Food > Labelling > Meat Cuts Manual 

Meat Cuts Manual

Beef | Lamb | Pork | Poultry | Veal

INTRODUCTION

The Meat Inspection Act and Regulations, the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations, and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations, which are administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency at all levels of trade, require that meat cuts, organs, and other carcass parts be identified on labels with proper common names.

The primary objective of this Uniform Meat Cut Nomenclature System (UMCNS) is not to unduly restrict acceptable meat cutting practices but rather, to ensure that meat, which is cut and offered for sale, is properly identified in a meaningful and uniform way. In essence, this program is designed to provide the trade and consumers with a simple and informative system of nomenclature which will ensure the use of standardized terms in the naming of meat cuts, discourage any misuse of these terms and provide consumers with information which they require in making price comparisons and in selecting cooking methods.

The common names for meat cuts which appear in this Manual were developed jointly with industry, learning institutions, and other government agencies and are the common names which must be used in labelling all beef, veal, pork, lamb, and poultry meat cuts.

The definitions enclosed in this manual establish limits within which these cut names may be used.

In establishing this UMCNS, it is recognized that other cutting methods also exist. Such cutting methods are not to be objected to as long as the meat is properly identified in accordance with the common names and definitions contained in this manual.

For example, products which are cut in a manner which differs from that provided by the descriptions such as a chicken cut which contains portions of LEG and BACK are acceptable provided they are adequately identified and are not misrepresented; e.g.: "CHICKEN LEGS WITH BACK ATTACHED". This latter common name is acceptable because it clearly indicates the true nature of the cut in question

Finally, non-descriptive fanciful and coined names which lead to mistaken identity or to deception are frequently in violation of Articles 5 and/or 6 of the Food and Drugs Act and, in the case of prepackaged products, of Article 7 of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act.

Meat Cut Nomenclature Exemptions

Minute steaks which come from parts of the carcass other than the hip must in all cases be labelled with the appropriate term given in the diagram.

Beef | Lamb | Pork | Poultry | Veal