Vitamin a, c, and riboflavin content of bovine marrow from cervical and thoracic vertebrae of good and choice grade steers

This paper is based on a study to determine Vitamin A, C and riboflavin content of red marrow from Good and Choice grade steers so that the nutritional contribution of marrow to Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM) could be more fully defined. Vitamin A analysis was also performed on ten liver samples from the same steers to more fully define the nutritional status of the animals. Total vitamin A of twelve marrow samples ranged from 9,057-24,727 IU/l00g with a mean of 13,927. Vitamin C values of sixteen marrow samples ranged from 3.05-4.63 mg/l00g with a mean of 3.67. Riboflavin of nine marrow samples ranged from 0.136-0.325 ug/g with a mean of 0.215. Since MSM is a muscle/marrow mixture, marrow’s contribution of vitamin A, C and riboflavin to MSM is insignificant. Therefore, mechanically separated meat would be expected to have about the same vitamin A, C and riboflavin content as lean meat.