Using Marbling Scores To Assign Quality Grades

Determine lean firmness to ensure that the minimum degree of firmness specified for each maturity group is met.

Using marbling scores to assign quality grades. It is fairly tender but because it has less marbling it may lack some of the juiciness and flavor of the higher grades. Evaluate the marbling in the ribeye and determine the marbling score. View the marbling image for slight jpg. Select beef is very uniform in quality and normally leaner than the higher grades.

Degree of marbling is the primary determination of quality grade. Beef that is given a higher grade is usually from younger cattle and has more fat marbling. In general however marbling scores are discussed in tenths within each degree of marbling e g slight 90 small 00 small 10. The beef grading system developed by the united states department of agriculture is a voluntary grading system based on the meat s maturity and level of fat marbling these two factors are indicators of the beef s tenderness.

In japan visual appraisal of beef quality is performed by the japan meat grading assoc. Jmga and beef marbling grades are classified into 12 categories table 1 according to the abundance degree of marbling in the ld muscle between the 6th and 7th rib of which the distribution of marbling is more abundant than that of the 12th and 13th. Overall maturity marbling score usda quality grade. Quality grade marbling score prime abundant 00 100 prime.

Degrees of marbling each degree of marbling is divided into 100 subunits. A score of a5 represents the highest possible grade of. It accounts for the yield grade amount of usable meat by assigning beef a letter grade a c with a being the best.