Have you ever heard of "flaxseed"?

Flaxseed is the seed of the flax plant, which produces beautiful blue or purple flowers.
Flaxseed oil, extracted from the seeds, has been attracting attention in recent years for its health benefits.

Nichirei Fresh sells AMANI-NO-MEGUMI Beef raised with such flaxseed-derived ingredients in their feed.

Why did we focus on flaxseed?
We wanted to develop beef that is kind to the earth.

So says Kondo, who sells beef and pork raised with calcium fatty acid to supermarkets throughout Japan.

In addition, they focused on flaxseed for another major reason.
That is that flaxseed has a role in regulating fatty acid balance.

Fatty acid balance refers to the balance of omega-6 fatty acids: omega-3 fatty acids, which is one of the most important essential fatty acids for the human body. Maintaining an appropriate fatty acid balance in the diet is believed to help maintain good health.

Omega-3 fatty acids must be obtained from a diet that includes fish and seafood such as mackerel, sardines, and saury, flaxseed oil, and perilla oil, but for many people they are more difficult to obtain than omega-6 fatty acids.

For example, a large-scale epidemiological study found that the Inuit, the indigenous people of the Arctic Circle, have a lower mortality rate from cardiovascular disease than the average Danish person because they routinely eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and marine animals that mainly feed on fish. Against this background, omega-3 fatty acids have been attracting attention as an ingredient with high health value.

In 2009, Nichirei Fresh, together with Kyoto University, TAIYO YUSHI Corporation, MIZUHO FARM, and Ibaraki Prefecture, decided to take on the challenge of developing beef with calcium fatty acids in an industry-government-academia collaboration. Nichirei Fresh had previously taken on the challenge of developing pork using flaxseed and knew more about the appeal of flaxseed than anyone else, so they decided to take advantage of the potential that flaxseed held.

Dr. Hirooka of Kyoto University, who helped us analyze data such as fatty acid balance and LCA* assessment of AMANI-NO-MEGUMI Beef, says as follows.

*LCA (Life Cycle Assessment): A method for comprehensively evaluating the environmental impact of a product or service over its entire life cycle, from procurement of raw materials to production, distribution, disposal, and recycling.

First, they decided to conduct a test at MIZUHO FARM in Ibaraki Prefecture, where cattle were actually kept and divided into two groups: those fed flaxseed and those fed the normal diet. Members of Nichirei Fresh met up with Dr. Hirooka and drove to the site in a shared van many times for repeated inspections and meetings.

Further research revealed that flaxseed has yet another potential. It also has a positive effect on delivered cows, which are bred for reproduction.

After repeated pregnancies and calvings, the meat of these cows gradually becomes tougher and tougher. Their meat has been processed into minced meat and pet food as "Culled cows " because of reduced milk production and difficulty in conceiving.

The project members decided to ask farmers in Kyushu who were fattening up their delivered cows and try to re-fatten them with flaxseed, thinking, “Can't we produce better quality beef by re-fattening cows that have worked so well, with flaxseed?"

In 2017, in cooperation with the National Agricultural and Food Research Organization, Tohoku University, and dairy cattle fattening farmers in Hokkaido, we started an initiative to re-fatten not only beef cattle but also dairy cattle using flaxseed.

Matsubara, who has been involved in the project to re-fatten delivered cows with flaxseed, says, "The benefits of flaxseed for delivered cows are particularly significant.”

Thus, by using flaxseed for re-fattening, producers can use resources more efficiently and farmers can send their precious cows out in better condition. Furthermore, consumers can now enjoy better-tasting beef.

And in order to achieve this delicious taste, Dr. Hirooka says that the way the cattle are raised is also important.

AMANI-NO-MEGUMI Beef offers the true taste of beef. We have received comments from farmers that they are happy to be able to feed their cows that have worked so hard with delicious meals until the end of their lives.

“Part 3: Why AMANI-NO-MEGUMI keeps tasting good" will tell you the secret to its delicious taste and the thoughts of the farmers.