Marbling tends to get all of the praise and celebrity as it is a big contributor to the overall palatability of beef products; however, the lesser-known big factor in palatability is the physiological maturity of the beef carcass. And that's where our story begins.

Many restaurants and artisan butcher shops are developing and producing dry-aged beef. There is, however, no official standard regarding aging conditions such as temperature, relative humidity or time.

Researchers are harnessing a still-developing field of study, microgenomics, to limit pathogens in the pre-harvest stage of cattle, while common sense methods are still being used to protect poultry.

The simple hamburger is a grand opportunity for any chef to don their mad scientist lab coat and get as creative as possible. Read a description of a burger in many restaurants, and you are likely to find exotic toppings, multiple proteins or consumer-friendly buzzwords.