Food Safety Facts Food Safety Information

United States Department of Agriculture

Food Safety and Inspection Service

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is the public health

agency in the U.S. Department of Agriculture responsible for ensuring

that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products

is safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged.

Door-to-Door Meat Sales

USDA Photo

Consumer Checklist

I

n today’s rapid pace world, shopping at home can be both convenient and timesaving. And for many older

adults, stay-at-home parents, or shut-ins, it may be the only convenient way to shop. Many of these shoppers

buy their groceries over the Internet. However, some consumers purchase meat and poultry from dealers who

knock on their door.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

receives many complaints from consumers after

purchase because the quality of the meat or poultry

is not what they expected it to be. These are often

not the delicious cuts of meat touted by the

salesman. Unfortunately, many unhappy customers

have little or no information about the door-to-door

sales company, so redress is difficult or impossible.

However, if they’ve done their homework, consumers

can be pleased with door-to-door meat and poultry

sales. Before making a decision they might later

regret, consumers need to find out important

information about the dealer and the company.

The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline can help potential

buyers do their homework by giving them tips to look

for when buying meat and poultry from door-to-door

salesmen. And in some instances, if the consumer

has information about the company, help can be

obtained after the sale as well.

Inspection and Grading of Meat and

Poultry

The Food Safety and Inspection Service carries out

USDA’s responsibilities under the Federal Meat

Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection

Act. These laws protect consumers by requiring the

mandatory inspection of meat and poultry products

to ensure they are wholesome, unadulterated, and

properly marked labeled and packaged. The box or

package of meat must bear the plant’s inspection

number.

State inspection is mandatory for meat and poultry

being transported and sold within a State. The State

inspection programs must enforce requirements at

least equal to those of Federal inspection laws.

Quality grading of these products is voluntary. A

processing plant may request to have its meat

graded for quality based on traits such as tenderness. USDA grades are based on nationally uniform

Federal standards of quality and are assigned by

the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

For example, the highest beef grades are Prime,

Choice, and Select. Lower grades — Standard,

Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner — are ground

or used in processed meat products. The top grades

for lamb and veal are Prime, Choice, and Good. Pork

is not graded. Grade A is the top poultry grade.

· Check the dealer.

· Ask for a brochure.

· Read the label on the package or carton

before you buy. Insist on having the

establishment number where the meat or

poultry was inspected.

· Check for grading information on the

product.

· Understand the cuts.

· Ask to see a retail permit.

· Always check to be sure the product has

been carried in a refrigerated vehicle.
Door-to-Door Meat Sales

Food Safety Information 2

Before buying meat and poultry from a door-to-door

dealer, become an informed consumer by finding out

important information about the company and

dealer. The Hotline recommends these tips to keep in

mind.

· Check the dealer. Ask for literature and take

plenty of time to read it. If you lack the time

to check into the distribution practices of the

company, consider not purchasing from them.

· Ask for a brochure. Reputable companies

will have a local sales office with a published

price list that includes the address and

phone number of the company. Along with

the price list, they may offer recipes and

nutrition information about their products.

· Read the label on the package or carton

before you buy. Insist on having the

establishment number where the meat or

poultry was inspected. USDA- and Stateinspected products are required to give

information about the product on the label.

On raw products, species, cut, net weight,

ingredients statement, and safe handling

statement are required. No ingredient may

be added to fresh meat or poultry unless the

ingredient is listed on the label. Some

companies may offer less tender cuts or

lower grades of meat or poultry for lower

prices because the product has been

tenderized with a marinade or flavoring

agent. Beware of any dealer who wants you

to purchase bulk quantities of meat and

poultry that are not properly labeled. Always

ask the dealer to leave the box or labeling

information if individual products are not

labeled.

· Check for grading information on the

product. Companies can chose to have the

meat and poultry that they sell graded by

USDA. This is the only mark of identity you

have for knowing the quality familiar to you.

If a meat or poultry product is graded by

USDA, there must be a USDA grade shield or

mark on the carcass, package, or product

label. Only the official USDA grade can be

used as a guide to the quality of the meat.

Meat and poultry companies may label

products with a company’s private quality

label. If a product is labeled with a term such

as “restaurant quality,” ask the company

which USDA grade is comparable.

· Understand the cuts. Know which cut of

meat or poultry you are buying when making

a meat or poultry purchase decision. Check

the label for proper identification of the cut of

meat or poultry you are purchasing. For

example, you don’t want to pay top dollar for

tenderloin and receive a cheaper cut such as

a shoulder roast.

· Ask to see a retail permit. Remember, in

most states, salespersons are required to

have a State license or permit to sell

products door-to-door. Ask to see the

salesperson’s license to sell.

· Always check to be sure the product has

been transported in a refrigerated vehicle.

Never buy meat or poultry products that are

carried in an unrefrigerated truck or car

trunk. The product may be unsafe because

bacteria that cause illness multiply rapidly

above 40 °F.

· You have 3 days to cancel your sale. The

Federal Trade Commission Cooling-Off Rule

gives you 3 days to cancel purchases that

are made in your home or at a location that

is not the permanent place of business or

local address of the seller. The Cooling-Off

Rule does not cover sales of $25 or under.

Under the rule, the salesperson must orally

inform you of your cancellation rights at the

time of sale. You also must be given two

copies of a cancellation form and a copy of

your contract or receipt. The contract or

receipt should be dated, show the name and

address of the seller, and explain your right

to cancel. The contract or receipt must be in

the same language used in the sales

presentation.

· Canceling the sale. Remember that using a

charge card does not guarantee a refund. To

cancel a sale, sign and date one copy of the

cancellation form. Make sure the envelope is

postmarked before midnight of the third

business day after the contract date.

Saturday is considered a business day, but

Sunday and Federal holidays are not.

Because proof of the mailing date and receipt

are important, consider sending the

cancellation form by certified mail. Keep the

other copy of the cancellation form for your

records.

Recommendations from the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
Food Safety Questions?

Door-to-Door Meat Sales

The USDA is an equal opportunity

 provider and employer.

Revised March 2011

FSIS encourages the reprint and distribution of this publication for food safety

education purposes. However, USDA symbols or logos may not be used

separately to imply endorsement of a commercial product or service.

Call the USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline

Send E-mail questions to MPHotline.fsis@usda.gov.

· If you have a complaint about the

company. Try to resolve your dispute with

the seller first. Make sure you act quickly.

Send a letter of complaint. A letter is

important because it puts your complaint on

record and lets the company know you are

serious about pursuing the dispute. Be sure

you keep a copy for your records.

· In general, beware of claims that are too

good to be true. They usually are.

 For Additional Help:

· Check with your State Department of

Agriculture to see if the company is licensed.

· If you encounter “bait and switch” practices,

contact your local or State Consumer

Protection Office.

· Call your local Better Business Bureau to help

you establish if you are doing business with

a reputable firm or if complaints have been

filed against the firm or individual.

· Obtain food safety information 24/7 in

English and Spanish from our virtual

representative at AskKaren.gov and

PregunteleaKaren.gov. You can chat live with

a food safety expert from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Eastern time year round.

· Call USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-

MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). It is staffed by

English- and Spanish-speaking home

economists, registered dietitians, and food

technologists from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern

time year round. An extensive selection of

food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours

a day using a touch-tone phone.

· Go to our website at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Ask Karen!

FSIS’ automated response

system can provide food safety

information

24/7 and a

live chat

during

Hotline

hours.

If you have a question

about meat, poultry, or

egg products, call

the USDA Meat and

Poultry Hotline

toll free at

1-888-MPHotline

(1-888-674-6854)

The hotline is open

year-round

 Monday through Friday from 10

a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English

or Spanish).

Recorded food safety

messages are available

24 hours a day. Check

out the

FSIS Web site at

www.fsis.usda.gov. AskKaren.gov

PregunteleaKaren.gov