AMSA Culinary Meat Selection & Cookery Certification
The American Meat Science Association (AMSA) Culinary Meat Selection & Cookery Certification verifies individuals possess knowledge and skills needed to thrive within the restaurant and culinary industries.
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Meeting the Industry Need
The certification assesses industry-valued and industry-recognized standards produced by AMSA, an internationally-known organization with a membership of more than 2,000 meat scientists. AMSA represents major university research institutions and prominent meat processing companies, such as Tyson Foods, Cargill and Maple Leaf Foods.
The certification validates fluency in culinary techniques, food safety, meat selection and retail cut identification. Those who earn the certification are more qualified and prepared to enter a variety of careers, specifically those that involve the selection and preparation of meat. Additionally, the certification allows employers to identify and connect with more skilled candidates, filling gaps in the labor market and jump-starting individuals’ careers.
According to the North American Meat Institute, the meat and poultry industry is the largest segment of U.S. agriculture. It is broadly responsible for 5.4 million jobs and $257 billion in wages. An estimated 527,019 people have jobs in production and packing, importing operations, sales, packaging and direct distribution of meat and poultry products.
Related Occupations
- Chefs & Cooks
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation
- Serving Workers
Industry Standards
The certification exam consists of 100 questions and assesses knowledge and concepts from the following weighted industry standards:
Culinary Foundations
- Knife Care & Use
- Knife Sharpening Procedures
- Cutting Techniques
- Mise en place
- Cooking Techniques
- Proper Storage Practices
25%
Meat Science & Food Safety Principles
- Nutritional Composition of Meat
- Meat Storage & Handling Procedures
- Meat Purchasing Specifications
- Food Microbiology Practices
20%
Meat & Poultry Overview
- Culinary Meat Fabrication Procedures
- Meat Cookery Techniques
- Culinary Poultry Fabrication Procedures
25%
Beef Grading Procedures
- USDA Quality Grading
- USDA Yield Grading
10%
Retail Cut Identification
- Beef Retail Cut Identification
- Pork Retail Cut Identification
- Lamb Retail Cut Identification
- Variety Meats Identification
- Poultry Parts & Products Identification
20%
Optional Certification Preparation Materials
The iCEV online curriculum platform offers a variety of preparatory content and resources designed to prepare individuals to earn industry certifications.
Multimedia Presentations
Prepare for the certification exam with engaging video and PowerPoint® presentation lessons. Each lesson is developed through collaboration with industry experts in order to address industry standards within each certification.
Interactive Coursework
iCEV's interactive activities, projects and assessments are based on real-world scenarios and reinforce comprehension of the industry standards assessed within each certification exam.
Featured Support Letters
View letters from businesses and organizations expressing their support of the certification.
About the American Meat Science Association
The American Meat Science Association is a broad-reaching organization of individuals that discovers, develops and disseminates its collective meat science knowledge to provide leadership, education and professional development. Their passion is to help meat science professionals achieve previously unimaginable levels of performance and reach even higher goals. They accomplish this by fostering a learning community of meat scientists, industry partners, outside thought leaders and other stakeholders who embrace this vision. Its members conduct basic and applied research and education programs in muscle growth and development, meat quality, food safety, processing technology and consumer and marketing issues relevant to the international meat industry.
"For students looking to start a career in the culinary arts, this new certification provides a viable path towards a successful and rewarding career in the culinary industry."
Deidrea Mabry, M.S.
Associate Executive Director
American Meat Science Association
Employer Certification Verification
If you are an employer looking to verify a potential applicant's credentials, please fill out the form to the right. We will contact you with the status of the certification number you provide.
If you do not have a certification number, please contact our customer support team to verify your candidate at: customersupport@icevonline.com or 1-800-922-9965.