Beef Quality

Quality

Most people describe overall beef quality as the combination of quality grades and eating satisfaction, including characteristics like flavor, juiciness and tenderness. All products offered for sale must be in excellent condition. The exposed lean and fat surfaces shall be of a color and bloom normally associated with the class, grade, and cut of meat specified. The lean shall also be practically free of bruises, blood clots, bloody tissue, blood discoloration, or any other conditions that would negatively affect the use of the product. The meat must be maintained in excellent condition through processing, storage, and transit. Cut surfaces and naturally exposed lean surfaces, as well as fat, shall show no more than slight darkening or discoloration due to dehydration, aging, and/or microbial activity or oxidation unless the product was specified to be dry aged. No other odors foreign to fresh meat shall be present. Changes in color and odors characteristically associated with vacuum-packaged meat shall be acceptable.