Communicating Consumer Benefits
The new guideline offers an ideal chance to spread the news to your customers that they can now enjoy moist and delicious pork that tastes better than ever.
Promote thermometer use among your customers, to help them create perfectly-cooked pork with optimal juiciness and flavor. Merchandise digital thermometers at the meat case along with your featured pork items, and talk to you customers about how easy it is to use thermometers to cook pork to the correct temperature.
“Our consumer research has consistently shown that Americans have a tendency to overcook common cuts of pork, resulting in a less-than-ideal eating experience,” said Patrick Fleming, Director of Retail Marketing for the National Pork Board. “The new guidelines will help consumers enjoy pork at its most flavorful, juicy – and safe – temperature.”
What's Behind the Change?
America’s pork producers have continually improved feeding and breeding practices to deliver leaner pork. On average, most common cuts of pork are 16 percent leaner than 20 years ago, and saturated fat has dropped 27 percent. As pork cuts have gotten leaner, proper cooking has become more important, thus making this lower endpoint temperature critical. Do your customers know that pork tenderloin is now as lean as a skinless chicken breast?
Industry-wide efforts covering food safety have also improved, thus making it time to revisit the long-standing consumer guidelines for preparation. The USDA guidelines for pork now mirror doneness advice for other meats.
Retailer Resources
NEW 145°F Point-of-Sale Materials Available
Additional Resources