Meat Science 70 (2005) 215–221 www.elsevier.com/locate/meatsci 0309-1740/$ - see front matter  2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2004.12.019 EVects of pre-harvest supplemental chlorate on beef carcass and meat quality D.A. King a , R.C. Anderson b , R.K. Miller a,¤ , M.A. Carr c , G.E. Carstens a , J.W. Savell a , Y.S. Jung b , T.R. Callaway b , T.S. Edrington b , K.J. Genovese b , D.J. Nisbet b a Department of Animal Science, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, 2471 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA b USDA/ARS, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, Food and Feed Safety Research Unit, 2881 F&B Road, College Station, TX, 77845, USA c Department of Agriculture, Angelo State University, ASU Station #10888, San Angelo, TX, 76909, USA Received 17 February 2004; received in revised form 13 December 2004; accepted 13 December 2004 Abstract EVects of feeding sodium chlorate on carcass quality, tenderness and color stability were evaluated. Heifers (n D 64) were fed chlo- rate at either 0.01% or 0.05% of body weight (BW) in the last feeding or 0.01% for the last 5 d before harvest, while control cattle received no chlorate. During the 12 h period between feed withdrawal and transport to the harvest facility, the cattle were provided water containing either no sodium chlorate or sodium chlorate (approximately 30 mM). Feed treatments at 0.01% of BW produced higher marbling scores than feeding 0.01% of BW for 5 d. However, neither of these treatments produced marbling scores that were diVerent from non-treated controls. Water supplementation increased tenderness in cattle fed 0.01% of BW for 5 d, but decreased ten- derness in cattle fed 0.05% of BW at the last feeding. Although tenderness diVerences existed, it is not clear whether or not they were caused by the feed or water treatments or by pre-existing variation in the cattle. Neither feed nor water supplementation aVected color stability. These data suggest that chlorate preparations could be used to reduce pathogens without adversely impacting meat quality or display life. However, further research is needed to further substantiate these Wndings.  2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Beef; Carcass quality; Color; Sodium chlorate; Tenderness 1. Introduction Food safety continues to be a primary concern for the beef industry. Controlling food borne pathogens on beef carcasses, cuts and trimmings continues to be the focus of considerable research. Consequently, interventions that can be used to reduce the incidence of pathogenic bacteria on carcasses have been extensively evaluated. Evidence suggests that reducing the incidence of patho- gens in fecal material and on hides of animals entering the processing facility will reduce the numbers of these organisms on carcasses (Bacon et al., 2000; Elder et al., 2000). Reducing the concentrations of pathogens in the gas- trointestinal tract, before the animals are transported to the harvest facility would likely reduce the numbers of these organisms on the hide (Brashears, Galyean, Loneragan, Mann, & Killinger-Mann, 2003). One pre- harvest intervention that has been investigated is supple- menting cattle with sodium chlorate during the last days before slaughter to reduce pathogenic bacteria while not aVecting the natural Xora of the gastrointestinal tract (Anderson et al., 2000a; Anderson, Callaway et al., 2000b). ¤ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 979 845 3935/409 845 3935; fax: +1 979 845 9454/409 845 9454. E-mail address: rmiller@tamu.edu (R.K. Miller).