Title: The Meat We Eat
1The Meat We Eat Meats Unit Animal Science
2Terminology
3Terminology Meats the edible flesh of mammals
used for food
4Poultry the edible flesh of poultry used for food
5Beef the meat from mature bovines that are
generally over 12 months of age.
6Veal the meat from very young calves, usually
less than 3 months of age.
7Mutton the meat from mature ovine carcasses that
fail to show a break joint on the front foreleg.
8Lamb meat from lambs or young sheep,up to about
one year of age that shows a break joint in the
foreleg.
9Pork meat associated with all ages of hog
carcasses.
10Chevon meat from mature goats.
11Cabrito meat from young goats.
12Cabrito meat from young goats.
13Meat Inspection
14The Meat Inspection Division of the USDA was
created in 1906.
15Inspectors are civil service veterinarians or
non-professional lay inspectors. All are
government employees, meaning the program is
financed by the public.
16The federal government requires supervision of
establishments which slaughter, pack, render, and
prepare meats and meat products for interstate
shipment and foreign export. Individual states
have responsibility for intrastate shipments,
however state standards cannot be lower than
federal levels.
17The purpose of inspection is a. Safeguard the
public by eliminating disease or otherwise
unwholesome meat from the food supply. b. To
enforce the sanitary preparation of meat and meat
products.
18The purpose of inspection is c. To guard
against the use of harmful ingredients or residue
in meats from drugs, growth promotants,
pesticides, etc. d. To prevent the use of false
or misleading names or statement labels.
19The Wholesome Meat Act of 1967 updated and
strengthened the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.
20A. States were given the option of conducting
their own inspection service or turning the
responsibility over to the federal government. B.
Most states simply apply the federal regulations
to their own programs.
21Types of Inspection
22Antermortem inspection is made in pens or as
animals are moved from the scales after weighing
obviously diseased or otherwise unhealthy
animals not fit for human consumption may be
marked Suspect or Condemned.
23Postmortem inspection is made at the time of
slaughter and includes careful examination of the
carcass and viscera (internal organs) all good
carcasses are stamped U.S. Inspected and
Passed. Those failing inspection are stamped
U.S. Inspected and Condemned.
24Regulations do not apply to farm slaughter.
25Inspection vs. Grading
26Inspection a. is required. b. is objective.
27Grading a. is optional. b. is subjective.
28Types of Grading
29Grading a. Quality Grading. b. Yield Grading.