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POULTRY GRADING MANUAL
The primary reference for the grading of poultry is the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR) Title 7. The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, has prepared the
Poultry Grading Manual as a guide for the uniform application of the United States (US)
classes, standards, and grades of poultry as found in the CFR. For veterinary food inspection
specialists to understand the proper grade verification process, it is essential for them to
have knowledge of the structure of the bird and to know the different classes of poultry and
the terminology used to designate these classes. The information in the Poultry Grading
Manual is designed to help attain these objectives. In fact, much of the information presented
in this subcourse is derived from this manual.
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DRESSED POULTRY
The term "dressed poultry" refers to poultry slaughtered for use as human food,
with the head, feet, and viscera intact and from which the blood and feathers have been
removed. Even though the US Standards of Quality apply to dressed poultry and the
USDA poultry grading regulations provide for the grading of dressed poultry, this
product is practically nonexistent on today's market. When dressed poultry is quality
graded, the individual carcasses of dressed poultry may not be officially identified with
the grade mark. The military services do not procure dressed poultry.
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READY-TO-COOK POULTRY
a. Definition. The term "ready-to-cook (RTC), means any dressed poultry
from which the protruding pinfeathers, vestigial feathers (hair or down as the case may
be), head, shanks, crop, oil gland, trachea, esophagus, entrails, and lungs have been
removed, and which is with or without giblets and ready to cook without further
processing. Ready-to-cook poultry also means any edible part or any cut-up or
disjointed portion of such poultry.
b. Uses of Ready-to Cook Carcasses and Parts. Ready-to-cook poultry
carcasses and parts, as well as certain poultry products, may be graded for quality
according to official standards and grades. Lessons 2 and 3 will provide detailed
information about classes, standards, and grades. Ready-to-cook poultry may be
certified as meeting the special requirements of a buyer's purchase contract or
specification. Certificates or other documents may also be issued relative to the
product graded.
MD0728
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