Pig carcass grading based on instrumental classification is an incentive to produce pigs of the desired quality. Council Regulation EC Nr. 3220/84 requires that classification should be linked to the lean meat percentage to be derived from dissection of all striated muscle tissue from the carcass as far as possible by knife. The reference method involved, however, is laborious. An EC wide trial in 1990/1991 was conducted to look for (i.a.) a more simplified dissection method. The results of this trial were described by Cook and Yates (1992). General acceptance evolved to only dissect the four main parts, representing about 75% of all striated muscles. Striated muscles to be defined as skeletal muscles having a transverse banding pattern under the light microscope. Also a general agreement was reached that fasciae would be defined as muscle tissue and would be left on the muscles.