Subchapter I. ENTRY, REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION
OF PRODUCTS

§ 1.291. General requirements.

 (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter no product shall be brought into an official establishment unless it has been prepared only in an official establishment and previously inspected and passed by a program employe, and is identified by an official inspection legend as so inspected and passed.

 (b)  Products imported in accordance with Federal regulations may enter any official establishment subject in other respects to the same restrictions as apply to domestic products.

 No slaughtered poultry or poultry product shall be brought into an official establishment unless it has complied with one of the following requirements:

   (1)  Been previously inspected and passed and identified as such in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.A. §  451 et seq.) and the regulations thereunder, and has not been prepared other than in an establishment inspected under the Federal Act.

 (a)  Dyes, chemicals or other substances the use of which is restricted to certain products may be brought into or kept in an official establishment only if such products are prepared thereat. No prohibited dye, chemical, preservative or other substance shall be brought into or kept in an official establishment.

 (a)  Glands and organs, such as cotyledons, ovaries, prostate glands, tonsils, spinal cords, and detached lymphatic, pineal, pituitary, parathyroid, suprarenal, pancreatic and thyroid glands, used in preparing pharmaceutical, organotherapeutic or technical products and which are not used as human food (whether or not prepared at official establishments) may be brought into and stored in edible product departments of inspected establishments if packaged in suitable containers so that the presence of such glands and organs will in no way interfere with the maintenance of sanitary conditions or constitute an interference with inspection.

 (b)  Glands or organs which are regarded as human food products, such as livers, testicles and thymus glands, may be brought into official establishments for pharmaceutical, organotherapeutic, or technical purposes only if United States or State inspected and passed and so identified.

 (c)  Lungs and lung lobes derived from livestock slaughtered in any establishment may not be brought into any official establishment except as provided in §  1.340 (relating to animal food and similar articles).

   The provisions of this §  1.296 amended September 17, 1971, 1 Pa.B. 1825. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (1308).

 (a)  Any product or any poultry or poultry product or other article that is brought into an official establishment contrary to any provision of this subchapter may be required by the Department to be removed immediately from such establishment by the operator thereof, and failure to comply with such requirement shall be deemed a violation of this regulation.

 (b)  If any slaughtered poultry or poultry products or other articles are received at an official establishment and are suspected of being adulterated or misbranded under the Federal Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C.A. §  451 et seq.) or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C.A. §  301 et seq.) or applicable State laws, the appropriate governmental authorities shall be notified.

REINSPECTION OF PRODUCTS

§ 1.311. General requirement.

 (a)  All products and all slaughtered poultry and poultry products brought into any official establishment shall be identified by the operator of the official establishment and shall be subject to reinspection at the time of receipt at the official establishment by a program employe at the official establishment in such manner and at such times as may be deemed necessary by the officer in charge to assure compliance with this chapter.

 (a)  Reinspection may be accomplished through use of statistically sound sampling plans that assure a high level of confidence. The veterinary supervisor shall designate the type of plan and the program employe shall select the specific plan to be used in accordance with instructions issued by the Department.

 (a)  A “Pa. Retained” tag shall be placed by a program employe at the time of reinspection at any official establishment on all products which are suspected on such reinspection of being adulterated or misbranded, and such products shall be held for further inspection. Such tags shall be removed only by authorized program employes.

 (b)  If the product is found to be on further inspection adulterated all official inspection legends or other official marks for which the product is found to be ineligible shall be removed or defaced and the product shall be subject to condemnation and disposal in accordance with Subchapter F (relating to disposal of condemned and other inedible products). A determination regarding adulteration may be deferred if a product has become soiled or unclean by falling on the floor or in any other accidental way or if the product is affected with any other condition which the inspector deems capable of correction. In such case the product shall be cleaned (including trimming if necessary) or otherwise handled in a manner approved by the inspector to assure that it will not be adulterated or misbranded and shall then be presented for reinspection and disposal in accordance with this section.

 (c)  If upon final inspection, the product is found to be neither adulterated nor misbranded, the inspector shall remove the “Pa. Retained” tag. If a product is found upon reinspection to be misbranded, it shall be held under a “Pa. Retained” tag as provided in Subchapter M (relating to miscellaneous provisions), pending correction of the misbranding or issuance of an order under section 16 of the act (31 P. S. §  483.16) to withhold from use the labeling or container of the product, or the institution of a judicial seizure action under section 15 of act (31 P. S. §  483.15) or other appropriate action.

 (d)  The inspector shall make a complete record of each transaction under this section and shall report his action to the officer in charge.

 Every official establishment shall designate, with the approval of the veterinary supervisor, a dock or place at which products and other articles subject to reinspection shall be received, and such products and articles shall be received only at such dock or place.

   This section cited in 7 Pa. Code §  1.42 (relating to other facilities to be provided by the establishment); and 7 Pa. Code §  1.291 (relating to general requirements).

PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS

§ 1.321. General requirements; supervision.

 (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, all processes used in curing, pickling, rendering, canning or otherwise preparing any product in official establishments shall be supervised by program employes.

 (b)  No fixtures or appliances, such as tables, trucks, trays, tanks, vats, machines, implements, cans or containers of any kind, shall be used unless they are of such materials and construction as will not contaminate or otherwise adulterate the product and are clean and sanitary.

 (a)  —

   (1)  Care shall be taken to assure that product is not adulterated when placed in freezers. If there is doubt as to the soundness of any frozen product, the inspector shall require the defrosting and reinspection of a sufficient quantity thereof to determine its actual condition.

   (2)  Frozen product may be defrosted in water or pickle in a manner and with the use of facilities which are acceptable to the inspector. Before such product is defrosted, a careful examination shall be made to determine its condition. If necessary, this examination shall include defrosting of representative samples by means other than in water or pickle.

 (b)  Product, such as pork tenderloins, brains, sweetbreads, stew or chop suey shall not be packed in hermetically sealed metal or glass containers unless subsequently heat processed or otherwise treated to preserve the product in a manner approved by the Department.

 (c)  Care shall be taken to remove bones and parts of bones from product which is intended for chopping.

 (d)  Heads for use in the preparation of meat food products shall be split and the bodies of the teeth, the turbinated and ethmoid bones, ear tubes, and horn butts removed, and the heads then thoroughly cleaned.

 (e)  Kidneys for use in the preparation of meat food products shall first be freely sectioned and then thoroughly soaked and washed. All detached kidneys, including beef kidneys with detached kidney fat, shall be inspected before being used in or shipped from the official establishment.

 (f)  Cattle paunches and hog stomachs for use in the preparation of meat food products shall be emptied of their contents promptly after removal from the carcasses and shall be thoroughly cleaned on all surfaces and parts immediately.

 (g)  Clotted blood shall be removed from hog hearts before they are shipped from the official establishment or used in the preparation of meat food products.

 (h)  Beef rounds, beef bungs, beef middles and hog stomachs which are to be used as containers of any meat food product shall be presented for inspection, turned with the fat surface exposed.

 (a)  All ingredients and other articles used in the preparation of any product shall be clean, sound, healthful, wholesome and otherwise such as will not result in the product being adulterated.

 (a)  The only animal casings that may be used as containers of product are those from cattle, sheep, swine or goats.

 (b)  Casings for products shall be carefully inspected by program employes. Only those casings which have been carefully washed and thoroughly flushed with clean water immediately before stuffing, and suitable for containers, clean, and are passed on such inspection shall be used, except that preflushed animal casings packed in salt or salt and glycerine solution or other approved medium may be used without additional flushing if they are found to be clean and otherwise acceptable and are thoroughly rinsed before use.

 (a)  On account of the invariable presence of bone splinters, detached spinal cords shall not be used in the preparation of edible product other than for rendering where they constitute a suitable raw material.

 (b)  If handled as an edible product testicles may be shipped from the official establishment as such, but they shall not be used as an ingredient of a meat food product.

 (c)  Tonsils shall be removed and shall not be used as ingredients of meat food products.

 (d)  Hog blood shall not be used as an ingredient of meat food products. No blood which comes in contact with the surface of the body of an animal or is otherwise contaminated shall be collected for food purposes. Only blood from animals, the carcasses of which are inspected and passed, may be used for meat food products. The defibrination of blood intended for food purposes shall not be performed with the hands.

 (e)  Intestines shall not be used as ingredients of meat food products.

 (f)  Poultry products which are intended for use as ingredients of meat food products shall be considered acceptable for such use only when identified as having been inspected and passed for wholesomeness by either the United States or Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and are sound and otherwise acceptable when presented for use. Egg products (other than shell eggs) shall be identified as inspected and passed by the United States Department of Agriculture under their regulations for such products. Poultry products and egg products (other than shell eggs) which have not been so inspected and passed for wholesomeness shall not be used in the preparation of such meat food products.

 (g)  Dry milk products which are intended for use as ingredients of meat food products shall be considered acceptable for such use only when produced in a plant approved by the United States Department of Agriculture under the regulations in 7 CFR, Part 58, and when found to be sound and otherwise acceptable when presented for use. Dry milk products prepared in a plant not so approved shall not be used in the preparation of such meat food products.

 (h)  All isolated soy protein used in products prepared in any official establishment shall contain not more and not less than 0.1% titanium incorporated as food grade titanium dioxide, and the presence of such substance shall be shown on the label of the container of the isolated soy protein at all times that the article is in the official establishment.

 (a)  No chemical substance may be used in the preparation of any product unless it is approved for such use in this chapter or by the Department in specific cases.

 (a)  Under appropriate declaration as required in Subchapter H (relating to marking and labeling) the following substances may be added to products:

   (1)  Common salt, approved sugars (sucrose, cane or beet sugar), maple sugar, dextrose, invert sugar, honey, corn syrup solids, corn syrup and glucose syrup), wood smoke, vinegar, flavorings, spices, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate, potassium nitrite, and other substances specified in the table in subsection (b) of this section, under the conditions, if any, specified in this Subchapter or Subchapter H (relating to marking and labeling).

   (2)  Other harmless artificial flavorings with the approval of the Department in specific cases.

   (3)  Coloring matter and dyes other than those specified in the table in subsection (b) of this section may be applied to products, mixed with rendered fat, applied to natural and artificial casings, and applied to such casings enclosing products, if approved by the Department. When any coloring matter or dye is applied to casings, there shall be no penetration of coloring into the product. When any coloring matter or dye is added to meat fat shortening containing artificial flavoring, the product shall be packed in conventional, round shortening containers having a capacity no greater than three pounds.

 (b)  —

   (1)  The substances specified in the following table are acceptable for use in the preparation of products if they are used for the purposes indicated, within the limits of the amounts stated and under other conditions specified in this Chapter. In addition to the substances listed in the table, Subchapter J (relating to product standards of identity) specifies other substances that are acceptable in preparing specified products.

   (2) The following substances listed in the table are proprietary products and a list thereof can be obtained from the Technical Services Division, Consumer and Marketing Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

     (i)   Program approved artificial smoke flavoring.

     (ii)   Program approved smoke flavoring.

 (a)  No substance may be used in or on any product if it conceals damage or inferiority or makes the product appear to be better or of greater value than it is.

 (b)  Paprika or oleoresin paprika may not be used in or on fresh meat (such as steaks) or comminuted fresh meat food products (such as chopped and formed steaks or patties) or in any other meat food products consiting of fresh meat (with or without seasoning), except chorizo sausage and Italian brand sausage, and except other meat food products in which paprika or oleoresin paprika is permitted as an ingredient in a standard of identity or composition in this chapter.

 (a)  All forms of fresh pork, including fresh unsmoked sausage containing pork muscle tissue, and pork such as bacon and jowls, other than those covered by subsection (b), are classed as products that are customarily well cooked in the home or elsewhere before being served to the consumer. Therefore, the treatment of such products for the destruction of trichinae is not required.

 (b)  —

   (1)  The following products and products of the character thereof containing pork muscle tissue (not including pork hearts, pork stomaches and pork livers), or the pork muscle tissue which forms an ingredient of such products, shall be effectively heated, refrigerated or cured to destroy any possible live trichinae: bologna, frankfurts; viennas; smoked sausage; knoblauch sausage; mortadella; all forms of summer or dried sausage, including mettwurst; ground meat mixtures containing pork and beef, veal, lamb, mutton or goat meat and prepared in such a manner that they might be eaten rare or without thorough cooking; flavored pork sausage such as those containing wine or similar flavoring materials; cured pork sausage; sausage containing cured or smoked pork; cooked loaves; roasted, baked, boiled or cooked hams, pork shoulders, or pork shoulder picnics; Italian-style hams; Westphalia-style hams; smoked boneless pork shoulder butts; cured meat rolls; capocollo (capicola, capacola); coppa; fresh or cured boneless pork shoulder butts, hams, loins, shoulders, shoulder picnics and similar pork cuts in casings or other containers in which ready-to-eat delicatessen articles are customarily enclosed (excepting Scotch-style hams); breaded pork products; cured boneless pork loins; boneless back bacon; bacon used for wrapping around patties, steaks and similar products; and smoked pork cuts such as hams, shoulders, loins and pork shoulder picnics which are specially prepared for distribution in tropical climates or smoked hams delivered to the Armed Services. Cured boneless pork loins shall be subjected to prescribed treatment for destruction of trichinae prior to being shipped from the establishment where cured.

   (2)  Such treatment shall be performed at the official establishment where the products are prepared and shall consist of one of the following:

     (i)   Heating in accordance with §  1.332 (relating to treatment by heating).

     (ii)   Refrigerating in accordance with §  1.333 (relating to treatment by refrigerating).

     (iii)   Curing in accordance with §  1.334 (relating to treatment by curing).

 (a)  All parts of the pork muscle tissue shall be heated to a temperature not lower than 137°F and the method used shall be one known to insure such a result. Because of differences in methods of heating and in weights of products undergoing treatment it is impracticable to specify details of procedures for all cases.

 (b)  Procedures which insure the proper heating of all parts of the product shall be adopted. It is important that each piece of sausage, each ham and other product treated by heating in water be kept entirely submerged throughout the heating period, and that the largest pieces in a lot, the innermost links of bunched sausage or other massed articles, and pieces placed in the coolest part of a heating cabinet or compartment or vat be included in the temperature tests.

 (a)  At any stage of preparation and after preparatory chilling to a temperature of not above 40°F or preparatory freezing, all parts of the muscle tissue of pork or product containing such tissue shall be subjected continuously to a temperature not higher than one of those specified in the following table, the duration of such refrigeration at the specified temperature being dependent on the thickness of the meat or inside dimensions of the container.

 (b)  Group 1 in the table comprises product in separate pieces not exceeding six inches in thickness, or arranged on separate racks with the layers not exceeding six inches in depth, or stored in crates or boxes not exceeding six inches in depth, or stored as solidly frozen blocks not exceeding six inches in thickness.

 (c)  Group 2 in the table comprises product in pieces, layers or within containers, the thickness of which exceeds six inches but not 27 inches, and product in containers including tierces, barrels, kegs and cartons having a thickness not exceeding 27 inches.

 (d)  The product undergoing such refrigeration or the containers thereof shall be so spaced while in the freezer as will insure a free circulation of air between the pieces of meat, layers, blocks, boxes, barrels and tierces in order that the temperature of the meat throughout will be promptly reduced to not higher than 5°F., -10°F., or -20°F., as the case may be.

 (e)  In lieu of the methods prescribed in the table in subsection (a) of this section, the treatment may consist of refrigeration to a temperature of -30°F. in the center of the pieces of meat or commercial freeze drying.

 (f)  During the period of refrigeration the product shall be kept separate from other products and in the custody of the program in rooms or compartments equipped and made secure with all official program locks or seals. The rooms or compartments containing product undergoing freezing shall be equipped with accurate thermometers placed at or above the highest level at which the product undergoing treatment is stored, and away from refrigerating coils. After completion of the prescribed freezing of pork to be used in the preparation of product the pork shall be kept under close supervision of an inspector until it is prepared in finished form as one of the products enumerated in §  1.331(b) (relating to treatment of pork and products containing pork) or until it is transferred under program control to another official establishment for preparation in such finished form.

 (g)  Pork which has been refrigerated as specified in this section may be transferred in sealed railroad cars, sealed motortrucks, sealed trailers or sealed closed containers to another official establishment at the same or another location, for use in the preparation of product. The sealing of closed containers, such as boxes and slack barrels, shall be effected by cording and affixing thereto official program seals, and such containers as tierces and kegs shall be held in program custody by sealing with wax impressed with an official program metal brand. Railroad cars, motortrucks and trailers used to transport such pork shall be sealed with official program car seals except that sealed and marked closed containers may be shipped in unsealed railroad cars, motortrucks and trailers. Shipping containers such as boxes, barrels, and tierces, containing pork refrigerated in accordance with this section shall be plainly and conspicuously marked with a label or stencil furnished by the establishment, as follows: “Pork product

 (a)  Sausage. The sausage may be stuffed in animal casings, hydrocellulose casings, or cloth bags. During any stage of treating the sausage for the destruction of live trichinae, except as provided in Method 5, these coverings shall not be coated with paraffin or like substance, nor shall any sausage be washed during any prescribed period of drying. In the preparation of sausage, one of the following methods may be used:

   (1)  Method No. 1. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding three-fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not less than 3 1/3 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. After being stuffed, sausage having a diameter not exceeding 3 1/2 inches, measured at the time of stuffing, shall be held in a drying room not less than 20 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F, except that in sausage of the variety known as pepperoni, if in casings not exceeding 1 3/8 inches in diameter measured at the time of stuffing, the period of drying may be reduced to 15 days. In no case, however, shall the sausage be released from the drying room in less than 25 days from the time the curing materials are added, except that sausage of the variety known as pepperoni, if in casings not exceeding the size specified, may be released at the expiration of 20 days from the time the curing materials are added. Sausage in casings exceeding 3 1/2 inches, but not exceeding 4 inches in diameter at the time of stuffing, shall be held in a drying room not less than 35 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F, and in no case shall the sausage be released from the drying room in less than 40 days from the time the curing materials are added to the meat.

   (2)  Method No. 2. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding three-fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not less than 3 1/3 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. After being stuffed, sausage having a diameter not exceeding 3 1/2 inches, measured at the time of stuffing, shall be smoked not less than 40 hours at a temperature not lower than 80°F, and finally held in a drying room not less than 10 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F. In no case, however, shall the sausage be released from the drying room in less than 18 days from the time the curing materials are added to the meat. Sausage exceeding 3 1/2 inches, but not exceeding 4 inches in diameter at the time of stuffing, shall be held in a drying room, following smoking as indicated, not less than 25 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F, but in no case shall the sausage be released from the drying room in less than 33 days from the time the curing materials are added to the meat.

   (3)  Method No. 3. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding three-fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not less than 3 1/3 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. After admixture with the salt and other curing materials and before stuffing, the ground or chopped meat shall be held at a temperature not lower than 34°F for not less than 36 hours. After being stuffed, the sausage shall be held at a temperature not lower than 34°F for an additional period of time sufficient to make a total of not less than 144 hours from the time the curing materials are added to the meat, or the sausage shall be held for the time specified in a pickle-curing medium of not less than 50° strength (salometer reading) at a temperature not lower than 44°F Finally, sausage having a diameter not exceeding 3 1/2 inches, measured at the time of stuffing, shall be smoked for not less than 12 hours. The temperature of the smokehouse during this period at no time shall be lower than 90°F, and for 4 consecutive hours of this period the smokehouse shall be maintained at a temperature not lower than 128°F. Sausage exceeding 3 1/2 inches, but not exceeding 4 inches in diameter at the time of stuffing shall be smoked, following the prescribed curing, for not less than 15 hours. The temperature of the smokehouse during the 15-hour period shall at no time be lower than 90°F, and for 7 consecutive hours of this period of smokehouse shall be maintained at a temperature not lower than 128°F. In regulating the temperature of the smokehouse for the treatment of sausage under this method, the temperature of 128°F shall be attained gradually during a period of not less than 4 hours.

   (4)  Method No. 4. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding one-fourth of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not less than 2 1/2 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. After admixture with the salt and other curing materials and before stuffing, the ground or chopped sausage shall be held as a compact mass, not more than 6 inches in depth, at a temperature not lower than 36°F for not less than 10 days. At the termination of the holding period, the sausage shall be stuffed in casings or cloth bags not exceeding 3 1/3 inches in diameter, measured at the time of stuffing. After being stuffed, the sausage shall be held in a drying room at a temperature not lower than 45°F for the remainder of a 35-day period, measured from the time the curing materials are added to the meat. At any time after stuffing, if the establishment operator deems it desirable, the product may be heated in a water bath for a period not to exceed 3 hours at a temperature not lower than 85°F, or subject to smoking at a temperature not lower than 80°F, or the product may be both heated and smoked as specified. The time consumed in heating and smoking however, shall be in addition to the 35-day holding period specified.

   (5)  Method No. 5. The meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding three-fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not less than 3 1/3 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. After being stuffed, the sausage shall be held for not less than 65 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F. The coverings for sausage prepared according to this method may be coated at any stage of the preparation before or during the holding period with paraffin or other substance approved by the Department.

 (b)  Capocollo (capicola, capacola). Boneless pork butts for capocollo shall be cured in a dry-curing mixture containing not less than 4 1/2 pounds of salt per hundredweight of meat for a period of not less than 25 days at a temperature not lower than 36°F. If the curing materials are applied to the butts by the process known as churning, a small quantity of pickle may be added. During the curing period the butts may be overhauled according to any of the usual processes of overhauling, including the addition or pickle or dry salt is desired. The butts shall not be subjected during or after curing to any treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. After being stuffed, the product shall be smoked for a period of not less than 30 hours at a temperature not lower than 80°F, and shall finally be held in a drying room not less than 20 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F.

 (c)  Coppa. Boneless pork butts for coppa shall be cured in a dry-curing mixture containing not less than 4 1/2 pounds of salt per hundredweight of meat for a period of not less than 18 days at a temperature not lower than 36°F. If the curing mixture is applied to the butts by the process known as churning, a small quantity of pickle may be added. During the curing period the butts may be overhauled according to any of the usual processes of overhauling, including the addition of pickle or dry salt if desired. The butts shall not be subjected during or after curing to any treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. After being stuffed, the product shall be held in a drying room not less than 35 days at a temperature no lower than 45°F.

 (d)  Hams and pork shoulder picnics. In the curing of hams and pork shoulder picnics either of the following methods may be used:

   (1)  Method No. 1. The hams and pork shoulder picnics shall be cured by a dry-salt curing process not less than 40 days at a temperature not lower than 36°F. The products shall be laid down in salt, not less than 4 pounds to each hundredweight of product, the salt being applied in a thorough manner to the lean meat of each item. When placed in cure the products may be pumped with pickle if desired. At least once during the curing process the products shall be overhauled and additional salt applied, if necessary, so that the lean meat of each item is thoroughly covered. After removal from cure the products may be soaked in water at a temperature not higher than 70°F for not more than 15 hours, during which time the water may be changed once, but they shall not be subjected to any other treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. The products shall finally be dried or smoked not less than 10 days at a temperature not lower than 95°F.

   (2)  Method No. 2. The products shall be cured by a dry-salt curing process at a temperature not lower than 36°F for a period of not less than 3 days for each pound of weight (green) of the individual items. The time of cure of each lot of such products placed in cure shall be calculated on a basis of the weight of the heaviest item of the lot. Products cured by this method, before they are placed in cure, shall be pumped with pickle solution of not less than 100° strength (salometer), about 4 ounces of the solution being injected into the shank and a like quantity along the flank side of the body bone (femur). The products shall be laid down in salt, not less than 4 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of product, the salt being applied in a thorough manner to the lean meat of each item. At least once during the curing process the products shall be overhauled and additional salt applied, if necessary, so that the lean meat of each item is thoroughly covered. After removal from the cure the product may be soaked in water at a temperature not higher than 70°F for not more than 4 hours, but shall not be subjected to any other treatment designed to remove salt from the meat, except that superficial washing may be allowed. The products shall then be dried or smoked not less than 48 hours at a temperature not lower than 80°F, and finally shall be held in a drying room not less than 20 days at a temperature no lower than 45°F.

 (e)  —

   (1)  Boneless pork loins and loin ends. In lieu of heating or refrigerating to destroy possible live trichinae in boneless loins, the loins may be cured for a period of not less than 25 days at a temperature not lower than 36°F by the use of one of the following methods:

     (i)   Method No. 1. Application of dry-salt curing mixture containing not less than 5 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of meats.

     (ii)   Method No. 2. Application of a pickle solution of not less than 80° strength (salometer) on the basis of not less than 60 pounds of pickle to each hundredweight of meat.

     (iii)   Method No. 3. Application of a pickle solution added to the dry-salt cure prescribed as Method No. 1 in this subsection if the pickle solution is not less than 80° strength (salometer).

   (2)  After removal from cure, the loins may be soaked in water for not more than one hour at a temperature not higher than 70°F or washed under a spray but shall not be subjected, during or after the curing process, to any other treatment designed to remove salt.

   (3)  Following curing, the loins shall be smoked for not less than 12 hours. The minimum temperature of the smokehouse during this period at no time shall be lower than 100°F, and for 4 consecutive hours of this period the smokehouse shall be maintained at a temperature not lower than 125°F.

   (4)  Finally, the product shall be held in a drying room for a period of not less than 12 days at a temperature not lower than 45°F.

 (a)  Containers which are intended to be hermetically sealed shall be cleaned thoroughly immediately before filling, and precautions shall be taken to avoid soiling the inner surfaces subsequently. However, cans in which lard is to be hermetically sealed may be examined immediately before filling and if found to be acceptable clean by a program employe need not be washed.

 (a)  Nothing less than perfect closure is acceptable for hermetically sealed containers. Heat processing shall follow promptly after closing.

 (b)  Careful inspection shall be made of the containers by competent establishment employes immediately after closing, and containers which are defectively filled or defectively closed or show inadequate vacuum shall not be processed until the defect has been corrected. The containers shall again be inspected by establishment employes when they have cooled sufficiently for handling after heating. The contents of defective containers shall be condemned unless correction of the defect is accomplished within 6 hours following the sealing of the containers or completion of the heat processing, as the case may be, except that:

   (1)  if the defective condition is discovered during an afternoon run, the cans of product may be held in coolers at a temperature not exceeding 38°F under conditions that will promptly and effectively chill them until the following day when the defect may be corrected;

   (2)  short vacuum or overstuffed cans of product which have not been handled in accordance with paragraph (1) may be incubated under program supervision, after which the cans shall be opened and the sound product passed for food; and

   (3)  short vacuum or overstuffed cans of product of a class required to be labeled “Perishable, Keep Under Refrigeration” and which have been kept under adequate refrigeration since processing may be opened and the sound product passed for food.

 (a)  All canned products shall be plainly and permanently marked on the containers by code or otherwise with the identity of the contents and date of canning. The code used and its meaning shall be on record in the office of the veterinary supervisor.

 (b)  Canned product shall be processed at such temperature and for such period of time as will assure keeping without refrigeration under usual conditions of storage and transportation when heating is relied on for preservation, with the exception of those canned products which are processed without steam-pressure cooking by permission of the Department in specific cases and labeled “Perishable, Keep Under Refrigeration.”

 (a)  Facilities shall be provided by the operator of the official establishment for incubation of representative samples of fully processed canned product.

 (b)  Incubation test shall be made to the extent required by the officer in charge. The extent to which incubation tests shall be required depends on conditions such as the record of the official establishment in conducting canning operations, the extent to which the establishment furnishes competent supervision and inspection in connection with the canning operations, the character of the equipment used, and the degree to which such equipment is maintained at maximum efficiency. Such factors shall be considered by the veterinary supervisor in determining the extent of incubation testing at a particular establishment.

 (c)  In the event of failure by an official establishment to provide suitable facilities for incubation of test samples, the veterinary supervisor may require holding of the entire lot under such conditions and for such period of time as may be necessary to establish the stability of the product.

 (d)  The veterinary supervisor may permit lots of canned product to be shipped from the official establishment prior to completion of sample incubation when he has no reason to suspect unsoundness in the particular lots, and under circumstances which will assure the return of the product to the establishment for reinspection should such action be indicated by the incubation results.

 (e)  Incubation shall consist of holding the samples at 95 F (±2 ) for no less than ten days except for the following samples:

   (1)  Firmly packed products, such as luncheon meat and products with high fat content, such as chorizos packed in lard, and products weighing three pounds or more shall be held at 95 F (±2 ) for no less than 20 days.

 (a)  Edible product department. When dog food, or similar uninspected article is manufactured in an edible product department, there shall be sufficient space allotted and adequate equipment provided so that the manufacture of the uninspected article in no way interferes with the handling or preparation of edible products. Where necessary to avoid adulteration of edible product departments, the operations incident to the manufacture of the uninspected article shall be subject to the same sanitary requirements that apply to all operations in edible product departments. The manufacture of the uninspected article shall be limited to those hours during which the establishment operates under inspectional supervision and there shall be no handling, other than receiving at the official establishment, of any of the product ingredient of the uninspected article, other than during the regular hours of inspection. The materials used in the manufacture of the uninspected article shall not be used so as to interfere with the inspection of edible product or the maintenance of sanitary conditions in the department or render any edible product adulterated. The meat, meat byproducts, and meat food product ingredients of the uninspected article may be admitted into any edible products department of an official establishment only if they are “Pa. Inspected and Passed.” Products specified in §  1.211 (relating to handling of other condemned products) or parts of carcasses of kinds not permitted under the regulations in this Subchapter to be prepared for human food (e.g., lungs or intestines), which are produced at any official establishment, may be brought into the inedible products department of any official establishment for use in uninspected articles under this section.

 (b)  Other than edible product department. When dog food or similar uninspected article is manufactured in a part of an official establishment other than an edible product department, such area shall be separated from edible product departments in the manner required for separation between edible product departments and inedible product departments. Sufficient space shall be allotted and adequate equipment provided so that the manufacture of the uninspected article does not interfere with the proper functioning of the other operations at the establishment. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter no deviation from the requirement that dead animals, condemned products and similar materials of whatever origin shall be placed in the inedible product rendering equipment without undue delay shall be permitted. The manufacture of the uninspected article shall be such as not to interfere with the maintenance of general sanitary conditions on the premises, and it shall be subject to inspectional supervision similar to that exercised over other inedible product departments. There shall be no movement of any product from an inedible product department to any edible product department. Trucks, barrels, and other equipment shall be cleaned before being returned to edible product departments from inedible product departments. Unoffensive material prepared outside edible product departments may be stored in and distributed from edible product departments only if packaged in clean, properly identified, sealed containers.

 (c)  Animal food shall be distinguished from articles of human food as provided in §  1.548 (relating to animal food).

   The provisions of this §  1.340 amended September 17, 1971, 1 Pa.B. 1825. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (1336).

 (a)  Any product at any official establishment which has been adulterated by contamination with flood water, harbor water or other polluted water, shall be condemned, except product in sound, hermetically sealed containers.

 (b)  After flood water has receded at an official establishment the operator shall cause its employes to thoroughly cleanse all walls, ceilings, posts and floors of the rooms and compartments involved, including the equipment therein, under the supervision of a program employe. An adequate supply of hot water, under pressure, is essential for effective cleansing of the rooms and equipment. After cleansing, a solution of sodium hypochlorite containing approximately .5% available chlorine (5,000 parts per million), or other approved disinfectant shall be applied to the surface of the rooms. Where the solution has been applied to equipment which will afterwards contact meat, the equipment shall be rinsed with potable water before being used. All metal shall be rinsed with potable water to prevent corrosion.

 (c)  Hermetically sealed metal containers of product which have been submerged or otherwise contaminated by flood water, harbor water, or other polluted water shall be rehandled promptly, under supervision of a program employe at official establishments, as follows:

   (1)  Separate and condemn all product the containers of which show extensive rusting or corrosion, such as might materially weaken the container, as well as any swollen, leaky or otherwise suspected container.

   (2)  Remove paper labels and wash the container in warm soapy water, using a brush where necessary to remove rust or other foreign material, immerse in a solution of sodium hypochlorite containing not less than 100 parts per million of available chlorine or other approved disinfectant and rinse in potable water and dry thoroughly.

   (3)  After handling as described in paragraph (2) the containers may be relacquered, if necessary, and then relabeled with approved labels applicable to the product therein.

   (4)  The identity of the canned product shall be maintained throughout all stages of the rehandling operations, to insure correct labeling of the containers.

 (a)  Residues of pesticide chemicals, food additives and color additives or other substances in or on ingredients (other than meat, meat byproducts and meat food products) used in the formulation of products shall not exceed the levels permitted under the Federal Act, and such nonmeat ingredients shall otherwise be in compliance with the requirements of such act.

 (b)  Products and products used as ingredients of products shall not bear or contain any pesticide chemical, food additive, or color additive residue in excess of the level permitted under the Federal Act and this chapter, or any other substance that is prohibited by this chapter or that otherwise makes the products adulterated.

 (c)  Instructions specifying the standards and procedures for determining when ingredients of finished products are in compliance with this section shall be issued to the inspectors by the Department. Copies of such instructions shall be made available to interested persons upon request to the Department.