The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia Encyclopedia World Factbook American Heritage Coll. Pork has long been a staple food in most of the world, although religious taboos have limited its use, especially among Jews and Muslims. It is sold either as fresh meat or as ham , bacon , sausage , lard , or a variety of other products.
Fresh pork is sold either chilled or frozen.
The skin and fat of fresh pork should be white, and the flesh should be clear, pink, and fine-grained. The principal fresh cuts are hams, loins, spareribs, shoulders, butts, and feet. The brains, snout, ears, jowls, tail, and tongue are ground up and often used in combination with other meat products. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition.