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
(1) |
Although the terms appearing in the attached
diagrams must be used in the labelling of meat cuts, these terms need not be
used for products such as stewing beef, beef shishkebob, pork fondue or for
other meat which has been broken down into small pieces. |
(2) |
The name(s) of the cut(s) from
which ground meat is prepared need not be used to describe this
product. |
(3) |
Minute (mechanically tenderized) steaks taken from
the beef hip must be labelled with either: |
|
(i) |
the appropriate specific term, e.g., "RUMP MINUTE STEAKS"; or |
|
(ii) |
the term "HIP" (i.e., "HIP MINUTE STEAKS"). |
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
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