When it comes to buying meat, poultry, or fish, consumers want more than just a good price - they want products that have been prepared properly and safely. That's the responsibility of meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers.

Cutters and trimmers first inspect the food to ensure that it's free of defects or bruises. Then they'll clean, slice, and section the product. With meat and poultry, bones and excess fat may be removed. With fish, the process of removing bones and other parts that are inedible is called filleting. These workers need to be skilled in using knives, cleavers, and electric cutting tools.

To meet government health standards, most processing areas are refrigerated. Low temperatures help keep the food fresh during preparation. Being able to pay careful attention to your job despite the chilly working conditions is important. Special sanitary measures must be followed as well, such as wearing hairnets and gloves.

Most cutters and trimmers work a steady 40-hour week. You can learn on the job, usually from a more experience worker. This work can be repetitive and physical strength may be required. Large sections of meat or boxes of poultry or fish can be heavy to move.

Whether working on an assembly line in a large processing plant or at a counter in the local supermarket, cutters and trimmers play an important role in helping feed the nation.