What are quality points for pork?

The pork quality grading system assigns quality points based on three factors:

1. Marbling: The amount and distribution of fat within the lean meat. Higher marbling indicates better flavor, tenderness, and juiciness.
2. Firmness: The firmness and elasticity of the lean meat. Firmer meat is generally considered to be of higher quality.
3. Color: The color of the lean meat, which can range from light pink to dark red. A deep, cherry-red color is considered to be ideal.

Each of these factors is assigned a score from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest score. The total quality point score is the sum of the scores for marbling, firmness, and color. The quality point score is then used to determine the pork quality grade, which can be either Prime, Choice, Select, or Standard.

Quality Grade	Quality Point Score
Prime	9-10
Choice	8-8.9
Select	7-7.9
Standard	6-6.9

Pork that is graded Prime or Choice is considered to be of the highest quality and is typically sold at a premium price.