Innovations Applied to the Pyrenean Beef Production to Enhance Consumer-identifiable Meat.

The DIETAPYR2 study is a randomized controlled crossover trial consisting of two experimental periods each lasting 8 weeks. Enrolled participants were randomly assigned to either a Pyrenean beef-based diet or a conventional chicken-based diet and instructed to consume this meat three times a week. In the first visit the medical history was obtained and anthropometric measurements, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and heart rate were taken. The day after the first visit, in the morning, a sample of blood, stool and urine was taken from the participants after an overnight fast. At the time of this visit (period 1), each participant was randomly assigned to a Pyrenean beef diet (intervention group) or a conventional chicken-based diet (control group). After an experimental period of 8 weeks, the participants were invited to carry out the same evaluations as during the first visit. Subsequently, a 5-week washout period was carried out to eliminate the possible residual effects of the first experimental period. After the washout period, the participants were called back for the same assessments during a third visit just before the second experimental period (period 2). During this period, those who were previously on a Pyrenean beef diet (intervention group) were crossed with the conventional chicken diet (control group) and vice versa. Finally, after the second 8-week experimental period, the participants were retested as on previous visits.