There is a bunch of fresh meat inside hundreds of grocery stores all across the US. I have never, ever, been inside a grocery store in my life and have seen meat not USDA prime.
First off who is actually rating this meat? I cannot fathom that every farm is shipping their meat to an USDA lab where each carcass is tested, graded, then sent to the grocer/butcher.
So how does meat actually get its grade? What happens to meat that doesn’t pass? And how does the consumer actually believe that every cut of meat truly *is* being inspected and that the “USDA” sticker isn’t just the equivalent of slapping a meaningless “organic” label on the package.
In: Economics
So you’re actually asking two separate questions.
One is about the grade of said meat, the other is about passing inspection.
FSIS is the sub division of the USDA that is on site for inspection for meat and poultry products from slaughter to packaging. When you see the USDA establishment number and mark of inspection that ensures that the product is presumably safe from adulteration. There are many guidelines USDA establishments must follow in order to be able to apply the mark of inspection. To list a few of the requirements; have FSIS personnel in plant during every production day, adequate HACCP plans, record keeping, in plant testing, and so on.
9 CFR part 300-500 is regarding meat and poultry regulations.
As for grading that grade gives you a “snapshot” of what the entire carcass quality could be. A grading station would look at intramuscular fat and animal age and determine the grade, prime, choice select, and so on.
All of those grades are passed for human consumption.
It’s not as if a Select cut didn’t pass inspection. It’s just a quality grade.
Anything that does not pass inspection through FSIS does not enter commerce. It is condemned and denatured on site.
Latest Answers