured products. In the present study, Norwegian White female lambs (n = 24) were finished during 35 days on three different diets: control (CD), control supplemented with seaweed (5% DM) (SD), and pasture (PD). The quality of raw meat (Semimembranosus + Adductor) and deboned dry-cured lamb leg (fenalår; n = 24) was studied. The heme, SFA, MUFA, and PUFA content in raw meat was not affected with finishing diet. The SD significantly increased the selenium, iodine, and arsenic content in raw meat and in the dry-cured leg the iodine and arsenic. The dry-cured leg from SD-lamb had the highest amount of iodine with 130 µg I/100 g which corresponds to 60% of Adequate Intake. Aldehydes, ketones, and esters in raw meat and dry-cured lamb leg were significantly affected by finishing diet; CD showed increased esters in raw meat and aldehydes in the dry-cured leg compared to SD and PD. The significantly higher content of simple sugars, mannose being the most dominant, was found in the dry-cured leg from SD-lamb compared to CD and PD. Finishing diets had no effect on the taste profile of dry-cured lamb leg. This study showed the potential of seaweed in iodine biofortification of lamb meat and dry-cured products. Iodine-rich meat products should reduce iodine-deficiency among humans.