To Market
From the Ranch to the Dinner Plate
Inspecting Beef Grading Beef ‘Branding’ Beef Enhancing Beef Color of Beef
Beef Inspection Began in 1891 Responsibility of the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), the public health agency for the USDA Considered by many to be the most regulated segment of the food industry
Beef Inspection Federal Meat Inspection Program Mandatory (paid for by taxpayers) Ensures only meat from healthy animals enters food chain Ensures facilities and equipment meet sanitation standards U.S. inspected and passed stamp on each primal On outside of container if packaged Includes official establishment number of processing plant
Producing Wholesome Beef The beef industry is committed to producing the safest products possible Includes everyone: Livestock producer (Beef Quality Assurance Program) Packer/processor (USDA-FSIS oversight and HACCP implementation) Wholesaler/retailer operations (cold chain management) Foodservice operator or consumer (ServSafe®, proper cookery)
Kosher Beef Dietary standard for those practicing Judaism under Islamic law Hebrew meaning “fit and proper” or “properly prepared” Processed under supervision of a rabbi; independent of the requirements for federal/state meat inspection Hindquarter cuts not available as kosher Kosher inspection stamp applied after meeting kosher and federal/state inspection requirements
Halal Beef Arabic meaning “lawful” or “permitted” Dietary standard for practicing Muslims under Islamic law Animal or poultry must be harvested in a ritual called Zibah Animal must be alive and healthy at time of harvest Harvest must be performed by a Muslim Halal or Zabiah Halal labels must be handled according to Islamic law under Islamic authority Independent of the requirements for federal/state meat inspection
Federal Meat Grading Program USDA meat grading program Established in 1927 Administered by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Sets “standards” of quality and cutability Generates federal grade standards for beef and veal Grading is voluntary (meat inspection is mandatory) Paid for by meat packers Provides operator with a prediction of palatability Tenderness, juiciness, flavor
Quality and Yield Grades 8 Quality Grades 3 most familiar: Choice, Select and Prime 5 remaining: Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner Less than 1% of older cattle that could qualify for Commercial or Utility are graded
SOURCE: USDA, 2010
5 Yield Grades 1=leanest 5=fattest
What’s Graded? Beef carcass, not individual cuts Grade carries forward to all wholesale/primal and portion cuts derived from graded carcass Roughly 95% of all federally inspected slaughter gets a grade
Rolled and “No Roll” Beef Rolled: Graded carcass “rolled” with blue ink stamp or shield to designate grade Rolled along back from Round to Chuck and over the clod and brisket No Roll: Ungraded carcass No official USDA grade standard No official “no roll” stamp
Lower Quality Still Valuable Carcasses from lower quality grades not typically graded Wholesome and nutritious, but less tender Commonly used in Ground beef Sausages Other manufactured meat products The best cuts/subprimals of lower grades may be tenderized and used in lower-priced beef entrées
Carcass Fat
Plays important role in determining quality and yield grades Types of fat: Marbling (intramuscular) Fat deposited within the muscle Important factor in determining quality grade Last area for fat to be deposited External (subcutaneous) Covers outside of the carcass Has negative impact on final yield grade Seam (intermuscular) Lies between muscles Has negative impact on final yield grade Internal (KPH) Protects internal organs Has negative impact on final yield grade
Slightly abundant marbling
Moderate marbling
Small marbling
The Final Word About Quality Relationship Between Marbling, Maturity, and Carcass Quality Grade*
Degrees of Marbling Slightly Abundant Moderate Modest Small Slight Traces Practically Devoid
* Assumes that firmness of lean is comparably developed with the degree of marbling and that the carcass is not a “dark cutter.” ** Maturity increases from left to right (A through E). *** The A Maturity portion of the figure is the only portion applicable to bullock carcasses. SOURCE: USDA
A Word About Yield Grading
Performed by same USDA grader who determines quality grade Identifies differences in carcass cutability Cutability: the amount of saleable meat obtained from the carcass as boneless, trimmed retail cuts USDA Yield Grades and Quality Grades are “rolled” onto the beef carcass at the same time Useful at purchasing level Lower yield grade number translates to: Smaller cutting loss Less seam fat within individual cuts Higher cooking yield Yield Grade 1
greatest amount of saleable meat
Yield Grade 5
least amount of saleable meat
Certification – Assists Branding “Branding” is increasingly popular Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Provides voluntary certification services Provides for certification of specific carcass characteristics within each program’s published requirements Provides confidence that claims made were substantiated by independent 3rd party oversight Currently has approved certification services for 60+ beef programs
Aging A natural enzymatic process that occurs in all muscles after harvesting Two types of aging: Dry Wet (vacuum packaged) Research suggests that tenderness of cooked beef can be affected by: Individual muscles USDA quality grade Length of aging time
Dry vs. Wet Aging Wet Aging
Dry Aging
Vacuum Bags
Uncovered
Under Refrigeration
Under Refrigeration
N/A
Controlled Humidity & Air Flow
Up to 45 Days
Up to 35 Days
Tenderness Increases
Tenderness Increases
Traditional Flavor
Distinctive Brown-Roasted Beefy Flavor
Yield Loss less than 1%
Yield Loss 4-19%
Less Expensive than Dry Aged
More Expensive than Wet Aged
Enhanced Beef Meat is soaked, massaged, tumbled and/or injected with a marinade to: Enhance tenderness or juiciness Impart other attributes, such as color or flavor All prepackaged products must disclose on the label the amount of marinade and the ingredients used
Enhancement Ingredients
Primary ingredients are: Water Salt Phosphates These ingredients affect: Texture Water-holding capacity (increases it) Meat proteins = 20% of beef’s composition and can hold 4X their weight in water Secondary ingredients are: Seasonings Acids Sweeteners Results: Impart unique flavors Improve visual appearance Provide extended shelf life
Dark Beef: A Natural Phenomenon Abnormally dark color, generally the result of reduced glycogen (muscle “sugar”) when animal is harvested Causes: Excessive animal stress prior to harvest Stressful conditions (i.e., severe weather changes)
Effects: Does not affect eating quality Higher muscle pH (less acid) after carcass is chilled May receive one full grade lower
Quality Not Affected
About 2% of steers and heifers are dark cutters Acceptable for many foodservice applications Appears the same as “normal” colored beef after cooking Does NOT have as long of a shelf-life
Beef Color Myoglobin A protein in muscles, similar to hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in blood Various amounts give meats their distinctive colors Myoglobin in a Gram of Meat Meat
mg
Meat Color
Beef
8
Bright Red
Lamb
6
Red
Pork
2
Grayish-Pink
Veal
2
Light-Pink
Chicken
2
Light-Pink
Fish
2
Light-Pink
Oxygen & Color Beef muscle not exposed to air (oxygen) is a purplish-red color Foodservice operator will recognize a color change with vacuum-packaged beef cuts Sealed bag, color appears purple-red Opened bag, “blooms” to bright, cherry-red Fresh meat exposed to oxygen for a longer period of time may change to a “brownish” color Chemical change is called oxidation Color can toggle between purple and red but once it changes to brown, it cannot go back
Color and Meat Cookery Myoglobin, along with other meat proteins, “denatures” when cooked The higher the internal temperature of the meat, the less red the cooked meat becomes, reflecting the “degree of doneness” of the cooked meat
medium rare (145°F)
medium (160°F)
well done (170°F)
Iridescent Beef
Rainbow color in raw and cooked beef Naturally occurring phenomenon Does not affect quality or palatability Created by interference of light waves reflected off the meat’s surface Smooth meat surfaces may exhibit iridescence more vividly than rough surfaces Common in Roast Beef and Eye Round
Beef Color Dynamics Persistent pinking - cooked fresh meats that remain red on the surface or interior despite being fully cooked i.e. meatloaf that remains pink even when fully cooked Scientifically proven causes are: Traces of nitrates in water supplies Traces of nitrites and nitrates in vegetables Use of pepper solution (which may contain a trace of natural nitrate) Presence of carbon monoxide in heating gases and exhaust gases may lead to the red ring on cooked meats
Summary Inspection is mandatory; federally administered Grading for quality and yield is voluntary Aging and marinating enhance beef's tenderness and flavor Color of meat is an important factor
To Market: QUIZ 1. What agency is responsible for beef inspection? A. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) B. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) C. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) D. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
To Market: QUIZ 2. Which segment of the beef industry is responsible for following food safety guidelines? A. Livestock producer B. Packer/processor C. Wholesaler/retailer/foodservice operator D. All of the above 3. True or False: Kosher and Halal certification are independent of the requirements for federal/state meat inspection 4. True or False: Beef grading is mandatory
To Market: QUIZ 5. Which of the following is not one of the most familiar beef grades: A. Choice B. Select C. Standard D. Prime
To Market: QUIZ 6. The term “rolled” versus “no rolled” refer to: A. The way the cuts of beef are packaged B. The way a grade stamp is rolled across the beef carcass C. The way the carcass is handled during processing D. None of the above
To Market: QUIZ 7. True or false: Beef carcasses determined a Yield Grade 5 have more meat than those labeled Yield Grade 1 8. Dark cutting beef is generally the result of: A. Dry aging B. Tumble marinating C. Reduced glycogen during harvest D. Increased myoglobin in the muscle
To Market: QUIZ 9. Vacuum packaged beef may appear ___ when sealed but bloom to ____ when opened. A. Red, Purplish red B. Purplish-red, red C. Brown, Purplish red
To Market: QUIZ KEY 1. A. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) (see slide 3) 2. D. All of the above (see slide 5) 3. True (see slides 6 & 7) 4. False (see slide 8) 5. C. Standard (see slide 9) 6. B. The way a grade stamp is rolled across the beef carcass (see slide 11) 7. False (see slide 15) 8. Reduced glycogen during harvest (see slide 21) 9. Purplish-red, red (see slide 24)
Resources Beef Product Enhancement Research http://www.beefresearch.org/productenhancementre search.aspx Industry Guide for Beef Aging www.beefresearch.org/executivesummaries.aspx USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service http://www.fsis.usda.gov/ USDA Agricultural Marketing Service – Grading, Certification and Verification http://www.ams.usda.gov/