§ 18933 Meat Adulteration Felony Penalties

Food and Agricultural Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says it's a serious crime to mix bad meat (from animals that died naturally or weren't checked properly) into food meant for people to eat.

Key Takeaways

•You can't sell meat from animals that died on their own (like sickness or old age).
•All meat for sale must come from animals killed and checked the right way.
•Breaking this rule can mean big fines or jail time.

Example

A butcher shop mixes meat from a cow that died on its own into ground beef they sell to customers.

This is illegal because the cow wasn't killed and checked the right way. The shop could get fined at least $10,000 or the owner could go to jail.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18933 Meat Adulteration Felony Penalties

Any person who, as principal or agent, employer or employee, adulterates any meat or meat food product or poultry product intended for sale as human food with the product of an animal which has died otherwise than by slaughter or the product of an animal which has not been slaughtered under inspection in accordance with this chapter, shall be guilty of a felony punishable by a fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or both that imprisonment and fine. (Amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 15, Sec. 120. (AB 109) Effective April 4, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, by Sec. 636 of Ch. 15, as amended by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 68.)

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

adulterates meat or meat food product poultry product felony fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000)

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 18933.

§ 18933 Meat Adulteration Felony Penalties

Food and Agricultural Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

§ 18933 Meat Adulteration Felony Penalties

This law says it's a serious crime to mix bad meat (from animals that died naturally or weren't checked properly) into food meant for people to eat.

Key Takeaways

•You can't sell meat from animals that died on their own (like sickness or old age).
•All meat for sale must come from animals killed and checked the right way.
•Breaking this rule can mean big fines or jail time.

Example

A butcher shop mixes meat from a cow that died on its own into ground beef they sell to customers.

This is illegal because the cow wasn't killed and checked the right way. The shop could get fined at least $10,000 or the owner could go to jail.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 18933 Meat Adulteration Felony Penalties

Last verified: January 10, 2026

Key Terms

adulterates meat or meat food product poultry product felony fine of not less than ten thousand dollars ($10,000)

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 18933.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References