Labeling Rules

Information about labeling beef cuts

By JOE O'CONNELL, cbbqa Past President

Barbecue cooks face complex issues in the selection and preparation of beef cuts for barbecue. Most of the beef that is sold in the United States is labeled under USDA rules. See the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website for more information.

Labeling

The United States has strict labeling laws which apply to beef and other raw meat and poultry. Any product bearing a label with a federal mark of inspection must contain:

The name of the product
Ingredients list (if applicable)
Name and address of the manufacturer
An accurate statement of the net contents
Safe Handling Instructions (required for raw products)

In addition, some labels may contain quality claims. A quality claim is, for example, the statement "USDA Prime chuck roast, Certified Black Angus". Some retailers transfer these claims from the carcass grade to the their finished products, which is permitted. Thus, if the retailer slices a USDA Prime chuck roast into steaks, the steaks could also be labeled Prime.

Federal law requires that, if a quality claim is made, it must be true. For example, it is illegal for a retailer to label a cut as Choice if the actual grade was only Select. Although illegal, the barbecue cook must be vigilant and aware the mislabeling may occur, so the well-informed cook should be able to distinguish some mislabeled cuts. For example, if a cook looks at a rib eye steak labeled Prime, the cook should be able to tell if the the actual USDA grade was only Select.

Keep in mind, however, that not all beef has been graded by the USDA. Many markets sell beef cuts which have no grade, so the cook should be able to inspect the meat and determine whether the cut is worth the price being charged.

In addition to the required features, many retailers will place special codes on their labels. These codes might identify the product, the day and time it was produced, and shelf life information. This coding system could be beneficial to the processor in case of a product recall. An efficient coding system can specifically identify any affected product and save time and money. The retailer may also put a "sell by" or "use by" date on the package.

Related sites:

See the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website for more information about labeling.