QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON GOVERNMENT INSPECTION 5 



USDA N-6847 



Figure 3. — A Department of Agriculture inspector explains the grading of canned 

 spinach in accordance with U. S. standards to a buyer interested in processed 

 foods. 



How can the United States standards help the distributor? 



Distributors, such as wholesale and chain grocers, can select for their 

 trade precisely the grade, color, size, and other factors desired, in the 

 contract of purchase. By insisting upon having their purchases meet 

 a definite Government grade, or a certain average score within the 

 grade, they can maintain uniformity of quality under their various 

 brands. Helpful and comprehensive information, including grade 

 and other descriptive information in the standards, may be carried on 

 their labels for the benefit of the consumer. 



How can the United States standards assist the institutional buyer? 



Many municipal, county, and State purchasing agencies use the 

 United States standards, or specifications based upon these standards, 

 in making their purchases. The quality of foods may be selected to 

 fit the use for which intended, such as for diabetic patients in hospitals. 

 Such purchasing agencies find the United States standards of assist- 

 ance in drafting specifications to meet their peculiar needs. 



How often are United States standards revised? 



They are revised as often as necessary to meet new developments, 

 such as in processing, in new seed strains, and in varieties of raw mate- 

 rials, in all of w T hich respects products are continually being improved. 

 Marketing practices and trends in consumer food demand change, and 

 amendments to grades are made in order to take into account such 

 changes. 



