Importance of meat and meat products for human nutrition; positive and negative aspects of meat consumption

Question 1

1) World meat production and consumption

- PRODUCTION

Answer 1

World meat production

• approximately 250 million tonnes per year
• beef production: USA, Brazil, France and Germany highest in EU
• pork production: China, Germany and Spain highest in EU
• poultry production: USA, China, Brazil, EU (Poland, Turkey, UK highest)
• sheep and goat:
• sheep: Australia, New Zealand
• Goat: USA: Argentina, EU
• UK, Spain, France highest in EU

Question 2

1) World meat production and consumption

- CONSUMPTION

Answer 2

World meat consumption

• highest consumption = USA, Argentina, EU — 100 kg/year/person
• in Czech Republic: 80 kg/year/person
• pork: 40 kg/year/person
• poultry: 22 kg/year/person
• beef: 8 kg/year/person
• fish: 5 kg/year/person
• venison: 2-3 kg/year/person
• lowest meat consumption: India, Africa, parts of Asia — 1-10 kg/year/person

Question 3

Reasons for meat consumption

Answer 3

• religious: halal, kosher
• economic
• social and hygienic conditions for meat production, processing, storage of meat
• philosophy: eating habit, vegetarian
• cultural: methods of meal preparation, local habit, tradition of eating meat

Question 4

2) Health aspects of meat consumption

Answer 4

• recommended consumption:
• = 37-40 kg/year
• depends on age, weight, activity
• 455 g cooked red meat per week
• consumption of wide variety of meat: especially fish and seafood, poultry with low fat (chicken,
  turkey) , rabbits, venison, lean meat products

Question 5

2) Health aspects of meat consumption

Positive aspects

Answer 5

• source of animal protein:
• suitable ratios of aa: quantitative and qualitative balance - biological value of meat = 0,75 (e.g. milk = 1,0)
• digestibility = 75% (e.g. egg yolk = 100%)
• source of Fe with very high absorption, also Zn, Cu, K
• source of vitamins: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B12 (cobalamin), D (provitamin), vit A (liver) - source of essential fatty acids
• source of carnitine, taurine —> improves the mental, brain and physical, muscle activity

Question 6

Negative aspects

Answer 6

• high intake of fat
• high intake of animal protein: can lead to acidification of the body —> acidic urine, formation of
  crystals that can deposit into joints leading to arthritis
• high intake of cholesterol —> especially found in liver, kidney, and brain of the animal
• high intake of NaCl: high Na and low K —> high risk of obesity, CVS disease, carcinoma of large
  intestine
• risk of cancer:
• most commonly colorectal, but also associated with pancreatic, stomach and prostate cancer
• other factors: those who eat a lot of meat may miss out on eating other protective foods e.g.
  fruit, veggies, wholegrain cereals
• prevention: fibre, varied diet, polyunsaturated FAs, green tea, calcium, anti-oxidants, folic acid,
  red wine