GLOSSARY

A

ANGUS (BLACK ANGUS) – THIS IS A BREED OF CATTLE

ANTIBIOTICS- MICROORGANISMS ABLE TO INHIBIT OR KILL OTHER MICROORGANISMS IN DILUTE SOLUTION

B

BEEF- MEAT PRODUCED FROM CATTLE

BRANDS - IDENTIFY PRODUCTS BY NAME

BSE (BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY) - FATAL PRION DISEASE OF CATTLE THAT AFFECTS THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND IS PROBABLY TRANSMITTED BY INFECTED TISSUE IN FOOD (ALSO KNOWN AS MAD COW DISEASE)

BULL- ADULT MALE ABLE TO BREED

C

CALF – YOUNG COW

CANNER- AN INFERIOR CLASS OF BEEF

CARCASS- BODY OF ANIMAL REMAINING POST HARVEST

CELSIUS – TEMPERATURE SCALE

CHOICE-A GOOD, TENDER, FLAVORFUL GRADE OF BEEF

CLONING- PRODUCING A COPY OF AN ANIMAL USING ITS DNAINTRANSITIVE VERB

COW - ADULT FEMALE THAT HAS PRODUCED AT LEAST ONE CALF

CRYOVAC-AN AIRTIGHT PLASTIC BAG

CUTTER - A VERY LOW QUALITY GRADE OF BEEF

D

DOWNER- A VERY LOW QUALITY GRADE OF BEEF

DRY AGED BEEF- EXPECT A LOSS OF WEIGHT IN THE PRODUCT DUE TO DEHYDRATION. FIBROUS TISSUES WITHIN THE MUSCLE BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN, MAKING IT MORE TENDER. AGING GIVES THE MEAT MORE FLAVOR, AND IT ALSO CAUSES THE COLOR TO GET DARKER.

E

E. COLI- AN ENTEROBACTERIUM (ESCHERICHIA COLI) THAT IS USED AS AN INDICATOR OF FECAL POLLUTION (IN WATER OR FOOD); AN ORGANISM THAT OCCURS IN VARIOUS STRAINS THAT CAN LIVE AS A HARMLESS INHABITANT OF THE HUMAN LOWER INTESTINE OR PRODUCE A TOXIN CAUSING INTESTINAL ILLNESS

ETHANOL- USED AS A SOLVENT IN FUEL; ALSO CALLED ETHYL ALCOHOL

F

FABRICATING- PRODUCING OR MANUFACTURING BEEF

FAHRENHEIT- TEMPERATURE SCALE

FEED – FED TO CATTLE AT FEED LOTS

FEED LOT- A PLOT OF LAND WHERE LIVESTOCK ARE FATTENED PRIOR TO HARVEST

FOREQUARTER- THE FRONT HALF OF A LATERAL HALF OF THE CARCASS

FSIS – BRANCH OF USDA THAT MONITORS LABELING

G

GRADING – PROCESS THAT DETERMINES QUALITY PERFORMED BY USDA AT THE PACKING PLANT

GRAIN FED- CATTLE EAT CORN AND OTHER GRAIN, MAKING BEEF MORE MARBELED AND FLAVORFUL

GRASS-FED- CATTLE RAISED ON PASTURE GRAZING ONLY; NEVER GRAIN-FED

H

HACCP - HAZARD ANALYSIS AND CRITICAL CONTROL POINT. HACCP IS A SYSTEM COMPRISED OF 7 PRINCIPLES THAT ARE TO BE APPLIED TO A WRITTEN FOOD SAFETY PROGRAM.

HALAL - FOOD RITUALLY FIT ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC LAW

HEIFER- A YOUNG FEMALE BEFORE SHE HAS HAD HER FIRST CALF

HINDQUARTER- ONE SIDE OF THE BACK HALF OF THE CARCASS WITH A LEG AND USUALLY ONE OR MORE RIBS

HOLSTEIN- A BREED OF CATTLE

HORMONES- REGULATE GROWTH IN CATTLE; THEY OCCUR NATURALLY, BUT CATTLE ARE SOMETIMES GIVEN SHOTS THAT STIMULATE THEIR PRODUCTION

I

INSPECTION – PERFORMED TO ENFORCE LAWS AND REGULATIONS

J

K

KOBE - A METHOD OF RAISING CATTLE DEVELOPED IN JAPAN TO PRODUCE BEEF WITH VERY HIGH MARBELING; USUALLY PRODUCED WITH WAGYU CATTLE

KOSHER- SANCTIONED BY JEWISH LAW ESPECIALLY RITUALLY FIT FOR USE

L

LABELING- BMETHOD OF DESCRIBING OR DESIGNATING A PRODUCT

LIVESTOCK- ANIMALS RAISED FOR BREEDING OR CONSUMPTION

M

MAD COW DISEASE- NICKNAME FOR BOVINE SPONGIFORM ENCEPHALOPATHY (BSE)

MARBELING- INTRAMUSCULAR FAT THAT APPEARS AS SMALL WHITE SPECS WITHIN THE LEAN OF BEEF

MEAT- FOOD PRODUCED FROM ANIMALS

N

NATURAL-FOOD THAT HAS UNDERGONE MINIMAL PROCESSING AND CONTAINS NO PRESERVATIVES OR ARTIFICIAL ADDITIVES

NO- ROLL-UNGRADED BEEF

O

ORGANIC- RAISED HORMONE FREE

P

PACKING PLANT – BUILDING WHERE ANIMALS ARE FABRICATED INTO MEAT

PORTION CUT- FURTHER CUTTING THAT TURNS PRIMALS INTO STEAKS

PSMO- PEELED SIDE MUSCLE OFF

PRIMAL- LARGE SECTIONS OF BEEF

PRIME- THE HIGHEST GRADE OF BEEF WHICH HAS THE MOST MARBELING AND FLAVOR

Q

R

S

SELECT-GRADE OF BEEF

SLAUGHTER- THE BUTCHERING OF LIVESTOCK FOR MEAT

STANDARD- LOW GRADE OF BEEF

STEERS-CASTRATED MALE RAISED FOR BEEF PRODUCTION

T

TRIM – SMALL PIECES OF MEAT THAT RESULT FROM SHAPING PRIMALS DURING FABRICATION

U

USDA- UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

UTILITY-LOWER GRADE OF BEEF

V

W

WET AGED BEEF- IS BEEF THAT HAS TYPICALLY BEEN AGED IN A VACUUM SEALED BAG TO RETAIN ITS MOISTURE

X

Y

Z