A field survey was conducted by the USDA, Food Safety Inspection Service (F
SIS) to provide analytical data on meat obtained from beef cervical vertebr
ae processed by advanced meat recovery (AMR) systems. As a result, an added
iron performance standard was proposed to limit the amount of marrow in AM
R products. The performance standard was based on iron content of hand bone
d lean compared to AMR lean. Iron content was determined by a hydrochloric
wet ash digestion method. The same samples were then analyzed using dry ash
digestion. The objectives of the study were to determine differences in ir
on content of the survey samples due to the digestion method and the impact
of this difference on the added iron performance standard. Iron Values by
the dry ash method were approximately double those of the wet ash method. T
he difference was a result of incomplete volatilization of the organic matr
ix by hydrochloric acid in the wet ash procedure. The performance standards
developed from the wet and dry ash methods were 1.8 and 3.2 mg added iron
100(-1) g, respectively. Added iron levels from the dry ash method greater
than 3.2 mg 100(-1) g were present in 60% of the AMR lean indicating that s
ome marrow was present or that factors other than amount of iron in hand bo
ned lean should be considered before a performance standard is established.
Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.