Feeding the World

Having food security means having a safe, plentiful food supply for all people. It is a huge goal, so animal scientists are working to improve the supply of animal products.

Animal Science Illustration

How to select the best pork

A good cut of pork makes for a tasty, nutritious meal!

There are a few things to look for when selecting a cut of pork:

People should look at the color of the pork they are picking out. It should be a nice reddish pink color to a purplish red. People think you want to pick lighter colored pork, but it is the opposite. The darker the pork is the better it will taste if cooked properly.

People also want to look at the fat inside the cut of meat they pick. The fat inside the cut of meat is called marbling. The marbling will make the meat juicy and tender if cooked properly.

Most the time for the color you will want at least a four. Five would be even better if you can find an option that looks like that. When looking at marbling you should pick between the numbers four to six. Once again you can’t go wrong with more marbling if possible.

People must cook pork properly to get the full benefit from it. No matter what way people cook it they must cook it to a certain temperature. This is to prevent a food borne illness from bacteria. The temperature for whole cuts of pork is 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature for ground pork is 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

If people follow the standards and cook their pork right it will be delicious. Pork is very good for you because it is lean and high in protein. Pork tenderloin has less fat in it than a chicken breast. Pork is healthy for people and can be very good if cooked properly.

Jr Animal Scientist

A Jr. Animal Scientist membership is a great way for kids to learn about science and the animal world.

Through the Jr. Animal Scientist magazine and special online resources, kids can learn about pets, farm animals and zoo animals. Scientific information is tailored for kids ages 5 to 9 (K-3rd grades). Eye-catching photos and exciting animal activities add to the fun! Plus, all Jr. Animal Scientists get special prizes just for joining.

Join today