BIOCHEMICAL COMPARISONS BETWEEN MATURE BEEF 
AND IMMATURE VEAL 1 
By William N. Berg, 
Biological Chemist , Pathological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry 
INTRODUCTION 
Several excellent treatises on dietetics contain statements to the effect 
that immature veal—i. e., veal that is about 3 weeks old or less—is unfit 
for human food, but these statements apparently are not based upon 
experimental data. At least, a search of the literature showed that too 
few workers have studied this subject. Certain European writers say 
that immature veal is bad because certain American laws forbid the sale 
of veal less than 3 or 4 weeks of age. Conversely, the American laws 
were based, to some extent, at least, upon European opinion. The 
desirability of further experimental work was very apparent several years 
ago to Drs. Melvin and Mohler, of the Bureau of Animal Industry, who 
started the present investigation. 
The following quotations are typical of the existing literature on the 
subject: 
Thompson (1909, p. 141): 2 Veal, especially when obtained from animals killed too 
young, is unusually tough, pale, dry, and indigestible; but when the animals are 
slaughtered at the ripe age, the meat is sometimes tender, and is regarded by many as 
nutritious. It differs considerably from beef in flavor, and contains more gelatin and 
water but less fat and protein. Veal broth is nutritious, and affords a wholesome 
variety in the dietary for the sick. When too much is given it may excite diarrhea. 
Veal is much more used for invalids in Germany than elsewhere, although it figures 
less conspicuously in hospital dietaries there now than formerly. Bauer declares it 
to be more digestible than beef, but Pavy says, referring to both veal and lamb, “they 
are meats that it is desirable to avoid, generally speaking, in case of dyspepsia,” and 
this opinion is prevalent in America as well as in England. 
Also (p. 420): The meat of very young animals should never be eaten, and the s*le 
of young or * ‘ bob * * veal two or three weeks old is prohibited by law. It is indigestible, 
innutritious, and readily decomposes. 
Hutchinson states (1911, p. 67-68): Veal is believed to be somewhat difficult of 
digestion, a belief which is confirmed by experiment, for it required two and a half 
hours for its digestion, as compared with two hours for beef (Jessen). The difficulty 
of digesting veal is somewhat surprising, for the connective tissue, though abundant, 
is very easily changed into gelatin. It is believed by some that the explanation is to 
be found in the ease with which the fibers of veal elude the teeth on mastication. 
1 The object of the present work was to ascertain whether the flesh of calves 3 weeks of age and under is 
or is not fit for human food. The work was begun in the spring of 1912 at the suggestion of Dr. John R. 
Mohler. then Chief of the Pathological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, and continued with little 
interruption up to the fall of 1914. The writer is indebted to Dr. Mohler for his very effective interest in 
the work and for many valuable suggestions. 
1 Bibliographic citations in parentheses refer to “Literature cited,” p. 708-711. 
Journal of Agricultural Research, 
Dept, of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
br 
(667) 
Vol. V. No. 15 
Jan. 10, *916 
A—18 
