The practice of neatening an item by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts — in food plants, chiefly the removal of fat from meat. Trimming standardizes cuts for retail display, portion control, and further processing: external fat is cut to specification, silverskin and connective tissue are cleaned from premium cuts, and the trimmings themselves become raw material for mince, sausages, and rendered fats. Yield — the saleable meat recovered — is the key economic metric, balancing leanness against waste. Hygienic trimming needs sharp tools, clean surfaces, and temperature control so freshly exposed surfaces do not become contamination sites.