(4) Exposed lean and fat surfaces shall be of a color and bloom normally
associated with the class, grade, and cut of meat, and typical of meat which has been
properly stored and handled. Cut surfaces and naturally exposed lean surfaces shall
show no more than a slight darkening or discoloration due to dehydration, aging, and /
or microbial activity. The fat shall show no more than very slight discoloration due to
oxidation or microbial activity.
(5)
No odors foreign to fresh meat shall be present.
(6) The product should show no evidence of freezing, defrosting, or
mishandling. Pork must be maintained in excellent condition through processing,
storage, and transit.
(7) All pork shall be practically free of bruises, blood clots, bloody tissue,
blood discoloration, exposed spinal cord portions, or any other conditions that would
negatively affect the use of the product.
(8) The lean must be at least slightly firm, possess a bright, reasonably
uniform color (slight two-toned color is permissible), ranging from light pink to light red,
have a fine, smooth texture and exhibit no evidence of the pale, soft, and exudative
(PSE) condition.
(9) The skin must be thin, smooth, and pliable. Dark, coarse textured lean
or oily and soft fat shall not be acceptable.
(10) The cutting, trimming, and boning of the cuts shall be accomplished with
sufficient care to allow each cut to retain its identity and to avoid objectionable scores in
the lean meat. Ragged edges will be removed close to the lean surface, except for cuts
that are separated through natural seams. All cut surfaces shall form approximate right
angles with the skin surface with the exception of specifically defined cut separations.
(11) No more than a slight amount of lean, fat, or bone shall be removed or
included from an adjacent cut.
(12) Fresh hams, shoulders, shoulder picnics, Boston butts, and loins must
have at least a moderate degree of meatiness. This is based on a composite evaluation
of thickness of muscling and quantity of intermuscular and external fat.
(13) Bellies must indicate at least a slightly high ratio of lean to fat and have
uniform distribution of fat and lean layers.
(14) Bones must not be ossified to a degree that cartilage is not evident in
the pelvic, spinal, and scapular sections. The split chine bones, spinous processes, and
cross-cut sections of bones must be porous. The color of the bones will range from red
to deep pink. The exterior surface of the rib bones must show at least some redness.
MD0710
5-9