Quality grade
Quality grades designate various characteristics
of meat and give the buyer a guide
to tenderness, juiciness, and flavor. Grades
separate beef into groups that are somewhat
uniform in quality and composition.
The quality grade of a beef carcass is
determined by physiological maturity and
marbling. The age of the animal affects the
tenderness of the meat.
There are eight quality grades used by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Figure 1 shows seven of the USDA quality
grades and the relationship between marbling
and maturity. “Canner” grade is not
included.