Determining Quality Requirements: Purchase Specifications and Value Analysis

What are the 3 basic types of purchasers?

• price-conscious purchasers

• quality-conscious purchasers

• value-conscious purchasers

What does a value conscious purchaser mean?

best quality for the price

Purchase specifications define ___?

quality

Types of purchase specifications: technical

products where quality may be measured objectively and impartially

• graded food items w/ nationally recognized standards

• detergents and cleaning compounds that can be chemically analyzed

Types of purchase specifications: Approved Brand

Quality identified by brand name (product of known desirable characteristics)

• paper and plastic disposable items: Hefty, Reynolds

• Food items: Heinz, sweet baby ray’s

Types of purchase specifications: performance

Quality measured by “effective functioning” of large or small equipment, disposable paper and plastic items, or detergents

• min or max number of pounds that can be weighed on a scale

• number of dishes able to be washed per minute

• pH level of detergents

Effective purchase specifications are…

• simple as possible while still providing accurate description of product

• capable of being met by several suppliers

• identifiable with currently available products

• capable of being verified to assure proper quality

• reasonable; compliance tolerances are practical

Food specs should include:

• product name

• federal grade or brand

• unit on which price is quoted

• count per container/approximate number per pound

Food specs may also include:

• variety, style, type

• packaging requirements

• geographic origin

• edible yield

• product specific details

  • dairy: milk fat content, milk solids

  • meat: exact cutting instructions, weight range

  • canned foods: type or style, syrup type, drained weight

  • fresh fruits: variety, degree of maturity

Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (IMPS)

standardizing specifications for fresh beef, veal, pork, and lamb

The North American Meat Processor’s Association (NAMP)

publisher of The Meat Buyer’s Guide

Quality grade definition

Designation rank relative to established standards of excellence

Meat quality grades in order from worst to best

USDA Select < USDA Choice < USDA Prime

Yield Grading definition

How much meat is available when it’s cooked

• 1-5 scale

• Grade 1: highest lean meat yield, least amount of fat

• less yield as numbers get higher

When is poultry inspection required?

Before and after slaughter

1957 Poultry Products Inspection Act

• made inspection mandatory

• continuous inspection

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

• Wholesomeness & safety

• paid for by government

Grading Poultry is ____?

• voluntary, paid for by processor

Poultry grading factors

• conformation

• fleshing

• fat covering

Poultry Grades

• A: best appearance

• B: is fine for most purposes

• C: used only by food processors

Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Sets grade standards for fruits and vegetables

Fruit and vegetable grades

• Fancy: top quality

• US Extra #1

• US No.1: bulk of retail purchases

• US Combination

• US No.2

The 3 typical options for choosing whether to Make or Buy:

• Produce the item completely (all raw ingredients)

• Purchase some value-added ingredients and assemble the item

• purchase a convenience item (in its final form)