United States Department of Agriculture

USDA Poultry-Grading Manual United States Department of Agriculture

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Poultry-Grading Manual
Agricultural Marketing Service Agriculture, Handbook Number 31

This manual is a guide to the uniform application of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) classes, standards, and grades for poultry, and to USDA's voluntary poultry grading and certification services. It can also serve as the course outline for a poultry grading school. It is designed primarily to aid poultry graders. However, it should also prove useful to those teaching poultry marketing, to quality control personnel in the poultry industry, and to volume food purchasers.

Contents:
I. Introduction
II. Poultry Grading and Certification Services
A. Poultry Programs
B. Poultry Eligible for Grading and Certification
C. Official Identification Marks
III. Grading According to Quality Standards
and Grades
A. Uses of Standards and Grades
B. Examining Carcasses and Parts To Determine Quality
C. Quality Factors for Carcasses and Parts
D. Cutting Poultry Parts
IV. U. S. Classes, Standards, and Grades for Poultry
A. Classes of Ready-to-Cook Poultry
B. Standards for Quality of Ready-to-Cook Individual Carcasses and Parts
C. Standards for Quality of Specified Poultry
Food Products
D. Grades for Ready-to-Cook Poultry and Specified Poultry Food Products
V. Certification to Specific Purchase Requirements
VI. Resource Materials Available
Revised April 1998

Notice:
- Full version, All Chapters included.
- This publication is available (Electronic version) in the official website of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

Disclaimer: "The use or appearance of U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), text, images or logos, Seals on this version does not imply or constitute endorsement of the distribution service."