QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON GOVERNMENT INSPECTION 7 



Trading must be based on well-defined standards which provide a 

 "common language" in executing contracts and thus eliminate costly 

 disputes between buyer and seller. 



Will Government standardization tend to discourage individuality in 

 the production of processed foods? 

 If a packer elects to pack to such permissive standards, he must exer- 

 cise his individuality in accomplishing the end result. The scoring 

 procedure provides him with a definite incentive to pack his products as 

 to merit the highest possible score, and to compete for the enviable 

 position of a high-quality packer. 



HOW IS INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED? 



An official inspection will be made of samples of processed foods 

 submitted to an inspection laboratory by the applicant himself, or of 

 samples drawn by the inspector from a specific lot at the request of the 

 applicant. Inspections may take place at canning plants, in a proc- 

 essor's laboratory, in warehouses, in freight cars, or at any of the many 

 laboratories of the Department located in processing and marketing 

 areas. The sample may be one or more in number and samples may be 

 combined for inspection, depending upon the commodity and its char- 

 acteristics or the analyses required for it. 



How are samples submitted or selected for inspection? 



1. Samples that are sent to an inspection laboratory or selected by the 

 applicant for inspection are termed "unofficially drawn samples." 

 They are submitted to the nearest inspection laboratory and the expense 



USDA N-3694 



Figure 4.— Sections of grapefruit are carefully examined and scored by a Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture inspector to determine the final quality. The inspector 

 here shown is working in a packer's laboratory where the inspection takes 

 place after the grapefruit is canned. 



