Latest news with #redmeat
Times of Oman
4 days ago
- Business
- Times of Oman
Over 393,000 livestock imported to Oman
Muscat: The number of livestock imported from the beginning of April until June this year exceeded 393,000 heads, including 25,047 cattle and 368,452 sheep and goats. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Water Resources affirmed that it is working to meet the local market's demand for live animals and red meat in coordination with livestock import companies, providing all necessary facilities by streamlining import procedures. The ministry noted that the number of approved permits reached 155 from the beginning of April until June this year. The ministry stated that the veterinary team at the quarantine facility is working continuously and diligently to inspect and apply the necessary health measures on all imported live animal shipments to prevent the entry of infectious, epidemic, or zoonotic diseases into the Sultanate of Oman.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Is Red Meat Bad for Your Heart? It May Depend on Who Funded the Study.
In a review published last week in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists came to a concerning conclusion. Red meat appeared healthier in studies that were funded by the red meat industry. Of course, this is not surprising to anyone familiar with nutrition research, which often has conflicts of interest because of a lack of federal funding. But it is yet another example of how industry-linked studies might shape the way people understand, and potentially misunderstand, the health consequences of what they eat. Past research funded by the sugar industry, for instance, has downplayed the relationship between sugar and health conditions like obesity and heart disease. And studies funded by the alcohol industry have suggested that moderate drinking could be part of a healthy diet. Miguel López Moreno, a researcher at Francisco de Vitoria University in Spain who led the new analysis, said in an email that he wanted to know if similar issues were happening with the research on unprocessed red meat. Processed meats like bacon and sausage have consistently been linked with heart disease risk, he said, but the evidence for unprocessed red meats like steaks and pork chops has been 'far more mixed.' The question is timely, as influential people like the U.S. health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and podcasters like Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman have spoken favorably about meat-heavy diets and downplayed the health risks of saturated fats — to public health experts' concern. We've long known that eating saturated fats, which are abundant in red meat, has been associated with cardiovascular disease. So what does this new finding tell us about how financial interests can shape how people understand what's good for them? Here's what experts say. What the New Review Found Dr. Moreno and his team from research institutions in Spain analyzed 44 clinical trials published between 1980 and 2023. The studies looked into how eating unprocessed red meat might influence participants' risk for developing cardiovascular disease, including by measuring their cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride levels. The 44 studies, half of which were conducted in the United States, included adults who ate either unprocessed red meat or a comparison diet for several weeks or months. Some of the studies included healthy adults, while others focused on those with risk factors for cardiovascular disease, like high cholesterol or obesity. Of the 44 studies the scientists analyzed, 29 received funding from red-meat-related industry groups like the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the National Pork Board. The remaining 15 trials were funded by government grants, academic institutions or nonprofit foundations with no industry links. Dr. Moreno and his colleagues found that the trials with funding from the read meat industry were nearly four times as likely to report favorable or neutral cardiovascular results after eating unprocessed red meat when compared with the studies with no such links. All of the independently funded studies reported either worsened or neutral cardiovascular outcomes, and those with industry funding reported either favorable or neutral outcomes. The authors of the new review reported no conflicts of interest or food industry links for themselves. A Confusing Picture for Consumers When the average person sees a bunch of trials studying one thing but getting different results, it can be challenging to know what to believe, said Deirdre Tobias, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. This can 'undermine nutrition science,' she said. These differing results may have stemmed from how the studies were set up in the first place, Dr. Tobias wrote in an editorial for the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that accompanied the new study. Individual nutrition studies can be good at showing how the health effects of certain foods compare with those of other specific foods. But to demonstrate whether a particular food, or food group like red meat, is good or bad for health in general, scientists must look at the results from many different studies that compare it to all possible food groups and diets. The new review showed that, on the whole, the industry-funded red meat studies neglected to compare red meat to the full range of foods people might eat — including food we know to be good for the heart like whole grains or plant-based protein sources such as tofu, nuts or legumes. Instead, many of the studies compared unprocessed red meat to other types of animal protein like chicken or fish, or to carbohydrates like bagels, pasta or rice. The independently funded studies, on the other hand, compared red meat to 'the full spectrum' of different diets — including other types of meat, whole grains and heart-healthy plant foods like soy products, nuts and beans — Dr. Tobias said. This more comprehensive look offers a fuller picture of red meat's risks or benefits, she said. Of course, we can't prove that the scientists who designed the industry-funded studies omitted certain comparisons to purposefully make red meat look good, said Dr. Walter C. Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But the trend is pretty damning, he said. A spokeswoman for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said in an email that 'beef farmers and ranchers support gold standard scientific research,' and that both animal and plant sources of protein can be part of a heart-healthy diet. It's true that there can be room for both sources of protein in a healthy diet, nutrition experts say. And while we could use more — and larger, longer — studies comparing high-quality plant protein sources to unprocessed red meat, Dr. Willett said, the evidence so far suggests that plant proteins are better for heart health than animal proteins high in saturated fats. What This Means for Future Nutrition Research When any food industry group — including one unrelated to the meat industry, like a soy or nut group — pays for research, the goal is often to promote and sell more of their product, said Dr. John Ioannidis, a professor of medicine, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University. That's one reason nutrition experts worry about the Trump administration's proposed $18 billion in cuts to the National Institutes of Health, which could result in more industry-sponsored research. This does not 'bode well' for the future credibility of nutrition science, said Marion Nestle, an emerita professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University. When food industry groups pay for nutrition research, she said, it's good for marketing their product, but not for science. During a webinar last week, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the new director of the N.I.H., told members of the American Society for Nutrition that the agency was going to 'focus' on nutrition under his leadership, though he did not get into any specifics on funding. The experts we spoke with were not so optimistic. Nutrition research has already been under-resourced in the United States; less than 5 percent of the N.I.H.'s budget was allocated to nutrition research in 2023, for instance. That's a 'minuscule' amount, Dr. Tobias said. The red meat study is 'an excellent example' of why the N.I.H. should be investing in nutrition research in the United States, Dr. Tobias added. 'Otherwise, we depend on industry to lead the way, with little assurance it acts in the pure interest of public health.'
Daily Mail
20-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE I ate red meat and eggs every day for a month against the advice of doctors... see my shocking results
I was 15 before I had my first hamburger. No, I'm not joking, but I've never been a big fan of red meat. Your browser does not support iframes.
ABC News
17-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Farmers call on city residents to keep consuming meat amid drought
The red gum-studded paddocks of Coonawarra in May are usually flush with swathes of neon green grass, awaiting the arrival of lambs. But this year, the ground is the colour of the vine leaves turning gold and brown. The lack of rain across South Australia, and more unusually in the south-east, has led to a lack of feed for livestock. At significant expense, farmers are carting grain and hay for ewes on the point of lambing, and cows with calves at foot. But Coonawarra livestock farmer George Kidman said he and many in his farming community still felt hopeful and urged "urban neighbours" to rally around the state's farmers by keeping meat on the dinner plate. "When they turn on the news and there's stories about drought support, I worry they might think farmers are just putting their hands in the till. "But we're just looking for some understanding and acknowledgement that it's tough, but we still have hope." He said he was telling friends in the city who were asking how they could help that buying Australian red meat was a "real way to directly support farmers". Mr Kidman said much like the dairy industry's "milk price wars" in 2017, where major supermarkets discounted milk to $1 a litre, there was a groundswell from urban shoppers wanting to support farmers by buying branded products. "We saw consumers willingly paying slightly more for their milk because they wanted to support farmers," he said. Further south at the livestock saleyards near the regional city of Mount Gambier, livestock buyer Ian Perryman said the situation was one he had not seen in his 50-year career. "The south east is normally a very reliable area," he said. Mr Perryman said the region usually received between 635 millimetres and 890mm of rain a year but was down to between 127mm and 177mm. He said the second year of rainfall deficit had led to a larger number of livestock being sold out of season, including young cattle "because farmers can't afford to feed them". He said he was concerned about the longer-term outlook for abattoirs, and potential supply shortages, or increased prices, on supermarket shelves. "In the short term, we're buying plenty of cattle, but once those cattle numbers are gone towards the back end of 2025 and into 2026, we could be seeing the least number of cattle put through processors we've ever seen," he said. But in town, customers are still lining up at the counter of Brian Shelton's butcher. Mr Shelton is the latest to don the blue and white stripe apron in the family business of 80 years. "In reality, we're still run off our feet in here," he said. "There's no doubt the cost of living has risen, and the drought has forced selling out of season for a lot of farmers, but we still find customers want their cuts and even the premium cuts like scotch fillet are still selling well," he said. "I believe demand is holding up because customers are used to eating quality meat, and are seeking out even the more expensive, premium cuts. "There's been a slight rise in the sale of secondary cuts and casserole meat, but not as much as I had thought there might be." Mr Shelton said he was confident his butcher shop could continue supplying clients from as far away as Kingston, Bordertown and into Victoria amid the ongoing drought.
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
ANZCO Foods posts $8m profit amid 'another challenging year' for red meat
Photo: 123rf Tight margins in a challenging second half of 2024 have hit the pockets of major red meat processor and exporter ANZCO Foods, but it made a profit nonetheless. The Christchurch-headquartered company with seven processing and three manufacturing sites across Aotearoa recorded a net profit of $8.4 million in the year to December, down from the $44.4m after-tax profit last year. Chief executive Peter Conley said it was another challenging year for farmers and the red meat sector. "Lower market returns, especially during the main processing season squeezed margins and impacted business performance," he said. "Global market pricing for beef and lamb improved in the second half of the year with increased consumer demand in key markets including North Asia, USA, Canada, UK and Europe." He said China was the most challenging market last year. "China has seen slower economic activity, and this reduced demand impacted beef and sheep meat returns," he said. Conley said its sites were fully staffed through the year, which helped drive higher revenue "through additional product recoveries". Looking to 2025, he said there were continued strengths in key markets like North America particularly for beef , and the United Kingdom and European Union for sheepmeat, but China remained sluggish. "The 2025 year has started positively but with new uncertainty as geopolitical tensions and tariff implications are yet to be fully understood," he said. "However, the underlying outlook for beef and lamb is positive with improving economic conditions driving increased demand amid global supply constraints." In relation to its United States business , Conley said it had been able to maintain pricing and pass on the costs to the American end of the chain, as it continued to benefit from the region's insatiable hunger for beef. ANZCO Foods was one of the country's largest exports with an annual turnover of $1.85 billion and nearly 3000 employees globally. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
