N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-3.1 - Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this Subchapter, shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Back ribs" means ribs derived from the rib area of pork loin.

"Bottom sirloin butt" means meat derived from the posterior portion of the loin of cattle after removal of the short loin and which is the lower portion (ventral side) of the sirloin after removal of the top sirloin butt (dorsal side) by a cut following the natural muscle seam (blue tissue).

"Club steak" means meat derived from the anterior end (rib end) of the short loin of cattle or the posterior end (loin end) of the rib. Any labeling of or advertising for "club steak" shall indicate short loin or rib, whichever is appropriate.

"Delmonico steak" means boneless meat derived from the anterior end (rib end) of the short loin of cattle or the posterior end (loin end) of the rib. Any labeling of or advertising for "delmonico steak" shall indicate short loin or rib, whichever is appropriate.

"Filet mignon" means meat derived from the tenderloin (psoas muscle) of cattle.

"Ground beef", "ground veal", "ground lamb" or "ground pork" means chopped, fresh and/or frozen meat, other than from the heart, esophagus, the tongue or cheeks, of the species indicated without the addition of fat as such and shall not contain more than 30 per cent of fat and shall not contain added water, binders or extenders.

"Hamburger" means chopped fresh and/or frozen beef, other than from the heart, esophagus, tongue or cheeks, with or without the addition of beef fat as such and/or seasoning and shall not contain more than 30 per cent of fat and shall not contain added water, binders or extenders.

"Hanging tender" means meat derived from the thick, muscular dorsal attachment (pillar) of the diaphragm of cattle. Whenever such meat is labeled or advertised for sale at retail, the term "hanging tender", and only said term, shall be used in said labeling or advertising and then only if in conjunction with the term "pillar of diaphragm".

"Meat" means the edible part of the muscle of cattle, swine or sheep which is skeletal or which is found in the tongue, in the diaphragm, in the heart or in the esophagus, with or without the accompanying or overlying fat and portions of bone, skin, nerve and blood vessels which normally accompany the muscle tissue and which are separated from it in the process of dressing. It does not include the muscle found in the lips, snout or ears.

"Porterhouse steak" means meat derived from the short loin of cattle and which exhibits not less than 1 1/4 inch in diameter of tenderloin (psoas muscle).

"Sale at retail" means a transaction wherein a person sells meat to the consumer, whether at the place of business of such person or whether such sale is consummated by mail, by telephone or in writing at a place other than at the place of business. Places of business carrying on the aforesaid transaction include, but are not limited to, supermarkets, grocery stores, butcher shops, food freezer dealers and food plan companies.

"Short loin" is the anterior portion of the loin of cattle remaining after the removal of the posterior portion (sirloin) of the loin and is obtained by a straight cut perpendicular to the contour of the outer skin surface and perpendicular to the split surface of the lumbar vertebrae and which passes through the ilium (pelvic bone) leaving a small part of hip bone in the short loin.

"Sirloin" is the posterior portion of the loin of cattle and is obtained by a straight cut made perpendicular to the contour of the outer skin surface and perpendicular to the split surface of the lumbar vertebrae and which passes flush with the ilium (pelvic bone) leaving a small part of hip bone in the short loin.

"Sirloin knuckle" or "sirloin tip" means meat derived from the beef round by a straight cut from the knee cap parallel to and along the femur on the inside of the round and the natural seam of the outside of the round.

"Sirloin steak" means meat derived from the posterior portion of the loin of cattle after removal of the short loin.

"Skirt steak" means meat derived from the diaphragm of cattle.

"Stew beef" means meat, other than from the heart, esophagus, tongue or cheeks, which is derived from cattle, sliced into cubes and commonly used for stewing.

"Strip loin steak" or "shell steak" means meat derived from that portion of the short loin of cattle remaining after the tenderloin (psoas muscle) has been removed.

"Spare ribs" means ribs which are removed from the belly portion of the pork carcass mid-section extending from the scribe line at the fat back side of the belly to and including portions of the rib cartilages, with or without a portion of the split breast bone and with or without the skirt (diaphragm) remaining. Use of such term shall be confined to labeling or advertising the said meat as herein defined.

"T-bone steak" means meat derived from the short loin of cattle and which exhibits not less than 1/2 inch diameter of tenderloin (psoas muscle).

"Tenderloin" means meat derived from the psoas muscle of cattle, sheep or swine.

"Top sirloin butt" means meat derived from the posterior portion of the loin of cattle after removal of the short loin and which is the thick upper portion (dorsal side) of the sirloin after removal of the bottom sirloin (ventral side) by a cut following the natural muscle seam (blue tissue).

"True name" means the species of animal, that is, beef, veal, lamb or pork, and the primal source or area of the animal carcass from which meat is derived and shall consist of one, but not more than one, of the following:

1. For beef--cheeks, tongue, gullets or esophagus, heart, neck, shoulder, brisket or breast, foreshank, chuck, diaphragm, rib, plate, hind shank, round, rump, loin, flank or pillar of diaphragm:

i. As used in relation to beef herein and as set forth in Chart 1 herein.

"Brisket" or "breast" is derived from the area of the chuck which includes part of ribs one through five and the sternum (breast bone).

"Chuck" is derived from that area of the forequarter containing ribs one through five without the neck, brisket and foreshank.

"Diaphragm" is derived from the forequarter and includes the muscles and tendon attachments which separate the thoracic (chest) cavity from the abdominal cavity.

"Flank" is derived by stripping the serous membrane from over the abdominis muscles (flank steak) by pulling the abdominis muscles from the thick membrane which lies underneath.

"Foreshank" is derived from the upper portion of the foreleg and contains the upper shank bone.

"Hind shank" is derived by cutting through the stifle joint severing the shank meat and shank bone from the round.

"Loin" is located between the rib and the round and is removed by a cut between the 12 and 13 ribs (posterior end of the rib) and contains the 13 ribs vertebrae, six lumbar vertebrae and five sacral vertebrae.

"Neck" is derived from the area of the chuck containing atlas bone through the fifth cervical vertebrae.

"Plate" is derived from the forequarter and includes the sixth through 12th ribs after removal of the plate approximately ten inches from the chime bone.

"Plate" is derived from the forequarter and includes the sixth through 12 ribs cut approximately ten inches from the chime bone.

"Rib" is derived from the forequarter and includes the sixth through the 12 ribs after removal of the plate approximately ten inches from the chime bone.

"Round" is separated from the full beef loin by a straight cut which starts at a point on the backbone at the juncture of the last (fifth) sacral vertebrae and the first tail (caudal) vertebrae, passes through a second point which is immediately anterior to the protuberance of the femur bone and exposes the ball of the femur and then continues in the same straight line beyond the second point to complete the cut.

"Rump" is derived from the round and is removed therefrom by a straight cut perpendicular to the outer skin surface immediately posterior to, and parallel with, the long axis of the exposed surface of the aitch bone.

"Shoulder" is derived from the area of the chuck which includes clod, forearm, brisket muscle and arm bone and may include cross sections of the ribs:

2. For veal--cheeks, tongue, gullets or esophagus, heart, neck, shank, breast, shoulder, rib, loin, sirloin, rump or leg:

i. As used in relation to veal herein and as set forth in Chart 2 herein.

"Breast" is derived by a cut perpendicular to the outer surface which passes through the cartilaginous juncture of the first rib and anterior extremity of the sternum and perpendicular to the long axis of the 12th rib approximately four inches from the eye of the rib, and contains the sternum, first 12 ribs and all overlaying muscle, except the foreshank.

"Leg" is removed from the sirloin and rump by a straight line cut perpendicular to the outer skin surface immediately posterior to and parallel with the long axis of the exposed surface of the aitch bone, leaving no part of the aitch bone in the leg. The separation of the sirloin and rump.

"Loin" is located between the sirloin and rib and is removed from the rib by a cut between the 12th and the 13th ribs and from the sirloin by a cut perpendicular to the outer surface immediately anterior to and flush with the ilium (pelvic bone) leaving no part of the hip bone in the loin and includes the 13th rib vertebrae and five lumbar vertebrae.

"Neck" is derived from the shoulder by a straight line cut in front of the blade bone approximately between the fourth and fifth cervical vertebrae and parallel to the rib end of the shoulder.

"Ribs" is removed from the shoulder by cutting between the fifth and sixth ribs and contains featherbone, chime bone and rib bones.

"Rump" is removed from the leg as aforesaid and is removed from the loin by a cut perpendicular to the outer skin surface and perpendicular to the backbone at the anterior end of the hip bone leaving all the hip bone in the rump.

"Shank" is derived from the leg bone (tibia) or the arm bone (radius).

"Shoulder" is the section remaining after removal of the foreshank breast and neck and contains the first through the fifth ribs.

"Sirloin" is derived from the anterior end of the rump by a cut perpendicular to the dorsal side starting at any point on the backbone between the juncture of the last (fifth) lumbar vertebrae:

3. For lamb--cheeks, tongue, gullets or esophagus, heart, neck, shank, breast, shoulder, rib, loin or leg:

i. As used in relation to lamb herein and as set forth in Chart 3 herein.

"Breast" is cut from the loin, neck and shoulder starting at the cod or udder to and through the shank just above the elbow.

"Leg" is the portion remaining after the loin has been removed as aforesaid.

"Loin" is separated from the leg by cutting just in front of the hip bone.

"Neck" is derived from the anterior area of the shoulder and contains the atlas and cervical vertebrae.

"Rib" is separated from the loin by cutting between the last two ribs.

"Shoulder" is separated from the ribs by cutting between the fifth and sixth ribs.

4. For pork--cheeks, tongue, gullets or esophagus, heart, tail, jowl, shoulder, shoulder picnic, shoulder butt, feet, side, spareribs, loin, loin-shoulder end or loin-rib end, loin-center cut, loin-loin end, fat back, ham or hock:

i. As used in relation to pork herein and as set forth in Chart 4 herein.

"Fat Back" is the section remaining after removal of the loin and side.

"Ham" is the posterior portion of the hog side removed by a cut 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 inches anterior to the knob end of the aitch bone. The cut shall be at right angles to an imaginary line from the tip of the aitch bone through the center of the ham and shank. At the flank pocket the cut shall divert at a 45 degree angle posteriorly.

"Jowl" shall be removed closely to the body of the shoulder on a line approximately parallel to the opposite straight cut side of the shoulder, starting behind the "ear dip" which must remain on the jowl, and continuing the cut so as to remove the entire jowl.

"Loin" is removed from the middle portion by a cut (scribe) extending from a point on the first rib of the loin which is not more than 1 3/4 inches from the junction of the foremost rib and the foremost thoracic vertebrae to a point on the ham end which is immediately adjacent to the major tenderloin muscle. The loin shall be removed from the fat back and shall contain 11 or more ribs, seven lumbar vertebrae and at least three sacral vertebrae.

"Loin-center cut" is derived from the pork loin after the shoulder end has been removed by cutting crosswise to the length of the loin at a point posterior to the edge of the scapular cartilage and from which the ham end of the loin has been removed by cutting crosswise to its length anterior to the cartilage on the tuber coxae.

"Loin-loin end" is derived from the posterior end of the loin by a cut perpendicular to the length of the loin flush with the last rib and usually includes the hip (pelvic) bone.

"Loin-shoulder end" or "loin-rib end" is derived from the anterior end of the loin by a cut perpendicular to the length of the loin flush with the last rib and usually includes the blade bone.

"Shoulder" includes the shoulder picnic and shoulder butt and is derived by a cut starting at a point in the armpit that is not more than one inch posterior to the elbow joint, but does not expose the elbow joint, and continues reasonably straight across the hog hide. The foot, ribs and related cartilages, breast bone, intercostal meat, breast flap, and neck bones shall be excluded.

"Shoulder picnic" is separated from the "shoulder butt" by a cut which is reasonably straight and perpendicular to the outside skin surface (not slanted or under cut) and approximately parallel to the breast side of the shoulder leaving all the major shoulder bone (humerus) and not less than one nor more than two inches of the blade bone (scapula) in the shoulder picnic.

"Side" (belly) shall be separated from the fat back on a straight line not more than 3/4 inch beyond the outermost curvature of the scribe line. The belly must be boneless and the major cartilages of the sternum and the ribs must be closely and smoothly removed without deep scoring. Any enlarged soft, porous, or seedy mammary tissue and the pizzle recess of barrow bellies must be removed.

5. The true name for pork chops shall consist of one of the following primal sources: shoulder or blade, rib, loin, center, or loin end or sirloin.

"Veal cutlet" means a single slice of veal derived from the leg and contains top, bottom, eye and sirloin tip and cross section of the leg bone. If the word "cutlet" is used in labeling or advertising a single slice of meat derived other than from the leg of veal, the species of animal and primal source from which such meat is derived shall precede the word "cutlet" in at least the same size and style lettering and on the same background as the word "cutlet", for example:

VEAL SHOULDER CUTLET

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 13:45A-3.1