Genetic gene maps can aid production of a tastier steak

Researchers are tracking down the genes that make for a tasty steak or juicy pork chop. Genetic maps are being assembled for cattle and pigs that should help animal breeders, meat producers and consumers, a conference at the National Food Centre has been told.

The use of biotechnology to assess the quality of meat was a key theme on the opening day of Meat Week 2000, an international conference on meat science and technology organised by Teagasc. The conference, which runs until Friday evening at the National Food Centre, Dunsinea, Co Dublin, includes speakers from the US, Britain, Australia, Denmark and Ireland.

Other themes during the week include meat safety, maintaining processing standards, traceability, producing quality meat at farm level, the handling and packaging of cooked meat products and the development of new meat products.

The creation of gene maps associated with meat quality was discussed yesterday morning by Dr Anne Maria Mullen of the National Food Centre. These maps had greatly aided the identification of genetic markers for meat quality traits, she explained.

The original approach was to search for one relevant gene at a time, connecting proteins produced by the gene with resultant traits such as tenderness, cutting quality or fat content. The advent of "DNA microarray technology" had greatly speeded up this process however, allowing for the analysis of thousands of genes simultaneously, she said.

Concerns were raised that there was no collaborative approach to this research in Ireland and too few links with researchers abroad. "We can run the risk of lagging behind in this area," Dr Mullen said.

The tendency of research companies to patent findings in order to open up commercial opportunities for test kits was proving a difficulty according to Prof Donald Marshall, professor of animal science at South Dakota State University. Commercial involvement was also helping to develop the application of the technology.

One area of great potential was in identifying gene expression associated with tenderness or taste. These qualities were less heritable than others, and the DNA approach could improve breeding programmes, he said.

DNA analysis could be used to direct breeding programmes and reduce the "excess variation" in the quality of meat, he added.