NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION OF MEAT PROCESSORS Rules of the Nebraska Cured Meat Contest 2018 1. Eligibility - Competition is open to all locker and meat processors who are members of the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors and who cure and/or smoke or manufacture their product in their own plant. No mail entries will be accepted. An entry fee of $10.00 per entry in advance or $15.00 the day of the show will be charged, payable at the time entry is submitted. Deadline for entering all products is 9:00 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2018. This deadline will be adhered to - no exceptions. (Your entries may be put in a cooler, Friday evening, at the hotel, and may be entered before 9:00 a.m., the next morning.) The Curing Room will be opened at 7:30 a.m., Saturday, April 21, 2018. To be eligible to win, you must be registered and present at the convention. 2. Classes of Entries - Classes are open for competition, as follows: I Bone in Hams II Boneless Hams, Whole muscle III Bacon IV Dried Beef V Fermented Summer Sausage VI Non-fermented Summer Sausage VII Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, 50 mm in diameter or less, Traditional VIII Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, 50 mm in diameter or less, Non-traditional IX Frankfurters and Hotdogs X Cooked Sausage, Large Diameter, greater than 50 mm in diameter XI Ring Bologna XII Bratwurst XIII Liver Sausage XIV Jerky, Whole Muscle XV Jerky, Restructured XVI Meat Snack Sticks XVII Smoked Turkey XVIII Meat Specialties 3. General-Requirements - Exhibitors are limited to one entry in each class. All entries must be cured or manufactured in the plant of the exhibitor and must be entered whole. Nitrite salts (i.e. sodium or potassium nitrite/nitrate) or alternative nitrite curing sources (example: celery powder) can be used to cure products. No trimming or cutting on entry prior to contest will be permitted. Exhibitors must specify on the entry blank in which class their entry belongs. 4. Removal of Identifying Marks - Exhibitors are required to remove all identification marks branded or stamped on the entries; any such mark found on any entry will be removed by show committee before judging begins. 5. Trichina Control - All pork products entered in the Contest shall be subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. 6. Food Allergens - All products must accurately state on the label ingredients that are considered to be food allergens. Eight categories of foods are often associated with food allergies. They are wheat, Crustacea (e.g., shrimp, crab, lobster), eggs, fish, peanuts, milk, tree nuts (e.g., almonds, pecans, walnuts), and soybeans. Other potential causes of adverse reactions in sensitive individuals are ingredients, such as, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sulfites, lactose, and Yellow 5 (tartrazine).
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 2 7. Standards of Evaluation - Product entries shall be judged according to the standards as described for each class. 8. Awards - Following judging of each class, the judge will place a suitable sign on the first four products (except when class size or class rules indicate only 2 or 3 awards be given). Awards will be designated as: Grand Champion, Reserve Grand Champion, Champion and Reserve Champion. 9. Class Designation - If in the opinion of the judge and/or the show committee an entry has been placed in a class incorrectly, the show committee may (a) reassign it to another class, (b) consult with the exhibitor about reclassification, or (c) disqualify the entry. In addition, the product must meet the weight requirements as described in each class. 10. Product Disqualifications - It is the responsibility of the judges to disqualify any entry which does not meet any of the rules or requirements of the show. If any entry appears to be exhibited in the wrong class, the judges shall disqualify it. No refunds will be issued for disqualified products. The judges shall refrain from discussing disqualified products during the Awards Session. Decision of the judges shall be final. 11. Display - Product entries shall be displayed as indicated in the convention program. 12. Records - The association shall retain in its permanent files copies of the class entries and the results of the top 4 placing for each class in the show. 13. Refrigeration - Sometimes operators who bring product entries for the show request the use of refrigerated space in the motel to keep products cold. Although the Association cannot assume responsibility for providing refrigeration, a cooler is available at the motel to store your products. 14. Releasing of Products - The products can be picked up by the operators at the time listed in the program. Products not picked up by the operators will be disposed of to avoid any concerns about food safety. 15. Responsibility - Although the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors will exercise every reasonable precaution to protect and safeguard all entries, it does not assume any responsibility for any entries; all entries are entered solely at the risk of the owner. 16. Liability for Product - Liability for entered products rests solely with the exhibitor. The Nebraska Association of Meat Processors assume no responsibility for sickness, illness, disease, infection, malady or other affliction caused by the ingestion, handling or cooking of products entered in the Nebraska Cured Meat Contest. 17. Best of Show Award - One Best of Show Award will be presented to the best product in the cured meats competition. The award will be selected from the Grand Champions of the following classes: Bone in Hams, Boneless Hams, Bacon, Dried Beef, Fermented Summer Sausage, Non-fermented Summer Sausage, Cooked Sausage-Small Diameter traditional and non-traditional, Cooked Sausage-Large Diameter, Ring Bologna, Liver Sausage, Smoked Turkey, Jerky-Whole Muscle, Jerky-Restructured, Meat Snack Sticks, Semi-Dry Sausages, and Frankfurters, Hotdogs or Wieners. Selection of the Best of Show Award will be made by a committee of judges that have been involved in the evaluation of the above classes for that day. * * * * *
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 3 Class I and II - Bone-In and Boneless Hams For these classes, hams may be either dry cured or brine cured. Both semi- boneless and bone-in hams are eligible for the Bone-in class. Skin on or skinned hams are acceptable. 1) General Appearance: 20 points. Eye appeal, color, conformation, trim, fat to lean ratio, and cutability or yield shall be the main points considered. Scoring for general appearance will be done in two phases allowing up to 10 points for eye appeal, conformation and trim before cutting and 10 points for cutability and yield after cutting. 2) Aroma: 20 points. Off or foreign odors shall downgrade the ham much more than lack of aroma, since much of the aroma of the ham develops with cooking, but a definitely good smooth aroma shall upgrade the ham. 3) Texture: 20 points. A ham should be firm but not too hard or too soft. High moisture content or too coarse a grain in the ham is undesirable. 4) Inside Color: 20 points. The color should be uniform and appealing. It should not be too light or too red and bruises should score quite heavily against color. The pink color of the ham is very attractive, but if it is too red it may be an indication of an excessive amount of nitrite and should be taken into consideration. Uniformity of cured color is important. 5) Flavor: 20 points. In judging for flavor the ham should have the very definite smooth and mellow flavor associated with ham. A full half-slice from the cushion side of the ham shall be heated and two taste samples taken, one from the lower muscle and one from the top muscle, unless the ham is sour or has an off flavor in the first sample making it too inferior to be considered in the top four places. By heating a full half-slice the amount of moisture cooking out of the ham is very obvious and, if it is excessive, the ham should be downgraded accordingly since this is very objectionable in a premiumpriced ham. Class III - Bacon To be eligible for this class, bacon shall be of standard approved trim with skin on or off, and be cured by an accepted method. The bacon should be prepared from an IMPS 408 (skin on) or 409 (skinless) Belly that has been cured and smoked. Bacon that has been prepared with additional coatings or specialty flavors should be entered in the Meat and Poultry Specialties class. 1) General Appearance: 30 points. Amount of trimming, workmanship, eye appeal, conformation and outside color should be the main points considered. Bacon may be skinned or unskinned, but skinned bellies should exhibit careful workmanship in skinning. Judges will severely penalize a belly showing excessive trimming, poor workmanship in trimming or robbing of lean. 2) Fat to Lean (After Cut): 10 points. Lean bacon is very desirable and should be scored accordingly unless it is so lean that it would indicate a poor quality hog. 3) Aroma: 10 points. Off or sour odors should downgrade the bacon and a good smooth aroma should upgrade it. 4) Texture: 10 points. Pumped bacon may be downgraded in texture if it appears to have excess moisture. Temperature of the bacon should be considered in scoring texture since cooler bacon is more firm.
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 4 5) Inside Color: 10 points. Lean should be light red, fat should be white, color should be uniform; bruises should downgrade the bacon. 6) Flavor: 30 points. Flavor should be a pleasing rich flavor, not too salty but not too bland. Off flavors should downgrade it heavily. Class IV - Dried Beef To be eligible for this class, the beef shall be from beef rounds, cured and subsequently dried with or without smoking so that the final product will be shelf stable at room temperatures. 1) General Appearance: 20 points. Eye appeal, surface should be bright mahogany red, free from hardening; workmanship should show care with no second cuts or dried tag ends. Meat should be firm and of appropriate texture. 2) Aroma: 10 points. Should have a desirable cured aroma. If smoked, smoke should not be overpowering. Off odors will be considered highly objectionable. 3) Texture: 10 points. Interior texture should be firm, similar to a dry cured ham with no moisture showing on cut surface. Meat should be fine in texture. Product should hold together well with thin slicing. 4) Inside Color: 20 points. Inside color should be a uniform dark red, free from heat rings. Uncured spots will be a decided fault. Product should be free from two toning. Fat should be white. 5) Flavor: 40 points. Flavor should be appropriate for the type of product. Flavor should be decidedly salty. Product will be sampled as thin slices without further cooking. In all cases, cured meat flavor should predominate, not the flavor of smoke or salt alone. Fat, if present, should be free from rancidity. Bland flavors or off flavors will be severely discriminated against. Class V - Fermented Summer Sausage No inclusions To be eligible for this class, summer sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F and shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. A summer sausage is a dry or semi-dry sausage that exhibits fermented flavor. The products entered in this class shall not have inclusions such as cheese, fruits, olives, pickles, hot peppers, pasta, etc. This class is for fermented Summer Sausages, not fermented Summer Sausages should be entered in Class VI Non-fermented Summer Sausages.
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 5 Class VI - Non-fermented Summer Sausage No Inclusions To be eligible for this class, summer sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F and shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. In addition, the sausage shall meet the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations standards of identity for the product. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. The products entered in this class shall not have inclusions such as cheese, fruits, olives, pickles, hot peppers, pasta, etc. This class is for all non fermented summer sausages which are not included in the fermented Summer Sausage Class V or the Large Diameter Cooked Sausages Class IX. Class VII - Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, 50 mm in diameter or less, Traditional To be eligible for this class sausages must be 50 mm in diameter or less. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1 pound. In addition, the sausage shall meet the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations standards of identity for the product and would include only the ingredients traditionally associated with the product. Examples of products for this class include Polish Sausage, Cooked Bratwurst(Cured), Salami, Cooked Smoked Sausage, Andouille, Beerwurst, Chorizo, and other small diameter sausages listed in the standards of identity. Cooked poultry products or poultry mixtures require a minimum internal temperature of 160 o F. For trichina control all sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F or shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. This class is for all small diameter cooked sausages which are not included in the Fermented Summer Sausage Class V, the Frankfurters and Hotdogs Class VIII, the Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, Non-traditional Class VIII and the Meat Snack Sticks Class XVI. Each product will be judged on an individual basis with emphasis on each product individually. There are no classes for uncooked sausages. Class VIII - Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, 50 mm in diameter or less, Non-traditional Added Ingredients (inclusions) To be eligible for this class sausages must be 50 mm in diameter or less. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1 pound. In addition, the sausage shall meet the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations standards of identity for the product with the exception that non-traditional ingredients can be added (added items like jalapenos, cheese, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, alcohol products, or nontraditional seasonings/flavorings). Cooked poultry products or poultry mixtures require a minimum internal temperature of 160 o F. For trichina control all sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F or shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 6 Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. This class is for all small diameter cooked sausages which are not included in the fermented Summer Sausage Class V, the Frankfurters and Hotdogs Class VIII, the Cooked Sausage, Small Diameter, Traditional Added Ingredients Class VII, and Meat Snack Sticks Class XVI. Each product will be judged on an individual basis with emphasis on each product individually. There are no classes for uncooked sausages. Class IX - Frankfurters and Hotdogs ALL MEAT No inclusions To be eligible for this class sausages must be 35 mm in diameter or less. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1 pound. Frankfurter, frank, furter, hotdog, and wiener are cooked sausages that are comminuted, semi-solid sausages prepared from one or more kinds of raw skeletal muscle meat, seasoned, smoked and cured. Finished products shall not contain more than 30 percent fat. Water or ice, or both, may be used to facilitate chopping or mixing or to dissolve the curing ingredients but the sausage shall contain no more than 40 percent of a combination of fat and added water. The products entered in this class shall not have inclusions such as cheese, fruits, olives, pickles, hot peppers, pasta, etc. All meat products shall be cooked to a lethality time and temperature. Cooked poultry products or poultry mixtures require a minimum internal temperature of 160 o F for cured products. For trichina control all sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F or shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. Each product will be judged on the standards of identity for frankfurters and hotdogs with emphasis on the following factors.
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 7 Class X - Cooked Sausage, Large Diameter To be eligible for this class sausages must greater than 50 mm in diameter. In addition, the sausage shall meet the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations standards of identity for the product. These products are chopped or ground, seasoned, cured, cooked and may be smoked. Added water is limited to 10 percent of the finished product. Cooked poultry products or poultry mixtures require a minimum internal temperature of 160 o F. For trichina control sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F or shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. This class is for all large diameter cooked sausages which are not included in Class V - Fermented Summer Sausage or Class VI - Non-fermented Summer Sausage. This class is not intended to include entries of sectioned and formed deli style products for slicing. Each product will be judged on an individual basis with emphasis on each product individually. Class XI - Ring Bologna To be eligible for this class Ring Bologna shall meet the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations standards of identity for the product. Cooked poultry products or poultry mixtures require a minimum internal temperature of 160 o F. In addition, for trichina control all sausages shall have been cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F or shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. Class XII: Bratwurst (Cooked & Uncured) This class can be for Traditional (Cooked and Uncured) Bratwurst or for Specialty (Cooked and Uncured) Bratwurst. To be eligible for this class, cooked bratwurst must be manufactured according to cooked sausage standards with respect to moisture (10% maximum), extenders (3.5% maximum) and fat (30% maximum) in the finished product. The product may be stuffed in collagen or natural casings. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1 pound. Traditional Bratwurst must be manufactured with traditional seasonings. Specialty Bratwurst must be manufactured with non-traditional or exotic spicing (i.e. cheese, wild rice, fruits, etc.).the product shall not undergo a smoke treatment and must not be cured. The diameter of the casing must be a minimum of 30 mm. A minimum of 1 pound must be entered in this class. Each entry shall be accompanied by an ingredient statement. 1. External Appearance: (30 Points). Color and color uniformity (15 Points). Uniformity of shape (5 Points). Lack of defects (i.e. air pockets, wrinkles, etc) (10 Points).
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 8 2. Internal Appearance: (20 Points). Color and color uniformity (5 Points). Uniformity of texture (5 Points). Lack of defects (i.e. air pockets, connective tissue, etc) (10 Points). 3. Aroma and Flavor: (50 Points). Cooked aroma (5 Points). Flavor/Taste (40 Points). Flavors such as rancidity, bacterial spoilage, etc. shall severely downgrade the product. Texture/Mouth feel (5 Points). Class XIII - Liver Products This class is designed for products containing liver (pork or beef) and would include Liver Sausage, Braunschweiger, Jaternice, and other liver products. All products must be cooked to a temperature of not less than 137 o F and shall have been subjected to one of the methods of eliminating trichina specified in Section 318.10 of the Federal Meat Inspection Regulations. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance, (2) a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. 1) Class XIV - Jerky, Whole Muscle Jerky must be formed from one whole piece of meat. May not be ground and formed. Jerky must be prepared so that it does not require refrigeration and may be eaten without further processing. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1/2 pound. Product may be seasoned according to discretion of the entrant. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) An ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) If the product contains pork a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. 1) APPEARANCE: (45 points; external 30 points, color 15 points) External appearance includes eye appeal consisting of size and shape. (30 points). Color will be judged on the variation of external and internal after processing. (15 points). 2) AROMA: (10 points) There shall be a desirable cured and smoked aroma; Off, stale and objectionable odors will be downgraded. 3) TEXTURE/MOUTHFEEL: (20 points) Hardness, chewability and moisture content are very important to the judging of jerky products. Products shall be shelf stable. 4) EDIBILITY: (10 points) Chewability and lack of residue will upgrade jerky products. 5) FLAVOR: (15 points) A desirable intense flavor is appropriate. Jerky may be slightly salty, peppered, sweet or spicy. A pleasant aftertaste is necessary.
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 9 Class XV - Jerky, Restructured Jerky must be ground and formed. Jerky must be prepared so that it does not require refrigeration and may be eaten without further processing. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1/2 pound. Product may be seasoned according to discretion of the entrant. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) An ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) If the product contains pork a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. 1) APPEARANCE: (45 points; external 30 points, color 15 points) External appearance includes uniformity of color, surface appearance, lack of obvious defects, and uniformity of size and shape. (30 points). Color will be judged on the variation of external and internal after processing. (15 points). 2) AROMA: (10 points) There shall be a desirable cured and smoked aroma; Off, stale and objectionable odors will be downgraded. 3) TEXTURE: (20 points) Hardness, chewability and moisture content are very important to the judging of jerky products. 4) EDIBILITY: (10 points) Chewability and lack of residue will upgrade jerky products. Products shall be shelf stable and require no refrigeration. 5) FLAVOR: (15 points) A desirable intense flavor is appropriate. Jerky may be slightly salty, peppered, sweet or spicy. A pleasant aftertaste is necessary. Class XVI - Meat Snack Sticks. Meat Snack Sticks may consist of portions of beef, pork, poultry, lamb or any combination of these. Stick products should be dry or semi-dry and must be ready to eat. Total entered product weight shall not be less than 1/2 pound. Each entry shall be accompanied by the following: (1) An ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) If the product contains pork a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free. 1) APPEARANCE: (40 points; external 30 points, internal 10 points) External appearance includes eye appeal consisting of size, shape and uniformity; uniformity of color; casing or surface appearance and lack of obvious defects. (30 points). Internal appearance will be judged on particle uniformity and excessive fat shall down score the product (15 points). 2) AROMA: (10 points) There shall be a desirable cured and smoked aroma; Off, stale and objectionable odors will be downgraded. 3) EDIBILITY: (15 points) Product shall be shelf stable and require no refrigeration. A desirable appearance, pleasing aroma, desirable mouthfeel and flavor along with a pleasant aftertaste that will stimulate continued or further consumption of this product shall up score this product. 4) TEXTURE: (15 points) Mouthfeel and appropriate moisture content will be extremely important in the judging of this product. 5) FLAVOR: (20 points) A suitably full-bodied flavor is appropriate. Flavor may vary at the discretion of the entrant. A pleasant aftertaste is necessary.
Nebraska Cured Meat Contest Page 10 Class XVII - Smoked Turkey This class is designed for smoked turkeys, and to be eligible, the turkey shall be brine cured and smoked, must be fully cooked (minimum final internal temperature of product during processing, 155 o F). It must be whole and may not be boneless. Included in this class are the Nebraska Turkey Federation Awards for Smoked Turkeys. Judges will evaluate the entry with the following points considered: 2) General Appearance: 20 points. Turkeys shall be graded on eye appeal, conformation, plumpness of breast, straightness of keel bone, smoked color and yield. Skin shall be intact, not too dry and shall have a uniform smoked color. Bruises and pin feathers will downgrade the product. 3) Aroma: 20 points. Off, foreign, sour or sharp odors shall downgrade the turkey and the good mellow aroma that pleases the judges shall upgrade it. 4) Texture of Cut Surface: (White meat - 5 points, Dark meat - 5 points). While excessive moisture is objectionable, the turkey meat shall not be too dry. Excessive dryness in the turkey and a basted turkey shall be causes to downgrade the product. The turkey should not be too coarse grained. 5) Inside Color: (White meat - 5 points, Dark meat - 5 points). The color of the white meat should be a uniform light pink and bruises shall score quite heavily against color. The color of dark meat should be a uniform light red color and bruises shall score quite heavily against color. Any uncured areas will downgrade the product. Palatability Characteristics: - (White meat - 20 points, Dark meat - 20 points). A slice shall be taken from one half of the breast near the keel bone in line with the point of the keel bone. One slice of dark meat shall be taken from the midpoint of the length of the thigh bone. Slices shall be tasted cold. The turkey should not be too salty or too bland, should have the good mellow flavor expected in a good smoked turkey with no unpleasant aftertaste and should be tender. Class XVIII Meat Specialties 51% meat item This class is designed for specialty beef, pork, or poultry products which do not meet the requirements of other classes. Meat products must represent 51% or more of the display. For judging purposes, the quantity of every meat item needs to be at least 10 samples for a taste size portion for evaluation. Judges will evaluate each entry and with the following points considered: 1) Eye Appeal (30 points). The meat specialty item should be attractively presented and sell themselves on eye appeal and expected taste. Eye appeal will include the overall plate presentation of the meat item, including how the product is garnished and presented. Garnishes can be simple or elaborate; however, they should add texture, taste, and interest to the plate. Serving containers should complement the meat item being displayed and should draw the focus of the customer to the meat item. Arrangement of the plate should direct the customer to the featured pork item. 2) Uniqueness of Entry (30 points). Uniqueness of Entry is to feature meat items that are not usually found in the marketplace. The meat item may be a product that is found only at specialty markets. In addition, a meat item that is new to the market but may have mass appeal to general retail outlets would also be considered unique. 3) Consumer Acceptance (40 points). This includes appearance, taste and cost of the product. Appearance will focus on the shape, color, and texture of the meat item itself. The meat item should present a texture and flavor that will add to the eating enjoyment. Meat products will be cooked for tasting and ready to eat products will be heated for tasting. Taste should focus on meaty flavors. Off flavors, bitter flavors, or sour flavors should distract from consumer acceptance. Expected price or serving costs will also be considered in consumer acceptance. Each product must be accompanied by: (1) an ingredient statement with ingredients listed in descending order of predominance; (2) for pork products, a copy of the processing schedule for the product or a certificate indicating that the product was prepared with pork that was certified trichina-free.