Taking the guesswork out of buying and cooking Australian beef
What is Meat Standards Australia (MSA)?
Meat Standards Australia (MSA) is an independent grading system designed to take the guesswork out of buying and cooking Australian beef. The MSA system was developed by 86,000 consumers who tasted over 603,000 beef samples to identify the key factors that deliver consistent quality beef.
This MSA logo is a visual endorsement of quality for graded cuts of beef indicating that the product has meet quality standards developed by comprehensive consumer research for tenderness, juiciness, and flavour.
MSA does this by taking into consideration the key factors from the farm to plate known to influence beef quality accurately predicting the quality of individual beef cuts and providing a recommended way to prepare these different cuts.
The MSA ‘Graded’ logo. your symbol of quality Australian beef.
Why is it so important to match a beef cut with a cooking method?
Cooking method is critically important when selecting a cut of beef. Different cuts of beef have different attributes that influence how tender and juicy they are when cooked. MSA grades each cut of beef for a number of suitable cooking methods allowing consumers to easily identify the best cut of beef for a particular cooking style. Retailers will often cut beef to the recommended cooking method for you, i.e. a steak should be grilled and a roast roasted.
More information on cooking methods is available here.
How can I buy Meat Standards Australia graded beef?
Look for beef carrying the Meat Standards Australia symbol. MSA graded beef is available nationally at retail, foodservice, and wholesale outlets. If your butcher or supermarket does not display the logo, ask for it by name. For a licensed outlet near you click here.
What about beef without the logo?
Australian beef is produced to the highest standards in the world and most suppliers use elements of the MSA system when they produce beef to achieve a consistent quality product.
How do I know the MSA system is credible?
MSA is the world’s only meat quality grading system based on actual consumer research. The program has been in operation for over 10 years and operates under ISO quality system accreditation (ISO9001/2008) and retailers licensed the use the logo are independently audited.
How is MSA beef graded?
The carcases of cattle produced in line with MSA regulations are graded by certified MSA Graders who assesses the carcase against a number of factors known to influence eating quality.
Following this assessment, individual cuts are assigned a grade of 3, 4 or 5 or non grade based on a computer model developed from the consumer sensory research. Cuts that do not achieve the minimum standard of quality (non grade) cannot be labelled under the MSA system. MSA beef is currently identified by the MSA ‘graded’ logo. Differentiation between 3, 4, and 5 star grades is likely to occur in the future with greater adoption of the system and MSA logo at the point of sale.
More detailed information on MSA grading is available here.
View the new MSA 'What's new' television advertisement.
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