UNECE Backs Meat 3G System to Boost Beef Quality
UNECE Issues New Beef Eating Quality Recommendations
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has issued new international recommendations aimed at improving the prediction and consistency of beef eating quality, building on the Meat 3G assessment system.
The updated guidance integrates animal characteristics, rearing conditions and carcass traits to predict eating quality outcomes such as tenderness, juiciness and flavour. Unlike traditional grading systems that rely heavily on visual carcase assessment alone, the Meat 3G approach combines on-farm and processing data to deliver a more accurate forecast of consumer satisfaction.
According to researchers at INRAE, adoption of the Meat 3G system can generate additional value of between €0.10 and €0.55 per kilogram across the beef supply chain. The gains are primarily driven by better carcase differentiation, improved market alignment and reduced variability in eating quality for end consumers.
UNECE says the recommendations are designed to support value based trading, giving farmers clearer incentives to optimise production systems while allowing processors and retailers to better match product specifications to market demand. The framework is intended to complement, rather than replace, existing national grading schemes.
The recommendations are voluntary but are expected to inform future discussions on harmonised beef quality standards across Europe and internationally.
Source: Eurasia Review | 7 February 2026
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