Discrimination of Beef from Predominantly Grass-Fed and Other Production Systems Using the Trace Elemental Profile of Muscle

The objective was to use muscle trace elements to discriminate beef from different production systems. Both production system, typified by diet, and geographical origin, affected the concentrations of trace elements (Na, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, and Cs) in commercial beef (<i>M. longus colli</i>). A canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) model was developed and validated using the element concentrations of <i>M. longus colli</i> from cattle reared under controlled conditions and correctly classified highly grass-, partially grass-, and highly cereal concentrate-fed beef (accuracy = 91.3%). Two sets of CDA models discriminated commercial beef according to categorization into either four (accuracy = 28.0-38.1%) or two (accuracy = 61.1-83.3%) production systems. Discriminating partially grass-fed commercial beef proved challenging. Rubidium was a prominent discriminating variable in beef samples sourced in County Roscommon. Using CDA with trace elements has potential for discriminating commercial beef from systems typified by sufficiently divergent diets.