• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.158-165
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• 2015

Marbling is an important trait regarding the quality of beef. Analysis of beef cattle transcriptome and its expression profile data are essential to extend the genetic information resources and would support further studies on beef cattle. RNA sequencing was performed in beef cattle using the Illumina High-Seq2000 platform. Approximately 251.58 million clean reads were generated from a high marbling (H) group and low marbling (L) group. Approximately 80.12% of the 19,994 bovine genes (protein coding) were detected in all samples, and 749 genes exhibited differential expression between the H and L groups based on fold change (>1.5-fold, p<0.05). Multiple gene ontology terms and biological pathways were found significantly enriched among the differentially expressed genes. The transcriptome data will facilitate future functional studies on marbling formation in beef cattle and may be applied to improve breeding programs for cattle and closely related mammals.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.2_spc
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• pp.350-363
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• 2023

Beef quality is characterized by marbling (marbling degree and marbling fineness), physiochemical (shear force, meat color, fat color, texture, and maturity), and sensory (tenderness, flavor, juiciness, taste, odor, and appearance) traits. This paper summarizes and addresses beef-quality characteristics and the beef-grading systems in Korea, Japan, the USA, and Australia. This paper summarizes recent research progresses on the genetic and nutritional factors that affect beef quality. Intramuscular (i.m.) adipose tissue deposition or marbling is a major determinant of beef quality. This paper addresses the mechanisms of i.m. adipose tissue deposition focused on adipogenesis and lipogenesis. We also address selected signaling pathways associated with i.m. adipose tissue deposition. Nutrients contribute to the cellular response and phenotypes through gene expression and metabolism. This paper addresses control of gene expression through several nutrients (carbohydrates, fat/fatty acids, vitamins, etc.) for i.m. adipose tissue deposition. Several transcription factors responsible for gene expression via nutrients are addressed. We introduce the concept of genome-based precision feeding in Korean cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.966-969
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• 2001

Some researchers reported that beef marbling was improved by the supplementation of organic zinc to a diet satisfying zinc requirement. We studied the relationship between serum zinc concentration and marbling score or serum adipogenic activity in 40 fattened steers. To determine serum adipogenic activities of the steers, preadipocytes were cultured in medium containing the serum samples during differentiation. Although serum zinc concentration was not related to beef marbling score, it was positively correlated to adipogenic activity. Then, we studied the effect of zinc on adipocyte differentiation. Zinc was added into the medium with the similar methods except the addition of fattened calf serum. The activity of glycerophosphate dehydrogenase, a marker of adipocyte differentiation, was significantly increased by the addition of zinc in culture with or without insulin. These results suggest that zinc possibly improved beef marbling through increasing adipogenic activity during fattening.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.151-161
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• 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlations of marbling characteristics, including marbling score, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and fleck traits, with meat quality traits and histochemical characteristics of the longissimus thoracis muscle from Hanwoo steers. Marbling fleck characteristics, especially area, number, and fineness (F) index, measured by computerized image analysis were strongly correlated with marbling score and IMF content (p<0.05). However, coarseness (C) index and F/C ratio were somewhat limited relationships with marbling score. In contrast, the IMF content and the number of smaller white flecks increased with increasing lightness value (p<0.05). Moreover, beef with higher marbling scores showed lower cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force value compared to beef with lower marbling scores (p<0.05). Regarding the muscle bundle traits, as number of bundle increased, number of marbling flecks increased (p<0.05), although most marbling characteristics did not have significant correlation with muscle fiber or bundle characteristics.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.577-582
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• 2016

Despite several issues in relation to human health, beef is still a most popular meat product among large section of society due to the presence of high quality protein and other nutrients. The current paper reviews numerous studies that provide nutritional profiles and health implications of high marbled beef consumption. In relation to lipid content of beef, intramuscular fat contains high level of PUFA and MUFA compared to other beef fat. Level and composition of intramuscular fat varies depending on breed and feeding regime. Literature suggests that the marbling is more complex than the development of subcutaneous fat and marbling not only provides good fatty acids but also contributes to the higher eating quality of beef. Finally, the current work emphasize that meat plays a pivotal role in nutritious diets, high quality marbled beef is not only of excellent eating quality but also contain more beneficial fatty acids.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1225-1233
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• 2009

Fat composition of beef, taken here to mean marbling, can be manipulated by time on feed, finishing diet, and breed type. These three factors also strongly influence the fatty acid composition of beef. Both the amount of marbling and the concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) increase with time on feed in grain-fed and pasture-fed cattle, but much more dramatically in grain-fed cattle. High-concentrate diets stimulate the activity of adipose tissue stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), which is responsible for the conversion of saturated fatty acids (SFA) to their $\Delta{9}$ desaturated counterparts. Also, grain feeding causes a depression in ruminal pH, which decreases those populations of ruminal microorganisms responsible for the isomerization and hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The net result of elevated SCD activity in marbling adipose tissue and depressed ruminal isomerization/hydrogenation of dietary PUFA is a large increase in MUFA in beef over time. Conversely, pasture depresses both the accumulation of marbling and SCD activity, so that even though pasture feeding increases the relative concentration of PUFA in beef, it also increases SFA at the expense of MUFA. Wagyu and Hanwoo cattle accumulate large amounts of marbling and MUFA, and Wagyu cattle appear to be less sensitive to the effects of pastures in depressing overall rates of adipogenesis and the synthesis of MUFA in adipose tissues. There are small differences in fatty acid composition of beef from Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle, but diet and time on feed are much more important determinants of beef fat content and fatty acid composition than breed type.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1799-1808
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• 2006

This study was designed to explore the effects of marbling on meat quality characteristics and intramuscular connective tissue of beef longissimus muscle. Chemical determinations, histological and mechanical measurements were performed on the raw and cooked meat at d 4 postmortem. The results showed that crude fat, collagen, fiber diameter and maximum transition temperature of intramuscular connective tissue increased (p<0.05) with the increase of marbling score. The cooking losses, collagen solubility, WBSF and perimysial thickness decreased (p<0.05) with the increasing marbling. WBSF correlated (p<0.05) with moisture, crude fat, collagen, cooking losses, sarcomere length and perimysial thickness. The development of marbling results in the decline in cooking losses, the avoidance of sarcomere shortening, and the disorganization of the perimysia, which accounts for the improvement of beef tenderness.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.592-596
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• 2012

The simple method of evaluating highly marbled beef was examined by image analysis. The images of the cross section at the 6 to 7th rib were obtained from 82 carcasses of Wagyu cattle. By using an overall trace method, the surrounding edges of the longissimus thoracis and three muscles were traced automatically and manually with image analysis. In a spot method, 3 to 5 locations (2.5 or 3.0 cm in diameter) for each muscle were rapidly selected with no manual trace. The images were flattened, binarized, and the ratio of fat area to muscle area was determined. The correlation coefficients for marbling between different muscles, and between the overall trace and the spot methods were 0.55 to 0.81 between different muscles and 0.89 to 0.97, respectively. These results suggested that the simple spot method is speedy and almost as useful as the overall trace method as a measuring technique for beef marbling in loin muscles, especially for highly marbled beef.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.435-444
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• 2016

This review addresses the role of fat in beef palatability and healthfulness. Particular emphasis is placed on the content of oleic acid in beef, and how this increases with time when cattle are fed a grain-based diet. Oleic acid decreases the melting point of lipids from beef, increasing the perception of juiciness and improving beef flavor. Clinical trials have demonstrated that ground beef containing elevated oleic acid increases, or at the least has no negative effects on the concentration of HDL cholesterol. The amount of fat in published ground beef intervention trials greatly exceeds the amount of fat in equivalent portions of beef from U.S. domestic or Korean Hanwoo cattle. Thus, we conclude 1) Beef cattle should be raised under production conditions that increase the concentration of oleic acid in their edible tissues (i.e., by grain feeding over extended periods of time); and 2) The amount of fat consumed in a typical portion of beef will not increase risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.8
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• pp.1274-1284
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• 2023

Objective: Understanding consumer perception of meat quality in developing countries is an important issue since consumer perception of quality could be highly variable. In the current study, consumers' purchasing preferences affected by marbling and perception of quality were evaluated in a survey study. Furthermore, consumers' preferences for degree of doneness were investigated using both survey and consumer panel studies. Methods: The study was carried out in two phases. Firstly, a survey was conducted in Adana Province, Turkey to collect data related to the attributes affecting consumers' meat purchase decision and consumers' degree of doneness preferences. In the second phase, boneless ribeye was used to investigate consumers' degree of doneness preferences in a consumer panel. In addition, proximate analyses of the samples were conducted. Results: The survey study using pictures of marbling illustrations indicated that higher degrees of marbling might be considered too fatty to be purchased by consumers. Consumers' perceptions regarding the relationship between marbling and beef quality further indicated that marbling might not be acknowledged as a cue of a higher quality meat. Nevertheless, the results of the importance of some attributes related to intrinsic and extrinsic quality cues showed that consumers were looking for the cues that indicated not only quality but also safety of the meat during meat purchase. The results of both survey and consumer panel studies revealed that consumers might prefer higher degrees of doneness while consuming meat since a majority of the consumers' preference of degree of doneness was at least well done. Conclusion: This study revealed that consumer purchasing preferences might vary between countries regarding marbling and perception of quality. Furthermore, higher degrees of doneness could be the preference of these consumers. Thus, further studies are needed to increase consumer satisfaction in these countries.