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Juiciness, tenderness, color and flavor are the perfect recipe for a tasty cut of meat. However, there is a special detail that qualifies this cut: marbling. This visible intramuscular fat, which accumulates inside the muscle and between the meat fibers, is one of the attributes of a premium meat, giving it a visual appearance of marble veins that reduces the density of the muscle fibers and the toughness of the meat.
During cooking, this fat “melts” and blends with the meat’s juices, adding moisture and contributing to a silky texture, which makes the meat more tender and juicy, turning the tasting of the food into an unforgettable experience.
Although what defines marbling is fat, it is not just any kind, but what is considered “good” fat. Its nutritional profile is more complex than one might imagine. That is because intramuscular fat is rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, including essential fatty acids that are an important energy source for the body, such as omegas 3, 6 and 9. To give an idea, as Wagyu Brasil, a company specialized in the breeding and marketing of Wagyu in Brazil, explains, these fatty acids are the same found in foods like olive oil and wild salmon, offering benefits such as reducing “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increasing “good” cholesterol (HDL).
Quality that comes from the cradle
Although there are several characteristics that influence how intramuscular fat presents itself in this type of meat, genetics and the way cattle are fed throughout their lives are decisive.
Breeds such as Wagyu and Angus, for example, have a superior genetic predisposition for marbling, with genes that favor the deposition of fat between the muscles.
Furthermore, according to a study by São Paulo State University (Unesp), a grain-rich diet raises glucose levels in the animal, the precursor for the synthesis of intramuscular fat. Fat in the animal’s body is deposited in a sequential order, with intramuscular fat being the last to develop, which requires an excess of available energy in the diet for its full formation.
Beyond the choice of feed, establishing proper nutrition requires a nutritional plan that takes into account the animal’s size, activity level, age and breed.
Global classification systems
Marbling classification serves as a universal language to communicate product quality and is even one of the criteria for differentiated payment to producers. Below are two examples:
- United States: the system of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), called USDA Grading, evaluates meat in quality grades such as Prime (highest level, with “abundant” marbling, considered super premium), Choice (quality with an excellent cost-benefit ratio) and Select (more affordable). The analysis is based primarily on marbling, in addition to other factors.
- Australia: used in Australia, the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) system assesses marbling on a scale from 100 to 1190, not limiting itself to this criterion. The focus is to analyze meat across several parameters related to the consumer experience, such as pH, color, fat thickness, breed and animal maturity, in addition to considering the method of feeding, handling and maturation of the meat. Its distinguishing feature is the use of predictive models based on consumer research.
References:
Wagyu Brasil
Wagyu
Angus
Unesp
USDA Grading
Meat Standards Australia (MSA)