9 December 2011

2 minute read

Oceania

The new symbol, which features the green and gold ‘MSA graded’ look, will be positioned as a quality mark – not a brand in itself. It indicates that commercial brands have been graded to meet MSA standards.

MSA’s cuts-based grading system is based on predictive models that are the result of rigorous peer-reviewed science, underpinned by testing with almost 90,000 consumers who tasted more than 603,000 samples of different beef cuts prepared in different ways.

Sam Gunn from Cattle Council of Australia said the grading system will help shoppers select the right cut of beef for their desired cooking method.

“We are now taking the MSA symbol directly to consumers at point of sale, so shoppers can be sure they are getting consistent quality beef every time,” he said.

“Instead of buying a cut of beef and being unsure about its quality, consumers can look for the ‘MSA graded’ symbol at their local butcher or fresh food retailer and be confident they are getting great quality beef that has been graded for tenderness, juiciness and flavour.

“The MSA grading system takes into account all aspects that affect eating quality from the paddock to the plate, and is widely recognised as the world's leading eating quality program for red meat,” said Mr Gunn.

To date the MSA system has been adopted by more than 600 butchers and several fresh food retailers across the country, with numbers increasing steadily.

The new mark and consumer education comes as MSA reached a number of key milestones last year, including grading more than 1.42 million cattle and 870,500 sheep. Producers now receive average MSA premiums of 15 cents per kg HSCW.

The launch of the new MSA symbol is being used as an opportunity to educate consumers about the science that underpins the programme.

TheCattleSite News Desk