DOES A MEAT PRODUCT NEED A LABEL?
Work through this set of questions and you should be able to determine whether COOL applies to the products you make.
A meat product from beef (including veal), pork, lamb, chicken or goat must bear a COOL label or is subject to labeling providing COOL information if:
1. It is sold at retail,
AND
2. It is a
muscle cut, or
3. It is a
ground product
The product is EXEMPT from COOL labeling requirements if:
1. The meat product is sold at foodservice (e.g., restaurants, institutions, etc.),
OR
2. The meat product has undergone specific processing resulting in a change of character (e.g. cooking, curing, smoking or restructuring) or has been combined with at least one other covered commodity or other substantive food component. The exemption includes, for example, the following:
a. Hot dogs
and sausages
b. Lunch
meat
c. Cooked
products
d. Breaded products
e.
Cured products
f. Products in
which the meat is an ingredient (e.g.,
spaghetti sauce with
meat)
g. Fabricated steak
h.
Meatloaf
i. Marinated pork
tenderloin