Did you know?

Ever see this on your meat from the grocery store?

All meat inspection is a requirement in the U.S. The USDA has very strict guidelines inspecting meat, and beef that is approved gets a mark (stamp) showing it has been approved. Initially, USDA inspectors inspect the live animal to make sure they’re healthy from head to hoof and treated humanely. They also inspect things like the slaughtering process, all of the animal’s parts and organs, the temperature of the meat, and they make sure the carcass stays as clean as possible during the entire process.

Beef that passes inspection is stamped with a round purple mark. The stamp includes a number that is assigned to that processing facility by the federal government. The numbers are called “establishment numbers,” and they’re only good for one location. These numbers make it very easy to tell exactly where the beef was processed and rest easy the dye used in the stamp is made from a food-grade vegetable dye and it’s edible. It won’t hurt you!