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Does how you feel about a cut of steak or whether it is labelled “natural” impact how much you enjoy it? Our guest, Dr. Mark Miller shares his research on consumer beef preferences and how labels influence what we choose to eat. Dr. Mark Miller is the San Antonio Livestock Show Distinguished Chair in Meat Science at Texas Tech University. He has been instrumental in developing consumer thresholds for beef and holds two patents for the processes that improve beef tenderness and color with electrical stimulation. He is also passionate about meat judging and has coached numerous teams to seven national championships. Key points: How does price impact how we feel about the value of a product? Consumer preferences are the most important things to meat science. There is no good food or bad food. People’s preferences to eat or not eat are always right. It is the amount of foods or “dose” that can make the difference. Companies are trying to create market share through labels and messaging appealing to niche markets: “Natural” production claims have increased by 40% Organic production costs 25 - 30% more than conventional production. We should allow the market rather than marketing to decide what should be grown and produced.  Food production has to be affordable to everyone. Why would people pay so much more for beef than other meats? Beef is more expensive than chicken or other meats Eating a great cut of beef releases they same type of hormones in the brain as falling in love.  It is very satisfying. How do labels influence how we perceive beef? In an experiment, people rated several cuts of beef on tenderness, taste etc. Then they were fed the exact same cuts but they were labeled with terms such as organic, natural, hormone treated, etc. The labels created a bias that effected the enjoyment of the beef. What is the difference between conventional and grass-fed beef? New Zealand and Southern Australia are the best place in the world for grass production. They have grass in abundance and a favorable climate. In the U.S. there are only about 120 days per year that animals can graze. Grass-fed animals take 2.5 - 3 years to grow large enough. In the US we have corn and soy beans in abundance. Conventional fed animals grow to the same size in 14 months. Grass-fed beef is more expensive to produce.  It costs about $8 per pound compared to $2.90 per pound for conventional beef. The carbon foot print of conventional beef is about 45% of grass fed beef. Cattle like grain over grass.  What should we know about hormones in beef? In the U.S. we’ve been using hormones in beef production since 1957. We’ve already done the human case study for nearly 70 years.  There is not a single documented case of any health concern as a result. The additions of naturally occurring testosterone or estrogen encourages muscle growth. The amount of estrogen in cabbage is far greater than in treated beef. Anti-science propaganda make it sound scary. Working with Dr. Tyler Davis (featured in two previous episodes) on understanding reactions to marketing labels was life changing. Food choices create an emotional response.  Eating something that tastes bad creates a reaction that will last forever.  A great eating experience lasts too. 3 tips to overcome food bullying: Enjoy your point of view based on what you like to taste and eat. Don’t feel guilty. There are no good foods or bad foods.  It is all about how much you eat. Don’t believe anything that isn’t backed up by a peer-reviewed scientific study. Links: Mark Miller: mfmrraider@aol.com Tyler Davis Episodes: Is your emotional brain being tricked by food marketers? Episode 16 How is your brain being manipulated about food? Food Bullying Podcast’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/foodbullyingpodcast Food Bullying: How to Avoid B.S. by Michele Payn: http://foodbullying.com Embrace Your Heart with Eliz Greene: http://www.embraceyourheart.com/