Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We explored the effect of feeding strategies on animal-based food product fat quality attributes that can generate a premium in the marketplace, especially those strategies involving forages or grazing. Additionally, we implemented and improved food fat analysis tools that can help characterize or authenticate these products. Our work on development of rapid and objective analytical techniques for classification of milk by fat type formed the preliminary results section of a proposal to the FY2005 USDA NRI competitive grants program on Improving Food Quality. That proposal was recommended for funding, but not funded. In 2005 we assessed a collection of different types of commercially available milk with one of the proposed rapid techniques. That pilot study determined that the proposed rapid technique could distinguish most conventional TMR-based milk from organic and pasture-based milk, and that the classification was due only to signal from the fats of the specimens. The revised proposal was resubmitted to the FY2006 NRI CGP on Improving Food Quality. It was not funded. The GC-FID, GC-MS and HPLC fat analysis methods developed for milk were applied to other products to address closely related food quality issues that were of interest to producers of those products. We evaluated nutritional differences in marketplace beef finished using a wide range of production practices. We compared ground beef marketed in Pennsylvania during two collection periods in 2006. Our survey of producers identified four production classes: cattle finished on: i) pasture alone, ii) pasture and stored forages, iii) grain and stored forages, and iv) typical retail-store beef. Ground beef from cattle finished on pasture, and pasture and stored forages had greater concentrations of w-3 fatty acids and CLA than beef from cattle finished on grain and stored forages, and typical retail beef. We also examined how moving pastured hens to forage legumes or mixed grasses influenced hen egg w-3 fatty acids, and vitamin A and E concentrations. Our cross-over design tested hens for 6-weeks on three pasture types versus a control of hens fed a commercial diet in cages. Hens were rotated to all 3 pasture treatments, each for 2 weeks and supplemented with 70 g commercial hen mash/bird/day. Most of the 18 quantified egg fatty acids, and vitamin A concentrations did not differ among the 3 pasture treatment groups. Eggs of the hens that foraged grasses had 23% more vitamin E than eggs of hens that foraged clover. Compared to eggs of the caged hens, pastured hens' eggs had twice as much vitamin E, and long-chain w-3 fats, 2.6 fold more total w-3 fatty acids, and less than half the ratio of w-6:w-3 fatty acids. Vitamin A concentration was 38% higher in the pastured hens' eggs than in the caged hens' eggs, but total vitamin A per egg did not differ. At the end of the experiment, pastured hens weighed 14% less and averaged 15% lower hen-day egg production than caged birds. Pastured hens need to be supplemented adequately to meet their dietary energy and crude protein needs. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Archibald provided support for the analytical chemistry components of the studies. Dr. Karsten provided support for the producer practices survey, the pasture quality assessment and the production trial. Both faculty members mentored Ms. A. E. Lassen, who carried out the marketplace beef studies for her M.S. degree in Agronomy. The project also provided a training opportunity for Ms. A. R. Gerber, a Nutritional Science undergraduate student who assisted Ms. Lassen with lab work and also carried out some evaluations of the potential impact of different ground beef product classes on the fatty acid nutrition in a typical diet. One other undergraduate also received training and experiences in this research area. The Northern Tier Meats Cooperative donated some funds that were used to purchase consumables. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include: 1) producers and marketers of animal products, especially those interested in development of niche products like Organic, Grassfed and Pasture-Based (e.g., Northern Tier Sustainable Meats Cooperative, Beef Producers from the Farm Bureau, the Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture), 2) undergraduate and graduate students of sustainable agriculture and/or agricultural product quality, and 3) private citizens, organizations, policy makers and researchers interested in the determinants of food quality and the implications for human nutrition and sustainability (e.g., Pennsylvania Project Grass, Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council, the Northeast Pasture Consortium). PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The project improved analytical methods for fats at PSU and this has enhanced research efforts, graduate thesis projects and undergraduate education. We have improved the scientific understanding of production practices that can increase healthful fats in ground beef and poultry eggs. The studies of Pennsylvania marketplace ground beef show that consumers are very likely to obtain significantly different fatty nutrient profiles if they choose forage-based beef over the standard beef offered in the Pennsylvania. Cooperating pasture-based PA beef producers reported that they used the research results and their individual product nutritional analysis results to market their beef. Results were presented to the PA Project Grass 2008 Grazing Lands conference, West Virginia Beef Producers from the Farm Bureau (2008), the Northeast Pasture Consortium 2008, and the PA Association of Sustainable Agriculture Conference High School Track (2009). The pastured poultry feeding study also demonstrated how feeding system affects the fatty nutrient profile of the product (eggs). These results have been cited in some popular press magazines (Cooking Light and Mother Earth News) and the technical manuscript is accepted for publication in the Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems Journal (Dec. 2009).
Publications
- Karsten, H. D. and D. J. Baer. 2009. Grass and Human Nutrition. In Grassland: Quietness and Strength for a New American Agriculture. Ed. Walter F. Wedin and Steven L. Fales. ASA-CSSA-SSSA. Madison, WI. pp. 189-204.
- Lassen, A., H. D. Karsten, and D. D. Archibald. 2007. Comparison of fat-soluble vitamin levels in ground beef from cattle finished on pasture or stored feeds. Annual Meeting, American Society of Agronomy Northeastern Branch. University Park, PA. June 24-26, 2007. p. 7.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Studies were published in one M.S. thesis and one undergraduate honors thesis. Students received training on beef production systems, pasture quality, marketing trends, human nutrition, and analysis of fat-soluble vitamins, carotenoids and fatty acids in animal-based products, including milk. Seminars on the findings about marketplace ground beef quality were presented to the Pennsylvania Project Grass 2008 Grazing Lands conference (HDK), the West Virginia Beef Producers from the Farm Bureau (HDK), and the Northeast Pasture Consortium 2008 (AEL). The team also sent a portion of those analytical results back to producers who participated in the wider study, which included surveys of their production practices as well as analysis of the fat quality of their food products. One manuscript is ready to be submitted to a technical journal and a second is in preparation. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Archibald provided support for the analytical chemistry components of the studies. Dr. H. D. Karsten, also in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, provided support for the producer practices survey and the pasture quality assessment. Both faculty members mentored Ms. A. E. Lassen, who carried out the studies for her M.S. degree in Agronomy. The project also provided a training opportunity for Ms. A. R. Gerber, a Nutritional Science undergraduate student who assisted Ms. Lassen with lab work and also carried out some evaluations of the potential impact of different ground beef product classes on the fatty acid nutrition in a typical diet. One other undergraduate also received training and experiences in this research area. The Northern Tier Meats Cooperative donated some funds that were used to purchase consumables. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include: 1) producers and marketers of animal products, especially those interested in development of niche products like Organic, Grassfed and Pasture-Based, 2) undergraduate and graduate students of sustainable agriculture and/or agricultural product quality, 3) private citizens, policy makers and researchers interested in the determinants of food quality and the implications for human nutrition, and 4) researchers and producers interested in animal nutrition. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: In 2008 the fat analysis methods developed for milk were applied to ground beef products to address a closely related food quality issue that also was the priority for a group of producers that support this initiative.
Impacts
Of the three objectives in USDA multi-state project W1181, research and training efforts of the Pennsylvania component are most closely aligned with objective 3, "Develop quantitative models for evaluation of preharvest strategies for production of milk with greater nutritional value." The PA team explores the effect of feeding strategies on animal-based food product fat quality attributes that can generate a premium in the marketplace, especially those strategies involving forages or grazing. Additionally, the project implements and improves food fat analysis tools that can help characterize or authenticate these products. Toward these goals, Dr. Archibald utilized a liquid-chromatographic diode-array-detection method for fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids, and a gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry method for fat and fatty acid content. A marketplace ground beef survey identified four production classes in Pennsylvania. Ground beef from the two forage-based production classes, 1) cattle finished on pasture, and 2) cattle finished on pasture and stored forages, had less fat and greater concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid than beef from the two grain-based production classes which included 3) cattle finished on grain and stored forages, and 4) typical retail beef. The studies of Pennsylvania marketplace ground beef show that consumers are very likely to obtain significantly different fatty nutrient profiles if they choose forage-based beef over the standard beef offered in the Pennsylvania. Although it is not the primary focus of the project, Dr. Archibald made some progress in development of high-throughput analytical technology for analysis of fats.
Publications
- Lassen, A. E. 2008. Fatty Acids in beef marketed in Pennsylvania from cattle finished on pasture or stored feeds. M.S. Thesis. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 69 pp.
- Lassen, A. E., H. D. Karsten, and D. D. Archibald. 2008. Fatty Acids in Pennsylvania-Marketplace Beef from Cattle Fed a Pasture-Based Diet or Stored Feeds. Meat Science. (Submitted).
- Gerber, A. R. 2008. Fatty Acid Composition of Pastured vs. Conventional Beef Available to Pennsylvania Consumers. Undergraduate Honors Thesis. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 50 pp.
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Progress 01/01/07 to 12/31/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Ms. A. E. Lassen, an M.S. student in the Penn State University Agronomy program, who is co-advised by Dr. Archibald and Dr. H. D. Karsten, received training on analysis of fat-soluble vitamins, carotenoids and fatty acids in animal-based products, including milk. They presented results of evaluation of the effect of crop-animal production system on market food fat quality at a technical meeting within the University and also at regional and international level meetings. They also sent a portion of the analytical results back to producers who participated in the wider study, which included surveys of their production practices as well as analysis of their food products. Ms. Lassen will publish her thesis in 2008. Three undergraduates also received training and experiences in this research area.
PARTICIPANTS: Archibald, D. D., Research Associate, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Penn State University.
TARGET AUDIENCES: Producers and marketers of animal products, especially those interested in development of niche products like 'Organic', 'Grassfed' and 'Pasture-Based', Undergraduate and graduate students of sustainable agriculture and/or agricultural product quality. Private citizens, policy makers and researchers interested in the determinants of food quality and the implications for human nutrition. Researchers and producers interested in animal nutrition.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: In 2007 the fat analysis methods developed for milk were applied to ground beef products to address a closely related food quality issue that also was the priority for a group of producers that support this initiative.
Impacts
Of the three objectives in USDA multi-state project W1181, research and training efforts of the Pennsylvania component are most closely aligned with objective 3, "Develop quantitative models for evaluation of preharvest strategies for production of milk with greater nutritional value." The team explores the effect of feeding strategies on animal-based food product fat quality attributes that can generate a premium in the marketplace, especially those strategies involving forages or grazing. Additionally, the project implements and improves food fat analysis tools that can help characterize or authenticate these products. Toward this goal, Dr. Archibald implemented a liquid-chromatographic diode-array-detection method for fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids, and a gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry method for fat and fatty acid content. The mass-spectrometry method enabled them to generate more complete and reliable reports of the fatty acids in the animal-based
products. The majority of the milk samples in the study will come from organic, pasture-based and total-mixed-ration-based dairies that take part in a longitudinal study led by L. Tikofsky, DVM of Cornell University. The ground beef portion of the study is nearly complete and the results clearly show that consumers are very likely to obtain significantly different fatty nutrient profiles if they choose pasture-fed beef over the standard beef offered in the PA marketplace. In related work, Dr. Archibald made progress in development of high-throughput analytical technology for analysis of fats.
Publications
- Lassen, A.E., H. D. Karsten, and D. D. Archibald. 2007. Determination of fat-soluble vitamin concentrations in ground beef from cattle fed on pasture and stored feeds. American Forage and Grassland Council/Northeast Branch Crop-Soil-Agronomy Societies Annual Meeting: Penn State Conference Center, State College, Pennsylvania: June 24-26, 2007. Abstract p.65.
- Lassen, A.E., H. D. Karsten, and D. D. Archibald. 2007. Comparison of fatty acids in ground beef from cattle fed on pasture or stored feed. CSA-ASA-SSSA International Annual Meeting: New Orleans, Louisiana: Nov.4-8, 2007. Abstract 270-8. CD ROM.
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Our work on development of rapid and objective analytical techniques for classification of milk by fat type formed the preliminary results section of a proposal to the FY2005 USDA NRI competitive grants program on Improving Food Quality. The revised proposal was resubmitted to the FY2006 NRI CGP on Improving Food Quality. It was not funded. This year Amy Lassen, an M.S. student in our Agronomy program has completed about half of a thesis on evaluation of the effect of crop-animal production system on the levels of fat-soluble vitamins and carotenoids in Massimo Bionaz, a visiting scientist in Dr. Gabriella Vargas laboratory in the PSU Department of Dairy & Animal Science utilized GC-FID analysis of plasma, rumen and milk fatty acids in his study of the effects of feeding rumen protected fatty acid supplement Megalac-R in mid-lactation dairy cows. The studies were documented in an internal report that is planned for publication. I am pursuing the milk fat analytical
studies and provide analytical support for the applications in the studies led by Ms. Lassen and Dr. Bionaz. Work on all the project aims received a boost by two improvements in our facilities. The PSU College of Agricultural Sciences provided a diode array detector for the HPLC we are using in the Department of Plant Pathology and the college also funded purchase of a GC-MS instrument for Department of Crop & Soil Sciences. I have partly completed transfer of our milk fatty acid profiling method from a GC-FID in the PSU Department of Dairy & Animal Science to the new instrument. The PSU Department of Crop & Soil Sciences intends to work with Dr. Varga and others to provide a centralized resource for consistency in milk fatty acid analysis at Penn State University.
Impacts
The gas- and liquid-chromatographic techniques that I have established for milk fatty acid and fat-soluble vitamin analysis have enhanced several graduate and post-doctoral research efforts at Penn State University.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
Since the W1181 Multi-State project objectives were revised in 2005, my research in this topic is most closely aligned to objective 3, 'Develop quantitative models for evaluation of preharvest strategies for production of milk with greater nutritional value.' My research objective is to catalyze creation of nutritionally enhanced dairy products by providing producers, processors, and researchers with rapid and objective analytical techniques for classification of milk by fat type. My efforts in this area began when I provided analytical assistance to a departmental colleague and her master's degree student. Gas chromatographic analytical methods were implemented for assessing fatty acid profiles of both plant tissue and milk fat. Ellen Engelhart's M. S. thesis research characterized how the fatty acid composition of forage plant species differs and is affected by season and maturity under central Pennsylvania conditions. Further, her studies went on to utilize a
30-day cow grazing study to demonstrate that a mixed grass pasture yielded more CLA and TVA in the milk than two legume/grass pastures. The study argued that pasture vegetative maturity was the dominant factor that resulted in the observed difference in milk fat composition. The thesis details are as follows: Ellen Mae Engelhart, 'Linoleic and linolenic acids in forage and their effect on grazing dairy cow performance, and milk fatty acid composition,' M. S. Thesis in Agronomy, The Pennsylvania State University (2003). Two manuscripts were prepared, but have not yet been published. Our work on development of rapid and objective analytical techniques for classification of milk by fat type formed the preliminary results section of a proposal to the FY2005 USDA NRI competitive grants program on Improving Food Quality. The technical approach is mainly to use non-chromatographic measurements to estimate milk characteristics that are measured by chromatographic techniques. That proposal was
recommended for funding, but not funded. In 2005 we assessed a collection of different types of commercially available milk with one of the proposed rapid techniques. That pilot study determined that the proposed rapid technique could distinguish most conventional TMR-based milk from 'organic' and 'pasture-based' milk, and that the classification was due only to signal from the fats of the specimens. The proposal has recently been resubmitted to the FY2006 NRI CGP on Improving Food Quality.
Impacts
The gas-chromatographic techniques that were established have enhanced several graduate and post-doctoral research efforts at Penn State University.
Publications
- Engelhart, E. M. 2003. Linoleic and linolenic acids in forage and their effect on grazing dairy cow performance, and milk fatty acid composition. M. S. Thesis. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 114 pp.
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