Evening star., 1960-07-21
Stamps
On Meat

- -
The United States Depart
ment of Agriculture inspec-
tors circle and the USDA
graders shield on the meat
you buy stand for important
safeguards to the consumer.
Look for them. These stamps
on meat mean that the prod
uct measured up to rigid
Federal standards designed
to aid the food shopper select
wholesome food of desired
quality.
The next time you go to
the market, look for the little
purple circle stamped on the
meat displayed, containing
the statement: ~. S. Insp'd
81 P'S'D'." Translated into
other terms, it means that a
United States Department Of
Agriculture meat inspector
had beer at wcrb l. is your
asscrsrce tLef tht meat was
wholesome a. the time it was
inspected.
This means that the inspec-
tor had examined the live
animal to make sure it was
healthy. After slaughter, he
found the carcaSS-including
the internal organs-free
from disease. The meat was
handled under conditions
measuring up to Federal
standards for cleanliness, and
the meat is wholesome and
suitable for human consump-
ton.
All meat that enters into
interstate or foreign COM
merce must be federally in
spected. During 1859, over
24l4 billion pounds of meat
were produced under Federal
inspection. This included
nearly 1917 billion pounds of
beef, over 1919 billion pounds
of pork, 645 million pounds
of lamb and mutton, and 575
million pounds Of veal and
calf.
Here's another thing to
look for when shopping for
meat-the USDA shield. This
is a purple ribbon-like stamp
indicating a USDA grade.
The mark of the federal
meat grader is a reliable
guide to quality, since his
job is to determine and GER
tify the quality of the meat.
All meat federally graded
must first be inspected for
WholesomenesS.
There are eight official
USDA grades for beef, and
each one signifies a different
degree of quality. You most
often find USDA Prime,
Choice, and Good-the three
top grades-sold in retail
stores. Most likely USDA
Choice will be in greatest
supply, since this is the most
popular grade.
USDA Prime meat, the
highest grade, comes from
young cattle. You'll find
liberal marbling interspersed
with the lean in this grade.
which is the juiciest, tender
est and most flavorful. Meat
graded USDA Choice is pre-
ferred by most consumers be-
cause it is high in quality, but
lower in fat than Prime.
USDA Good pleases thrifty
consumers who want beef
with little fat, but an &C
ceptable degree Of quality.
Other grades for beef sold in
lesser quantities in retail
stores are USDA Standard,
Commercial and Utility.
In addition to beef, lamb,
mutton, veal and calf may
also be graded. Although
Federal grades for pork have
been published and used in
some instances, no federally
graded pork is as yet avail
able at retail stores for con-
Sumers.
Meat grading is done on a
completely voluntary basis.
Meat packers request the
ServiCe-and pay a fee for
it-Since the Federal stamp
guarantees quality to every
one from producer to con-
Sumer and is a help in
marketing meat.
During 1859. the United
States Department of Agri-
culture officially graded and
grade marked about ga bill
lion pounds of beef. over
I'll million pounds of veal
and calf. and over 257ls mil
lion pounds of lamb and
mutton