"(FSIS) grade labeling procedures. The official USDA grade designation can appear as markings on retail containers, individual bags, or on USDA shield stamps, as well as on legible roller brands appearing on the meat itself. The USDA grading system uses eight different grades to represent various levels of marbling in beef: Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. The grades are based on two main criteria: the degree of marbling (intramuscular fat) in the beef, and the maturity (estimated age of the animal at slaughter). Prime has the highest marbling content when compared to other grades, and is"
"there are National Meat Accreditation standards; in Canada, there is the Canadian Beef Grading Agency; in the United Kingdom, the Food Standards Agency is responsible; in the United States, beef is graded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as select, choice or prime, where ""prime"" refers to beef of the highest quality, typically that which has significant marbling. In 1996 in the U.S., only 2.4% of cattle were graded as prime, and most prime beef is sold in restaurants and hotels. There is a wide range of quickly prepared and well-known beef steak dishes, including Minute steak, steak"
"highest cutability, while yield grade 5 yields the lowest cutability. Beef sold in U.S. restaurants and supermarkets is usually described by its USDA grade; however, in the early twenty-first century many restaurants and retailers began selling beef on the strength of brand names and the reputation of a specific breed of cattle, such as black Angus. The EUROP grid method of carcass classification was implemented in 1981. European Economic Community Regulations (EEC) No. 1208/81 and No. 2930/81 were enacted to facilitate the application of a community scale for the classification of carcases of adult bovine animals. This was to ensure"
"sale in supermarkets in the United States is graded U.S. Choice or Select. U.S. Prime beef is sold to hotels and upscale restaurants, and usually marketed as such. In 1997, the official standards were revised to restrict the Select grade to A maturity carcasses, and to raise the minimum marbling score to qualify for Choice to modest for B maturity cattle. These changes were implemented to improve the uniformity and consistency of the grading system. Yield grades are intended to estimate the pounds of boneless closely trimmed retail cuts from the carcass. Closely trimmed refers to approximately ¼ inch of"
"for ground products rather than for consumer sale or food service. Some meat scientists object to the current scheme of USDA grading since it is not based on direct measurement of tenderness, although marbling and maturity are indicators of tenderness. Most other countries' beef grading systems mirror the U.S. model, except for those in the European Union (EU). The EU employs a grading scheme that emphasizes carcass shape and amount of fat covering instead of marbling and aging. The differences in grading yield incompatible value judgments of beef value in the United States and the EU. Most beef offered for"
"and body condition. The most common grades, from best to worst, are ""breakers"" (fleshy, body condition 7 or above), ""boners"" (body condition 5 to 7), ""lean"", and ""light"" (thin, body condition 1 to 4). Carcasses rated as lean or light often are sold for less per pound, as less meat is produced from the carcass despite processing costs remaining similar to those of higher grade carcasses. Carcass grade A carcass grade is an assessment of quality for a culled cow or bull. The various grades are defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, and assessments are based primarily on"
"Standards for grading, certification and verification: the USDA beef grades depend on physical attributes of the meat, plus the age of the animal. Farm assurance Farm assurance is product certification for agricultural products that emphasises the principles of quality assurance. The emphasis on quality assurance means that, in addition to product inspection, farm assurance schemes may include standards and certification for traceability, production methods, transport, and supplies. All farm assurance schemes claim to ensure high standards of animal welfare, although there is great variation in the requirements that relate to how animals should be kept and cared for. In the"
"Carcass grade A carcass grade is an assessment of quality for a culled cow or bull. The various grades are defined by the United States Department of Agriculture, and assessments are based primarily on the fatness of the cow to be culled. Cows are culled from herds for a variety of reasons, including poor production, age, or health problems. A carcass grade (or expected carcass grade) is used to determine selling prices for cull cows, which are estimated to comprise 20% of the beef available to consumers in the United States. Grades are determined based on an animal's fat content"
"additive to alleviate these concerns and restore consumer confidence. Following the USDA announcement to allow choices in purchasing decisions for ground beef, several school districts stated that they would opt out of serving ground beef with LFTB. By June 2012, 47 out of 50 U.S. states declined to purchase any of the product for the 2012–2013 school year while South Dakota Department of Education, Nebraska, and Iowa chose to continue buying it. On April 2, 2012, AFA Foods, a ground-beef processor manufacturer of finely textured beef owned by Yucaipa Companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy citing ""ongoing media attention"" that"
"boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the high-value parts of the carcass–the round, loin, rib, and chuck. However, they also show differences in the total yield of retail cuts. We expect a YG 1 carcass to have the highest percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts, or higher cutability, while a YG 5 carcass would have the lowest percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts, or the lowest cutability. The USDA Yield Grades are rated numerically and are 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Yield Grade 1 denotes the highest yielding carcass and Yield Grade 5, the lowest. The USDA's"
"the required temperature; beef can brown before reaching 68 °C (155 °F). To ensure the safety of food distributed through the National School Lunch Program, food banks, and other federal food and nutrition programs, the United States Department of Agriculture has established food safety and quality requirements for the ground beef it purchases. A 2010 National Research Council report reviewed the scientific basis of the Department's ground beef safety standards, compared the standards to those used by large retail and commercial food service purchasers of ground beef, and examined ways to establish periodic evaluations of the Federal Purchase Ground Beef"
"current revision, which contains the clause ""consumption of ... grain in the immature stage is acceptable"", allows for ""feed harvesting or stockpiling methods that might include significant amounts of grain"" because the term ""immature"" is not clearly defined. On October 15, 2007 the USDA established a standard definition for the ""grass fed"" claim which requires continuous access to pasture and prevents animals from being fed grain or grain-based products. This label was revoked by the USDA on January 12, 2016. . Beef production tends to be concentrated, with the top six producers—the U.S., the European Union, Brazil, Australia, Argentina, and"
"that the USDA's objection is the result of pressure from larger meatpacking operations. The president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association told the ""Washington Post"" that ""If testing is allowed at Creekstone, we think it would become the international standard and the domestic standard, too."" Creekstone Farms says tests cost about $20 per animal, increasing the cost of beef by about 10 cents per pound. The USDA currently tests about 1 percent of cattle slaughtered in the U.S. In March 2006, Creekstone filed a lawsuit against the USDA for refusing to allow complete testing. On March 29, 2007, Judges James"
"Top sirloin Top sirloin is a cut of beef from the primal loin or subprimal sirloin. Top sirloin steaks differ from sirloin steaks in that the bone and the tenderloin and bottom round muscles have been removed; the remaining major muscles are the gluteus medius and biceps femoris (top sirloin cap steak). Some American butchers call a thick top sirloin steak a chateaubriand, although the French reserve that term for a more premium cut from the tenderloin. The USDA NAMP / IMPS codes related to this subprimal cut are 181A and 184. 181A is obtained from 181 after removing the"
"French supermarkets. Whole foie gras is readily available from gourmet retailers in Canada, the United States, Hungary, Argentina and regions with a sizeable market for the product. In US, raw foie gras is classified as Grade A, B or C. Grade A is typically the highest in fat and especially suited for low-temperature preparation, because the veins are relatively few and the resulting terrine will be more aesthetically appealing because it displays little blood. Grade B is accepted for higher temperature preparation, because the higher proportion of protein gives the liver more structure after being seared. Grade C livers are"
"is graded for quality, with higher prices for higher quality. Generally, the higher the quality, the more tender the beef, the less time is needed for cooking, or the better the flavor. For example, beef fillet is the most tender and wagyu, such as Kobe beef from Japan, is known for its high quality and commands a high price. Steak can be cooked relatively quickly compared to other cuts of meat, particularly when cooked at very high temperatures, such as by broiling or grilling. The quality and safety of steak as a food product is regulated by law. In Australia,"
"meat to top tiered restaurants and consumers. Heritage Foods USA sells pasture raised, antibiotic-free heritage breed meat to restaurants and homes across the country. Heritage Foods USA purchases 200 pigs a week, from a network of more than 25 independent farms. The family farms raise heritage pig breeds that include Berkshire, Red Wattle, Tamworth, Gloucestershire Old Spot, Large Black, and Duroc. These heritage breed pigs are processed at Paradise Locker Meats, a USDA inspected and Certified Humane meat processing plant in Trimble, Missouri. Heritage Foods USA takes weekly wholesale orders from a network of more than 250 restaurants around the"
"Doneness Doneness is a gauge of how thoroughly cooked a cut of meat is based on the colour, juiciness and internal temperature when cooked. The gradations of cooking are most often used in reference to beef (especially steak and roasts) but are also applicable to lamb, pork, poultry, veal and seafood (especially fish). Gradations, their description, and the associated temperature ranges vary regionally from cuisine to cuisine and in local practice and terminology. For steaks, common gradations include ""rare"", ""medium rare"", ""medium"", ""medium well"" and ""well done"". The United States Department of Agriculture recommends an internal temperature of at least"
"as braising. According to the USDA Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS) the ""Blade Portion, Boneless"" of a beef chuck butchers to 22–25 lbs in a smaller animal (Range A) and in excess of 34 lbs in a large animal (Range D). The listing for ""USDA IMPS - NAMP Beef Butchering Specs"" has changed. New url is USDA IMPS - NAMP Beef Butchering Specs 7-Bone Roast The 7-bone roast (also known as the center-cut pot roast) or 7-bone steak is from the chuck section of the steer or heifer and it includes a cross cut of the shoulder blade. The bone"
"Beef carcass classification Countries regulate the marketing and sale of beef by observing criteria of Cattle Carcasses at the Abattoir and classifying the carcasses. This classification, sometimes optional, can suggest a market demand for a particular animal's attributes and therefore the price owed to the producer. In the United States, the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) operates a voluntary beef grading program that began in 1917. A meat processor pays for a trained AMS meat grader to grade whole carcasses at the abattoir. Such processors are required to comply with Food Safety and Inspection Service"
"to increase the quality of food in the NSLP, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) undertook an ambitious agenda to provide schools with a consistent supply of safe, low-fat ground beef. Beginning in 2002, AMS established a statistically based vendor certification and supply chain quality management program for the purchase of ground beef and pork for NSLP under the Technical Requirements Schedule (GB‑2006, the current version). The program has enjoyed considerable success in reducing pathogen levels and controlling fat content in lean beef and pork that is provided to school children. Under the program, Meat Grading and Certification (MGC) Branch"
"the past year, 6% was LFTB. An analysis of California Department of Education data indicated that ""anywhere from none to nearly 3 million pounds of beef from the USDA that was served in California schools last year could have contained lean finely textured beef"". According to the USDA, the cost differential between ground beef with and without the additive has been estimated at approximately 3%. On September 13, 2012, BPI announced that it filed a $1.2 billion lawsuit, ""Beef Products, Inc. v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.,"" against ABC News; three reporters (Diane Sawyer, Jim Avila and David Kerley) and others,"
"Rose Comb Clean Legged (RCCL), All Other Comb Clean Legged (AOCCL), Feather Legged, and Game Bantam Ducks: Heavy, Medium, Light, and Bantam Geese: Heavy, Medium, and Light Turkeys: Judged as one class. Guinea Fowl: Judged as one class. American Standard of Perfection The American Standard of Perfection is the official breed standard for the poultry fancy in North America. First published in 1874 by the American Poultry Association, the ""Standard of Perfection"" (commonly referred to as ""the ""Standard"""") classifies and describes the standard physical appearance, coloring and temperament for all recognized breeds of poultry, including chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese."
"versus the use of USDA-inspected, approved, and certified ingredients fit for human consumption. The USDA certification and approval process is among the best quality control programs in food production in the world. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently commented that the ingredients defined as feed in pet food (feed grade or animal grade) are not classified as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). Examples of potential toxins include melamine, ""Salmonella"", and mycotoxins. Only the language ""USDA certified"" or ""USDA approved"" is legally meaningful. Some companies will say ""Made with ingredients from a USDA facility"", or ""USA Meat"", which"
"of cattle. Mature bulls stand up to , and oxen may reach . It is not unusual for bulls to exceed in weight. Males standing over at 12 months are considered top-grade. A Chianina bull named Donetto holds the world record for the heaviest bull, reported by one source as when exhibited at the Arezzo show in 1955, but as and tall at the age of 8 by others including the Tenuta La Fratta, near Sinalunga in the province of Siena, where he was bred. Cows usually weigh , but commonly exceed ; those standing over are judged top-grade. Calves"
"Robertson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that USDA had the authority to restrict the use of biological products and to regulate diagnostic testing but that this authority did not extend to the regulation of BSE test kits. On August 29, 2008, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit affirmed the district court's finding of the USDA's authority to restrict the use of biological products and to regulate diagnostic testing but reversed the lower court's ruling that USDA did not have the authority to regulate BSE test kits. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef"
"grass-fed beef is about 2:1, making it a more useful source of omega−3 than grain-fed beef, which usually has a ratio of 4:1. In a 2009 joint study by the USDA and researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina, grass-fed beef was compared with grain-finished beef. The researchers found that grass-finished beef is higher in moisture content, 42.5% lower total lipid content, 54% lower in total fatty acids, 54% higher in beta-carotene, 288% higher in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol), higher in the B-vitamins thiamin and riboflavin, higher in the minerals calcium, magnesium, and potassium, 193% higher in total omega−3s, 117% higher"
"grading cattle to get better meat quality and black hide if possible. Feed lot buyers will pay a premium for black hided cattle, because they have a better chance at a higher Quality grade (High Choice or Prime) than other hided cattle. Also, many breeders want to introduce Hereford type traits into their black cattle while maintaining the black color. The Black Hereford allows breeders to accomplish both of these goals. The Black Hereford is an efficient, docile cattle breed used mainly to produce beef. American Black Hereford Association Black Hereford (breed) The Black Hereford is a beef cattle breed,"
"enforced by USDA in meat and poultry plants. For a number of years, poultry producers have been permitted to either rinse off or cut away such contamination, but beef producers have only been permitted to trim it with a knife—which they argue costs them money in lost product weight and imposes a requirement that poultry producers do not have to meet. The policy jargon for this debate is ""wash versus trim"". USDA early in 1997 clarified its zero tolerance rule for poultry; a year earlier it gave beef plants permission to use a new high-temperature vacuuming method to remove fecal"
"that it would give school districts the choice between ground beef with or without LFTB. CBS News reported that Chicago Public schools may have served ""pink slime"" in school lunches. While some school districts have their own suppliers, many school districts purchase beef directly from the USDA and do not know what is in the beef. For the year 2012, the USDA planned on purchasing 7 million pounds of lean beef trimmings for the U.S. national school lunch program. USDA spokesman Mike Jarvis stated that of the 117 million pounds of beef ordered nationally for the school lunch program in"
"seasoned, it is popular as a main course and as a dressing in Belgium, where it is known as filet américain (""American fillet""). Food safety of ground meat issues occur because of the possibility of bacterial contamination. Undercooked hamburgers contaminated with were responsible for four deaths and the illness of hundreds of people in the U.S. in 1993. Ground beef must be cooked to 72 °C (160 °F) to ensure all bacterial contamination—whether it be endogenous to the product or contaminated after purchasing by the consumer—is killed. The color of cooked meat does not always indicate the beef has reached"
"between the two grades are defined in the Wisconsin administrative code for Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection, chapter 60. Grade B generally refers to milk that is cooled in milk cans, which are immersed in a bath of cold flowing water that typically is drawn up from an underground water well rather than using mechanical refrigeration. The USDA has established the following grades for Florida oranges, which primarily apply to oranges sold as fresh fruit: US Fancy, US No. 1 Bright, US No. 1, US No. 1 Golden, US No. 1 Bronze, US No. 1 Russet, US No. 2 Bright,"
"Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) recognizes irradiation as an important technology to protect consumers. Fresh meat and poultry including whole or cut up birds, skinless poultry, pork chops, roasts, stew meat, liver, hamburgers, ground meat, and ground poultry are approved for irradiation. Some claim that Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, who died of lung cancer in Bucharest on March 19, 1965, was intentionally irradiated during a visit to Moscow, due to his political stance. In 1999, an article in Der Spiegel alleged that the East German MfS intentionally irradiated political prisoners with high-dose radiation, possibly to provoke cancer."