Meat and Poultry Labeling Terms
"What does `mechanically separated
meat or poultry' mean?"
"If chicken is labeled 'fresh,' how can it be so rock
hard?"
"Does 'natural' mean 'raised without hormones'?"
These are just some of the questions consumers
have asked USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline about words which may
be descriptive of meat and poultry. Can they be legally used on
labels and, if so, what are their definitions?
Here from USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is
a glossary of meat and poultry labeling terms. FSIS is the agency
responsible for ensuring the truthfulness and accuracy in
labeling of meat and poultry products. Knowing the meaning of
labeling terms can make purchasing of meat and poultry products
less confusing.
- BASTED or SELF BASTED:
- Bone-in poultry products
that are injected or marinated with a solution containing
butter or other edible fat, broth, stock or water plus
spices, flavor enhancers and other approved substances
must be labeled as basted or self basted. The maximum
added weight of approximately 3% solution before
processing is included in the net weight on the label.
Label must include a statement identifying the total
quantity and common or usual name of all ingredients in
the solution, e.g., "Injected with approximately
3% of a solution of ____________ (list of
ingredients)."
Use of the terms "basted"
or "self-basted" on boneless poultry products is limited to
8% of the weight of the raw poultry before processing.
-
- CERTIFIED:
- The term "certified"
implies that the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection
Service and the Agriculture Marketing Service have
officially evaluated a meat product for class, grade, or
other quality characteristics (e.g., "Certified
Angus Beef"). When used under other circumstances,
the term must be closely associated with the name of the
organization responsible for the "certification"
process, e.g., "XYZ Company's Certified
Beef".
-
- CHEMICAL FREE:
- The term is not
allowed to be used on a label.
-
- FREE RANGE or FREE
ROAMING:
- Producers must demonstrate
to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to
the outside.
-
- FRESH POULTRY:
- In August, 1995 USDA/FSIS
published a rule attempting to modify the definition of
"fresh" to refer to poultry whose internal
temperature has never been below 26 °F. That rule
said poultry whose internal temperature is between 26 °F
and 0 °F cannot be called "fresh" but must be
called "hard-chilled" or "previously hard
chilled." In January, 1996 the final rule was
published in the Federal Register. However, Congress did
not appropriate money for enforcing the rule. On August
8, 1996, Congress asked FSIS to revise the final rule.
FSIS has now amended the poultry product inspection
regulations to prohibit the use of the term
"fresh" on the labeling of raw poultry products
whose internal temperature has ever been below 26 °F.
Also, labels of raw poultry products whose temperature
has ever been below 26 °F, but above 0 °F, will not be
required to bear any specific, descriptive labeling
terms, including "hard chilled" or
"previously hard chilled." To be in compliance
with the revised rule, raw poultry products that are
labeled as "fresh" but have ever had an
internal temperature below 26 °F will have to
have the "fresh" designation deleted or removed
from labeling on the package. The final rule also sets a
temperature tolerance for raw poultry products. The
temperature of individual packages of raw poultry
products labeled "fresh" can vary as much as
1°F below 26 °F within inspected establishments or 2
°F below 26 °F in commerce. This revised final rule
appeared in the December 17, 1996, Federal Register and
becomes effective 1 year later - December 17, 1997.
-
- FROZEN POULTRY:
- Temperature of raw poultry
is 0 °F or below.
-
- FRYER-ROASTER TURKEY:
- Young, immature turkey
usually less than 16 weeks of age of either sex.
-
- HALAL and ZABIAH
HALAL:
- Products prepared by
federally inspected meat packing plants identified with
labels bearing references to "Halal" or "Zabiah
Halal" must be handled according to Islamic law
and under Islamic authority.
-
- HEN or TOM TURKEY:
- The sex designation of "hen"
(female) or "tom" (male) turkey is
optional on the label, and is an indication of size
rather than the tenderness of a turkey.
-
- KOSHER:
- "Kosher"
may be used only on the labels of meat and poultry
products prepared under Rabbinical supervision.
-
- "MEAT" DERIVED
BY ADVANCED MEAT/BONE SEPARATION AND MEAT RECOVERY
SYSTEMS:
- The definition of
"meat" was amended in December 1994 to include
as "meat" product derived from advanced
meat/bone separation machinery which is comparable in
appearance, texture and composition to meat trimmings and
similar meat products derived by hand. Product produced
by advanced meat recovery (AMR) machinery can be labeled
using terms associated with hand- deboned product, e.g.,
beef trimmings and ground beef. The AMR machinery cannot
grind, crush or pulverize bones to remove edible meat
tissue and bones must emerge essentially intact. The meat
produced in this manner can contain no more than 150
milligrams of calcium per 100 grams product. Products
that exceed the calcium content limit must be labeled
"mechanically separated beef or pork."
-
- MECHANICALLY SEPARATED
MEAT
- is a paste-like and
batter-like meat product produced by forcing bones with
attached edible meat under high pressure through a sieve
or similar device to separate the bone from the edible
meat tissue. Mechanically separated meat has been used in
certain meat and meat products since the late 1970s. In
1982, a final rule published by FSIS on mechanically
separated meat said it was safe -- restrictions on level
of use and products it can be used in are based on
safety. Mechanically separated meat must be labeled as
"mechanically separated beef or pork."
-
- MECHANICALLY SEPARATED
POULTRY
- is a paste-like and
batter-like poultry product produced by forcing bones
with attached edible tissue through a sieve or similar
device under high pressure to separate bone from the
edible tissue. Mechanically separated poultry has been
used in poultry products since 1969. In 1995, a final
rule on mechanically separated poultry said it would be
used without restrictions. However, it must be labeled as
"mechanically separated chicken or turkey"
in the ingredients statement. The final rule became
effective November 4, 1996.
-
- NATURAL:
- A product containing no
artificial ingredient or added color and is only
minimally processed (a process which does not
fundamentally alter the raw product) may be labeled
natural. The label must explain the use of the term
natural (such as - no added colorings or artificial
ingredients; minimally processed.)
-
- NO HORMONES (pork or
poultry):
- Hormones are not allowed
in raising hogs or poultry. Therefore, the claim "no
hormones added" cannot be used on the
labels of pork or poultry unless it is followed by a
statement that says "Federal regulations prohibit
the use of hormones."
-
- NO HORMONES (beef):
- The term "no
hormones administered" may be approved
for use on the label of beef products if sufficient
documentation is provided to the Agency by the producer
showing no hormones have been used in raising the
animals.
-
- NO ANTIBIOTICS (red meat
and poultry):
- The terms "no
antibiotics added" may be used on labels for meat or
poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided
by the producer to the Agency demonstrating that the
animals were raised without antibiotics.
-
- ORGANIC:
- For information about the
National
Organic Program and use of the term "organic" on labels, refer to these
factsheets from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service:
• Organic Food
Standards and Labels: The Facts
•
Labeling and
Marketing Information
-
- OVEN PREPARED:
- Product is fully cooked and
ready to eat.
-
- OVEN READY:
- Product is ready to cook.
-
- YOUNG TURKEY:
- Turkeys of either sex that
are less than 8 months of age according to present
regulations.
-
For additional food safety information about meat, poultry,
or egg products, call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline
(1-888-674-6854); for the hearing-impaired (TTY) 1-800-256-7072. The Hotline is staffed by food safety experts weekdays from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time. Food safety recordings can be heard 24 hours a day
using a touch-tone phone.
The media may contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at
(301) 504-6258.
Information is also available from the FSIS Web site: http://www.fsis.usda.gov
The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
For Further Information Contact:
FSIS Food Safety Education Staff
Meat and Poultry Hotline:
Consumer Publications List | FSIS
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