An introduction to the OECD programme: meat quality and the quality of animal production

A survey is given of direct and indirect quality characteristics of meat. The latter are associated with the animal production systems. It is stated that integration and quantification of these criteria, evaluation of interactions between them and consideration of the social acceptance of the associated production methods is a major challenge for the modern animal scientist. The development of these concepts since 1980 within the workshops of the consecutive Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research programmes is described. As a model for a more integrated approach, personal efforts of the author related to the nutritional engineering of beef fat composition, the role of meat proteases and lipases in flavour development of fermented meat and the effects of breeding and use of growth-promoting substances on meat sensory quality are summarized.