DEAS 84-1: 2019  
ICS nn.nnn.nn  
© EAS 2019                                                                                                                          Second  Edition 2019   
 
DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
Meat grades and meat cuts  — Specification  — Part 1: Beef grades and 
cuts 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 
 
 
 
  
 EAS 84-1: 2019  
ii © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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participants in  the EAC standards development process is permitted without prior permission from EAC, 
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© East African Community  2019  — All rights reserved  
East African Community   
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Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be persecuted  EAS 84-1: 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Devel opment of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through 
harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are e ncountered when goods and services are exchanged 
within the Community will be removed.  
In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee mandated 
to develop and issue East African Standards.   
The Committee i s composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together 
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards 
are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standa rds Bodies in the Partner States. The comments 
received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures 
of the Community.  
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advan ces. Users of the East 
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the standards 
they are implementing .  
 EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 84-1:2019  
 
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  1 
 Meat grades and meat cuts  — Specification  — Part 1: Beef grades and 
cuts 
1 Scope  
This part of thi s Draft East African Standard specifies methods of grading and grades of beef including veal, 
quality and safety requirements, methods of sampling and test , of carcasses thereof, meant for human 
consumption. The standard also defines major portions of meat  cuts from the carcasses for sale.  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the re ferenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
CAC/RCP 58 , Code of hygienic  practice for meat  
EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods  — General requirements  
EAS 101,  
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 ˚C by the pour plate technique  
ISO 4833 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms —
Part 2: Colony count at 30 ˚C by the surface plating technique  
ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
beta-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 ˚C using 5 -bromo -4-
chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of  food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique using 
Baird -Parker agar medium  
ISO 7937 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff s — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens — Colony -count technique  
ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp . 
ISO 11290 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration of 
Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. — Part 1: Detection method  
ISO 11290 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection an d enumeration of Listeria 
monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. —Part 1: Detection method  
ISO 6633 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of lead content — Flameless atomic 
absorption spectrometric method  EAS 84-1: 2019  
2 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 ISO 5961 , Water quality — Determinat ion of cadmium by atomic absorption spectrometry  
ISO 6637 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of mercury content — Flameless atomic 
absorption method  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and de finitions shall apply .  
3.1  
carcass  
body of any slaughtered animal after bleeding and dressing  
3.2 
Cold dressed weight (CDW)  
weight of the chilled carcass  
3.3 
dressing  
removal of head, hide or skin, viscera, genital or gums, urinary bladder and feet up t o the carpal and tarsal  
joints and udder of lactating animals and where necessary halving the carcass lengthwise  
3.4 
veal 
meat from young calf of not more than four months old  
3.5 
halving  
dividing the carcass lengthwise into two sides through the midline  
4 Grading specifications  
4.1 Grading  
Grading of beef shall be done in accordance with the requirements  specified in Table 1 and Table 2.  
Table 1 — Requirements for grading beef carcasses  
Grade  Animal   Age Dentition  CDW weight  Fat cover  
Prime  Steers,  bulls Max. 30 months  Max. 6 incisors  Min. 150 kg  15 mm  
 and heifers  Max. 18 months  Max. 2 incisors  Min. 100 kg  15 mm  
       
Choice  Steers,  heifers,  Max. 42 months  No Limit  Min. 150 kg  20 mm  
 bulls  Max. 18 months  2 incisors  Max. No limit  20 mm  
Standard  All eligible  No limit  No limit  Min. 100 kg  No limit  
 slaughter stock    Max. No limit   
Commercial  All eligible  No limit  No limit  No limit  No limit  
 slaughter stock      
 
 EAS 84-1: 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  3 
 Table 2 — Requirements for grading veal  
Grade  CDW 
Limits  Description  
Veal ‘A’ 
Grade  32 kg to 
61 kg  'A' Grade veal shall be derived from prime fully fed calves. The carcasses shall be pale pink, well 
finished and free from bruising and taint.  
Veal ‘B’ 
Grade  61 kg to 
68 kg  'B' Grade veal shall be derived from calves whose carcasses shall b e of light finish but of fair 
average flesh and conformation, free from bruising and taint, and may include carcasses 
overweight for 'A' Grade to a maximum of 68 kg  
 
4.2 Grade descriptions  
4.2.1 Prime grade  
Prime grade beef shall be derived from carcasses  with very good  conformation and shall be well finished. The 
fat covering shall be a white -creamy colour and of firm  consistency. The rib eye muscle shall be well rounded 
with a bright cherry red colour and a moderate amount of marbling. The lean muscular meat shall have a fine 
texture.  
Final grading of carcasses meeting the prime grade specification shall not be done until after they have been 
chilled overnight and quartered between the 10th and 11th rib for inspection of the rib eye muscle.  
The carcass sh all be free of blemishes other than statutory excisions. Carcasses retained for measles are 
excluded from this grade.  
4.2.2 Choice grade beef  
Shall be derived from well-proportioned  and well fleshed carcasses  with evenly distributed fat. The 
hindquarters s hall be free from blemishes but superficial blemishes shall be allowed in the forequarters. 
Carcasses retained for measles are excluded from this grade.  
4.2.3 Standard grade beef  
Shall be derived from carcasses with some covering of fat.  Carcasses having e xtensive and penetrating 
blemishes affecting the prime cuts shall not be included in this grade.  
4.2.4 Commercial grade beef  
Shall be derived from plain carcasses of steers, heifers, cows or  bulls. This grade shall include beef from 
higher grades which are  severely blemished.  
5 Beef prime cuts  
The beef prime cuts shall be as follows:  
5.1 Leg 
Cut extending from stifle joint to the hock joint.  
5.2 Silver side  
Shall be a cut taken from the outer side of the buttock (round) with all leg  muscle below the stifle joint 
removed.  EAS 84-1: 2019  
4 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 5.3 Topside  
Shall be a cut taken from the inner side of the buttock (round).  
5.4 Thick flank s teak 
Shall be a cut taken from around the femur or round bone to the fore of  the buttock.  
5.5 Rump s teak 
Shall be a cut taken from between the ru mp knuckle bone of the buttock and  the point of the hip bone.  
5.6 Sirloin  
Shall be a cut extending from the rump to and including the eleventh rib with a thin flank removed, and may be 
sold on the bone or boned and rolled with or without the eye fillet.  
5.7 Rolled l oin 
Striploin  rolled with fillet.  
5.8 Fore r ib 
A cut of beef in front of Sirloin comprising of the five bones loin located between the shoulders and the mid 
back   
5.9 Middle r ib 
Consists of 5  ribs to 10 ribs depending upon the ribs left on the hi ndquarters.  
5.10 Thick  rib / Top rib  
a cut found on the shoulder  in the fore quarter of the carcass.  
5.11 Brisket  
A cut taken from that portion of the carcass which extends along the outer edge of the forequarter from the 
neck up  to, and not including, the  eleventh rib. It may be sold on the bone, or boned and rolled.  
5.12 Shin  
The cut from the knee to the arm bone joint.  
5.13 Chuck r ibs 
Shall be a cut comprising the last end of chuck and including the first three  ribs. 
5.14 Neck  
Neck meat is that portion w hich comprises the neck bones.  
6 General requirements  
6.1 Animals from which beef is derived shall be slaughtered in a hygienically managed slaughter house in 
accordance with CAC/RCP 58 . The slaughter shall be supervised by a competent authority. The bovin e EAS 84-1: 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  5 
 animals and carcasses thereof shall be subjected to ante -and post -mortem veterinary inspection, respectively 
as prescribed in the M eat Control Acts of respective Partner S tates, and beef carcasses thereof shall be 
certified as being sound and free from c ontagious and infectious diseases and fit for human consumption.  The 
certified carcasses and shall bear an approval mark  of such inspection, the symbol or number or name of the 
establishment where they were prepared, and the legend 'PASSED' denoting wholes omeness and denoting 
the grade or quality. The marking fluid used shall be of food grade.  
6.2 The beef shall be prepared in a plant which is regularly operated under supervision of the relevant 
competent authority . 
6.3 The beef shall be prepared, handled f resh or chilled or frozen, and then delivered fresh or chilled or 
frozen, under hygienic conditions.  
6.4 Preparation of beef carcasses and beef cuts  
Beef carcasses and cuts shall have been neatly butchered, trimmed, weighed, properly  labelled and shall be 
free from bruises or blemishes of any kind. They shall be delivered in good condition and shall show no 
evidence of deterioration at the time of delivery.  
6.5 Detailed requirements  
The following requirements shall apply to the specified types of  beef carca sses or cuts:  
6.5.1  Type A: Fresh carcass  
The deepest part of the carcass near the bone shall be cooled to  the ambient temperature when delivered and 
shall show no evidence of deterioration.  
6.5.2  Type B: Fresh -chilled carcass  
The carcass shall be chilled so that the temperature at the  deepest portion of the flesh near the bones shall be 
between 1 °C and 4 °C and shall show no evidence of deterioration.  
6.5.3  Type C: Fresh -frozen carcass  
The carcasses shall be frozen solid -18 °C when delivered and they sha ll show no  evidence of deterioration.  
6.5.4  Type D: Beef cuts; fresh  
Shall be prepared from fresh carcasses of Type A and cooled to  the ambient temperature. The cuts shall be 
well trimmed and clean with surplus fat removed.  
6.5.5  Type E: Beef cuts, fresh, Chilled  
These shall be obtained from carcasses of Type A and  chilled as under 6.5.2 or from carcasses of Type B.  
6.5.6  Type F: Beef cuts; fresh, frozen  
These shall be obtained from the carcasses of Type A or  Type B and frozen solid (see 6.5). The cuts sh all 
show no evidence of refreezing or deterioration.  
6.6 Hygienic requirements  
Beef Carcasses and Beef Cuts  shall comply with the microbiological requirements given in Table 3.  EAS 84-1: 2019  
6 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
 Table 3 — Microbiological limits for beef, carcasses and beef cuts  
S. No  Micro -organism  Max. 
limits  Test 
method  
i Aerobic colony count, cfu/g  106  ISO 4833  
ii E. coli per g Absent  ISO 16649 -2 
iii Coagulase positive Staphylococcus aureus , per 
g 103 ISO 6888 -1 
iv Clostridium perfringenes (For vacuum packed 
products),  25 g Absent in  ISO 7937   
v Salmonella ssp.  25 g Absent   ISO 6579  
vi Listeria monocytogenes , 25 g  Absent   ISO 11290 -
1 
7 Contaminants  
Limits for heavy metal contaminants  
Beef carcasses and beef cuts  shall not contain heavy metal contaminants in excess of the limi ts given in 
Table 4 when tested by methods mentioned therein.  
Table 4 — Heavy metal contaminants limits for beef carcasses and beef cuts  
S/No.  Contaminants limits  Maximum limits  
ppm  Test method  
i Arsenic (Ar)  0.1 EAS 101  
ii Lead (Pb)  0.1 ISO 6633  
iii Cadmiu m 0.05 ISO 5961  
iv Mercury  0.03 ISO 6637  
8 Veterinary drugs residues  
The products covered by this standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits specified in CAC/MRL 2 - 
Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs in Food.  
9 Ageing  
9.1 Dry aged, primal and bone in fabricated cuts shall be aged at 1 °C to 4 °C  for up to 4 weeks.  
9.2 Wet aged carcass side, primal and fabricated cuts shall be aged at 1 °C to 4 °C  in vacuum sealed bags 
for a period of up to 4 weeks.  
10 Chilling  
Fresh beef carcasses sides shall be brought to a temperature of betw een 4 ºC and 7 ºC within 24 h. Carcass 
and cuts meant for chilling shall be further chilled to temperatures of 1 ºC to 4 ºC and should be consumed 
within a period of 4 weeks.  EAS 84-1: 2019  
© EAC 2019  – All rights reserved  7 
 11 Freezing and storage  
11.1 The b eef carcasses sides or cuts shall be pre -chilled before freezing and the freezing shall be  
completed at minus ( -)18 °C at the highest, within three days.  
11.2 Frozen beef carcasses sides or cuts shall be stored at minus ( -)18 °C at the highest. The  frozen 
carcass shall be consumed within 12 months under normal conditions of storage.  
12 Meat marking ink  
12.1 The marking ink used for inspection marks or grade marks shall be of food grade material.  
12.2 Grade designation marks on the carcass, side or cuts shall b e applied with a roller stamp  which leaves 
its mark on the full length of the carcass. In case of stamping there should be three stamps on each side of 
the carcass: hind leg, mid  rib section and fore leg.  
13 Packaging and labelling  
13.1 Packag ing 
13.1.1  The fres h and chilled meat shall be packaged in food grade materials. The products if wrapped may 
be packaged in waxed cartons or other approved containers.  
13.1.2  The frozen meat shall be wrapped in food grade material . 
13.1.3  Different cuts of beef such as stea ks, pa tties shall be layer packaged in internally waxed  cartons.  
13.1.4  Vacuum -packaged cuts shall be delivered with vacuum containers intact.  
13.2 Labelling  
In addition to the requirements of EAS 38 , the following labelling requirements shall apply and sh all be  legibly 
and indelibly labelled;  
a) Type and grade of beef;  
b) Name of the manufacturer  and physical address;  
c) Country of origin ; 
d) Batch or code number;  
e) Net weight and gross weight;  
f) Date of production / packaging;  
g) Storage condition; and  
h) Date of expiry.  
14 Transpo rtation  
14.1 The fresh and chilled meat shall be handled and transported under hygienic conditions meeting the 
microbiological limits specified under Table 3 of this Draft standard.  
14.2 Chilled meat shall be handled and t ransported at temperature between 1 ˚C and 4  ˚C. 
14.3 Frozen meat  shall be transported under  -18 ˚C and the pa ckages shall be handled with care to preserve 
quality and safety  of the product . 
 
 EAS 84-1: 2019  
8 © EAC  2019  – All rights reserved  
  EAS 84-1: 2019    
 
© EAC  2019  – All rights reserved