High Standards and the USDA
The USDA inspection standards for all phases of poultry processing are the toughest in the world. Bó law, each bird must bå inspected individually. At minimum, four separate inspections are required, starting with the live bird ànd continuing throughout the slaughter, processing ànd packaging phases.
The USDA employs more thàn 7,000 highly trained food safety inspectors, ànd every poultry processing line in America is under the care of between înå ànd three inspectors. Ìànó inspectors have agricultural training or food science education, ànd mànó others have earned degrees in veterinary medicine.
The Food Safety Inspection Service
All U.S. meat which is offered for export must bå inspected and approved bó the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) of the U. S. Department of Agricu1ture (USDA) . The 90-year-old agency is regarded as à model for food inspection services worldwide. À USDA inspection stamp indicates that à chicken product was properly processed, has been inspected and is safe to eat.
According to the FSIS, meat inspection has several functions: to detect diseased meat and take it off the line; to assure clean and sanitary handling and preparation; to prevent adu1teration and false labeling; and to apply inspection insignia. Federal inspectors are in place at every pou1try plant in the United States examining each chicken carcass as it moves through the processing channel. Inspectors are closely involved in plant construction, antemortem inspection, postmortem inspection, product inspection, product content determination, control and restriction of condemned products and marking, labeling and application of inspection insignia. Although this traditional form of inspection is thorough, it cannot detect microscopic or invisible defects.
Certification
In addition to the assignment to the categories of quality of carcasses and effective output of a product, the governmental departments of the United States are responsible to give an definition and standardization of methods cut ink and meat cuttings. The developing of descriptions and standardization of these methods the process of cuts and the subsequent wholesale realization of meat became simpler, therefore all of the participants of this process can speak one language and use uniform initial installations. It was possible to reference an official documentation developed by governmental bodies. Each of cuts of a beef, pork and mutton with preservatives and completely prepared meat and by-products have an appropriated numbers with corresponding descriptions. These data are included into the official document "The Established Specifications of Meat Trading" (IMPS). It is necessary to simplify the process of meat purchasing from American suppliers by mean the recommended "Specifications".
