Researchers Developing Steaks And Burgers Fortified With Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Researchers and ranchers in the United States are hoping that consumers will be convinced to eat more beef if it comes with the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids — more commonly found in fish and nuts, and helpful in the prevention of heart disease and other conditions, according to the Harvard School of Public Health

To that end, some ranchers have begun feeding their cattle foods like flaxseed and marine algae, the latter of which gives salmon their omega-3s.

According to The Associated Press, researchers at Kansas State University are now exploring methods of fortifying livestock with the heart-healthy fats, and separately, a number of grocery stores in Texas have begun selling beef products that have been fortified with omega-3 fatty acids like alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) found in vegetable oils, nuts, and flaxseed.

GreatO Premium Foods, a company based in Manhattan, Kansas, began testing omega-3 fortified products in Texas supermarkets earlier this year, and orders have quadrupled in the last seven months, from 100 cases every two weeks to 400. GreatO also supplies a number of restaurants, which have seen promising responses from customers.

"People love these, chef Suman Hoque told the AP of the fortified steaks, which have more flavor and noticeable marbling than grass-fed beef. "I sell more meat than anything else."