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Abstract
Demand for biological sources of protein is rising due to global population growth, rising incomes, and increased urbanization. Increasing the consumption of variety meats, including organs such as beef tongue, is one possible solution which would provide consumers with affordable meat products, generate revenue for the meat industry, and reduce food waste. Despite its potential as a nutritional and affordable meat product, little research has been done to characterize the physicochemical composition of beef tongue. In this study, the physicochemical composition of beef tongue was evaluated and characterized by determining proximate composition, proteomic profile, lipid composition, and histological profile (muscle structure, fiber size, and fiber type). The results show that beef tongue has the potential to be developed into a high-quality product for improving protein, fat, and nutrient content while greatly improving its value to the meat industry. Future research on beef tongue should focus on evaluating possible food applications.