This electronic document was downloaded from the GPO web site, November 2003, and is provided for information purposes only. The Code of Federal Regulations, Title 9, is updated January 1 of each year. The most current version of the regulations may be found at the GPO web site.
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318]
 
[Page 229-230]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec.
318.1  Products and other articles entering official establishments.
318.2  Reinspection, retention, and disposal of meat and poultry 
          products at official establishments.
318.3  Designation of places of receipt of products and other articles 
          for reinspection.
318.4  Preparation of products to be officially supervised; 
          responsibilities of official establishments; plant operated 
          quality control.
318.5  Requirements concerning procedures.
318.6  Requirements concerning ingredients and other articles used in 
          preparation of products.
318.8  Preservatives and other substances permitted in product for 
          export only; handling; such product not to be used for 
          domestic food purposes.
318.9  Samples of products, water, dyes, chemicals, etc., to be taken 
          for examination.
318.10  Prescribed treatment of pork and products containing pork to 
          destroy trichinae.
318.11  [Reserved]
 
[[Page 230]]
 
318.12  Manufacture of dog food or similar uninspected article at 
          official establishments.
318.13  Mixtures containing product but not amendable to the Act.
318.14  Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for 
          handling.
318.15  Tagging chemicals, preservatives, cereals, spices, etc., "U.S. 
          retained."
318.16  Pesticide chemicals and other residues in products.
318.17  Requirements for the production of cooked beef, roast beef, and 
          cooked corned beef products.
318.18  Handling of certain material for mechanical processing.
318.19  Compliance procedure for cured pork products.
318.20  Use of animal drugs.
318.21  Accreditation of chemistry laboratories.
318.22  Determination of added water in cooked sausages.
318.23  Heat-processing and stabilization requirements for uncured meat 
          patties.
318.24  Compliance procedures for meat derived from advanced meat/bone 
          separation machinery and recovery systems.
 
Subparts B-F [Reserved]
 
                 Subpart G--Canning and Canned Products
 
318.300  Definitions.
318.301  Containers and closures.
318.302  Thermal processing.
318.303  Critical factors and the application of the process schedule.
318.304  Operations in the thermal processing area.
318.305  Equipment and procedures for heat processing systems.
318.306  Processing and production records.
318.307  Record review and maintenance.
318.308  Deviations in processing.
318.309  Finished product inspection.
318.310  Personnel and training.
318.311  Recall procedure.
 
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 38f, 450, 1901-1906; 21 U.S.C. 601-695; 7 CFR 
2.18, 2.53.
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.1]
 
[Page 230-231]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.1  Products and other articles entering official establishments.
 
    Source: 35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, unless otherwise noted.
 
 
    (a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs (g) and (h) of this 
section or Sec. 318.12, 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 employee, 
and is identified by an official inspection legend as so inspected and 
passed. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subparagraph, 
product imported in accordance with part 327 of this subchapter and not 
prepared in the United States outside an official establishment, may 
enter any official establishment subject in other respects to the same 
restrictions as apply to domestic product. Products received in an 
official establishment during the Program employees absence shall be 
identified and maintained in a manner acceptable to such employee. 
Product entering any official establishment shall not be used or 
prepared thereat until it has been reinspected in accordance with 
Sec. 318.2. Any product originally prepared at any official 
establishment may not be returned into any part of such establishment, 
except the receiving area approved under Sec. 318.3, until it has been 
reinspected by the inspector.
    (b) No slaughtered poultry or poultry product shall be brought into 
an official establishment unless it has been (1) previously inspected 
and passed and is identified as such in accordance with the requirements 
of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) and the 
regulations thereunder, and has not been prepared other than in an 
establishment inspected under said Act, or (2) has been inspected and 
passed and is identified as such in accordance with the requirements of 
a State law.
    (c) Every article for use as an ingredient in the preparation of 
meat food products, when entering any official establishment and at all 
times while it is in such establishment, shall bear a label showing the 
name of the article, the amount or percentage therein of any substances 
restricted by this part or part 317 of this subchapter, and a list of 
ingredients in the article if composed of two or more ingredients: 
Provided, That in the case of articles received in tank car lots, only 
one such label shall be used to identify each lot. In addition, the 
label must show the name and address of the shipper.
    (d) To ensure the safe use of preparations used in hog scalding 
water or in
 
[[Page 231]]
 
the denuding of tripe, the label or labeling on containers of such 
preparations shall bear adequate directions to ensure use in compliance 
with any limitations prescribed in 21 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter A or 
Subchapter B, or 9 CFR Chapter III, Subchapter A or Subchapter E.
    (e) 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.
    (f) [Reserved]
    (g) 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 organ will in no way 
interfere with the maintenance of sanitary conditions or constitute an 
interference with inspection. 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 U.S. inspected and 
passed and so identified. Lungs and lung lobes derived from livestock 
slaughtered in any establishment may not be brought into any official 
establishment except as provided in Sec. 318.12(a).
    (h)(1) Carcasses of game animals, and carcasses derived from the 
slaughter by any person of livestock of his own raising in accordance 
with the exemption provisions of paragraph 23(a) of the Act, and parts 
of such carcasses, may be brought into an official establishment for 
preparation, packaging, and storing in accordance with the provisions of 
Sec. 303.1(a)(2) of this subchapter.
    (2) Meat, meat byproducts, and meat food products bearing official 
marks showing that they were inspected and passed under State inspection 
in any State not designated in Sec. 331.2 of this subchapter may be 
received by official establishments for storage and distribution solely 
in intrastate commerce. The presence of such State inspected products 
must not create any unsanitary condition or otherwise result in 
adulteration of any products at the official establishment or interfere 
with the conduct of inspection under this subchapter. In addition, such 
State inspected products must be stored separately and apart from the 
federally inspected products in the official establishment.
    (i) The operator of the official establishment shall furnish such 
information as is necessary to determine the origin of any product or 
other article entering the official establishment. Such information 
shall include, but is not limited to, the name and address of the seller 
or supplier, transportation company, agent, or broker involved in the 
sale or delivery of the product or article in question.
    (j) Any product or any poultry or poultry product or other article 
that is brought into an official establishment contrary to any provision 
of this section may be required by the Administrator 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. 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 Poultry Products Inspection 
Act or the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or applicable State 
laws, the appropriate governmental authorities will be notified.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 11639, June 17, 1971; 38 
FR 5152, Feb. 26, 1973; 48 FR 6091, Feb. 10, 1983; 49 FR 32055, Aug. 10, 
1984; 64 FR 72174, Dec. 23, 1999]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.2]
 
[Page 231-232]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.2  Reinspection, retention, and disposal of meat and poultry products at official establishments.
 
    (a) All products and all slaughtered poultry and poultry products 
brought
 
[[Page 232]]
 
into any official establishment shall be identified by the operator of 
the official establishment at the time of receipt at the official 
establishment and shall be subject to reinspection by a Program employee 
at the official establishment in such manner and at such times as may be 
deemed necessary to assure compliance with the regulations in this 
subchapter.
    (b) All products, whether fresh, cured, or otherwise prepared, even 
though previously inspected and passed, shall be reinspected by Program 
employees as often as they may deem necessary in order to ascertain that 
they are not adulterated or misbranded at the time they enter or leave 
official establishments and that the requirements of the regulations in 
this subchapter are complied with.
    (c) Reinspection may be accomplished through use of statistically 
sound sampling plans that assure a high level of confidence. The circuit 
supervisor shall designate the type of plan and the program employee 
shall select the specific plan to be used in accordance with 
instructions issued by the Administrator. \1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    \1\ Further information concerning sampling plans which have been 
adopted for specific products may be obtained from the Circuit 
Supervisors of Program circuits. These sampling plans are developed for 
individual products by the Washington staff and will be distributed for 
field use as they are developed. The type of plan applicable depends on 
factors such as whether the product is in containers, stage of 
preparation, and procedures followed by the establishment operator. The 
specific plan applicable depends on the kind of product involved, such 
as liver, oxtails, etc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (d) A U.S. retained tag shall be placed by a Program employee 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 employees. When further inspection 
is made, if the product is found to be adulterated, all official 
inspection legends or other official marks for which the product is 
found to be ineligible under the regulations in this subchapter, shall 
be removed or defaced and the product will be subject to condemnation 
and disposal in accordance with part 314 of this subchapter, except that 
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 which 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. If upon final 
inspection, the product is found to be neither adulterated nor 
misbranded, the inspector shall remove the U.S. retained tag. If a 
product is found upon reinspection to be misbranded, it shall be held 
under a U.S. retained tag, or a U.S. detention tag as provided in part 
329 of this subchapter, pending correction of the misbranding or 
issuance of an order under section 7 of the Act to withhold from use the 
labeling or container of the product, or the institution of a judicial 
seizure action under section 403 of Act or other appropriate action. The 
inspector shall make a complete record of each transaction under this 
paragraph and shall report his action to the area supervisor.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970; 36 FR 11903, June 23, 1971]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.3]
 
[Page 232]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.3  Designation of places of receipt of products and other articles for reinspection.
 
    Every official establishment shall designate, with the approval of 
the circuit supervisor, a dock or place at which products and other 
articles subject to reinspection under Sec. 318.2 shall be received, and 
such products and articles shall be received only at such dock or place.
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.4]
 
[Page 232-235]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.4  Preparation of products to be officially supervised; responsibilities of official establishments; plant operated quality control.
 
    (a) All processes used in curing, pickling, rendering, canning, or 
otherwise
 
[[Page 233]]
 
preparing any product in official establishments shall be supervised by 
Program employees unless such preparation is conducted as a custom 
operation exempted from inspection under Sec. 303.1(a)(2) of this 
subchapter in any official establishment or consists of operations that 
are exempted from inspection under Sec. 303.1(d) of this subchapter and 
are conducted in a retail store in an establishment subject to 
inspection only because the State or Territory in which the 
establishment is located is designated under paragraph 301(c) of the 
Act. 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. All steps in the preparation of edible products shall be 
conducted carefully and with strict cleanliness in rooms or compartments 
separate from those used for inedible products.
    (b) It shall be the responsibility of the operator of every official 
establishment to comply with the Act and the regulations in this 
subchapter. In order to carry out this responsibility effectively, the 
operator of the establishment shall institute appropriate measures to 
assure the maintenance of the establishment and the preparation, 
marking, labeling, packaging and other handling of its products strictly 
in accordance with the sanitary and other requirements of this 
subchapter. The effectiveness of such measures will be subject to review 
by the Department.
    (c) Applying for Total Plant Quality Control. Any owner or operator 
of an official establishment preparing meat food product who has a total 
plant quality control system or plan for controlling such product, after 
ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection, through all stages of 
preparation, may request the Administrator to evaluate it to determine 
whether or not that system is adequate to result in product being in 
compliance with the requirements of the Act and therefore qualify as a 
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Total Plant Quality Control 
Establishment. Such a request shall, as a minimum, include:
    (1) A letter to the Administrator from the establishment owner of 
operator stating the company's basis and purpose for seeking an approved 
quality control system and willingness to adhere to the requirements of 
the system as approved by the Department; that all the establishment's 
data, analyses, and information generated by its quality control system 
will be maintained to enable the Department to monitor compliance and 
available to Department personnel; that plant quality control personnel 
will have authority to halt production or shipping of product in cases 
where the submitted quality control system requires it; and that the 
owner or operator (or his/her designee) will be available for 
consultation at any time Department personnel consider it necessary.
    (2) In the case of an establishment having one or more full-time 
persons whose primary duties are related to the quality control system, 
an organizational chart showing that such people ultimately report to an 
establishment official whose quality control responsibilities are 
independent of or not predominantly production responsibilities. In the 
case of an establishment which does not have full-time quality control 
personnel, information indicating the nature of the duties and 
responsibilities of the person who will be responsible for the quality 
control system.
    (3) A list identifying those parts and sections of the Federal meat 
inspection regulations which are applicable to the operations of the 
establishment applying for approval of a quality control system. This 
list shall also identify which part of the quality control system will 
serve to maintain compliance with the applicable regulations.
    (4) Detailed information concerning the manner in which the system 
will function. Such information should include, but not necessarily be 
limited to, questions of raw material control, the critical check or 
control points, the nature and frequency of tests to be made, the nature 
of charts and other records that will be used, the length of time such 
charts and records will be maintained in the custody of the official 
establishment, the nature of deficiencies the quality control system is
 
[[Page 234]]
 
designed to identify and control, the parameters or limits which will be 
used, and the points at which corrective action will occur and the 
nature of such corrective action--ranging from least to most severe: 
Provided, That, subsequent to approval of the total plant quality 
control system by the Administrator, the official establishment may 
produce a new product for test marketing provided labeling for the 
product has been approved by the Administrator, the inspector in charge 
has determined that the procedures for preparing the product will assure 
that all Federal requirements are met, and the production for test 
marketing does not exceed 6 months. Such new product shall not be 
produced at that establishment after the 6-month period unless approval 
of the quality control system for that product has been received from 
the Administrator.
    (d) [Reserved]
    (e) Evaluation and Approval of Total Plant Quality Control. (1) The 
Administrator shall evaluate the material presented in accordance with 
the provisions of paragraph (c) of this section. If it is determined by 
the Administrator, on the basis of the evaluation, that the total 
quality control system will result in finished products controlled in 
this manner being in full compliance with the requirements of the Act 
and regulations thereunder, the total quality control system will be 
approved and plans will be made for implementation under departmental 
supervision.
    (2) In any situation where the system is found by the Administrator 
to be unacceptable, formal notification shall be given to the applicant 
of the basis for the denial. The applicant will be afforded an 
opportunity to modify the system in accordance with the notification. 
The applicant shall also be afforded an opportunity to submit a written 
statement in response to this notification of denial and a right to 
request a hearing with respect to the merits or validity of the denial. 
If the applicant requests a hearing and the Administrator, after review 
of the answer, determines the initial determination to be correct, he 
shall file with the Hearing Clerk of the Department the notification, 
answer and the request for hearing, which shall constitute the complaint 
and answer in the proceeding, which shall thereafter be conducted in 
accordance with Rules of Practice which shall be adopted for this 
proceeding.
    (3) The establishment owner or operator shall be responsible for the 
effective operation of the approved total plant quality control system 
to assure compliance with the requirements of the Act and regulations 
thereunder. The Secretary shall continue to provide the Federal 
inspection necessary to carry out his responsibilities under the Act.
    (f) Labeling Logo. Owners and operators of official establishments 
having a total plant quality control system approved under the 
provisions of paragraph (c) of this section, may only use, as a part of 
any labeling, the following logo. Any labeling bearing the logo and any 
wording of explanation with respect to this logo shall be approved as 
required by parts 316 and 317 of this subchapter.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TC11SE91.015
 
    (g) Termination of Total Plant Quality Control. (1) The approval of 
a total plant quality control system may be terminated at any time by 
the owner or operator of the official establishment upon written notice 
to the Administrator.
    (2) The approval of a total plant quality control system may be 
terminated upon the establishment's receipt of a written notice from the 
Administrator under the following conditions:
 
[[Page 235]]
 
    (i) If adulterated or misbranded meat food product is found by the 
Administrator to have been prepared for or distributed in commerce by 
the subject establishment. In such case, opportunity will be provided to 
the establishment owner or operator to present views to the 
Administrator within 30 days of the date of terminating the approval. In 
those instances where there is conflict of facts, a hearing, under 
applicable Rules of Practice, will be provided to the establishment 
owner or operator to resolve the conflict. The Administrator's 
termination of approval shall remain in effect pending the final 
determination of the proceeding.
    (ii) If the establishment fails to comply with the quality control 
system or program to which it has agreed after being notified by letter 
from the Administrator or his designee. Prior to such termination, 
opportunity will be provided to the establishment owner or operator to 
present views to the Administrator within 30 days of the date of the 
letter. In those instances where there is a conflict of facts, a 
hearing, under applicable Rules of Practice, will be provided to the 
establishment owner or operator to resolve the conflict. The 
Administrator's termination of quality control approval shall remain in 
effect pending the final determination of the proceeding.
    (3) If approval of the total establishment quality control system 
has been terminated in accordance with the provisions of this section, 
an application and request for approval of the same or a modified total 
establishment quality control system will not be evaluated by the 
Administrator for at least 6 months from the termination date.
    (h)(1) Operating Schedule Under Total Plant Quality Control. An 
official establishment with an approved total plant quality control 
system may request approval for an operating schedule of up to 12 
consecutive hours per shift. Permission will be granted provided that:
    (i) The official establishment has satisfactorily operated under a 
total plant quality control system for at least 1 year.
    (ii) All products prepared and packaged, or processed after the end 
of 8 hours of inspection shall only be a continuation of the processing 
monitored by the inspector and being conducted during the last hour of 
inspection.
    (iii) All immediate containers of products prepared and packaged 
shall bear code marks that are unique to any period of production beyond 
the 8 hours of inspection. The form of such code marks will remain 
constant from day to day, and a facsimile of the code marks and their 
meaning shall be provided to the inspector.
    (2) Application. Applications shall be submitted to the Regional 
Director and shall specify how the conditions in Sec. 318.4(h)(1) have 
been or will be met.
    (3) Monitoring by Inspectors. In order to verify that an 
establishment is preparing and shipping product in accordance with the 
approved total plant quality control system and the Act and regulations 
after the 8 hours of inspection, the official establishment may be 
provided overtime inspection services at the discretion of the circuit 
supervisor and charged for such services.
 
(Reporting requirements were approved by the Office of Management and 
Budget under control number 0583-0015)
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 12003, June 24, 1971; 45 
FR 54322, Aug. 15, 1980; 51 FR 32304, Sept. 11, 1986; 62 FR 45024, Aug. 
25, 1997; 62 FR 54759, Oct. 22, 1997; 65 FR 34389, May 30, 2000]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.5]
 
[Page 235-236]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.5  Requirements concerning procedures.
 
    (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 will 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,
 
[[Page 236]]
 
unless subsequently heat processed or otherwise treated to preserve the 
product in a manner approved by the Administrator in specific cases.
    (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 thoroughly cleaned on all surfaces and parts 
immediately after being emptied of their contents, which shall follow 
promptly their removal from the carcasses.
    (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, beef bladders, calf 
rounds, hog bungs, hog 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.
    (i) Portions of casings which show infection with Oesophagostomum or 
other nodule-producing parasite, and weasands infected with the larvae 
of Hypoderma lineatum, shall be rejected, except that when the 
infestation is slight and the nodules and larvae are removed, the casing 
or weasand may be passed.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970; 36 FR 11903, June 23, 1971]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.6]
 
[Page 236-237]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.6  Requirements concerning ingredients and other articles used in preparation of products.
 
    (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. Official 
establishments shall furnish inspectors accurate information on all 
procedures involved in product preparation including product composition 
and any changes in such procedures essential for inspectional control of 
the product.
    (b)(1) The only animal casings that may be used as containers of 
product are those from cattle, sheep, swine, or goats.
    (2) Casings for products shall be carefully inspected by Program 
employees. Only those casings which have been carefully washed and 
thoroughly flushed with clean water immediately before stuffing and are 
suitable for containers, are 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 provided they are found to be clean and otherwise 
acceptable and are thoroughly rinsed before use.
    (3) Hog and sheep casings intended for use as containers of product 
may be treated by soaking in or applying thereto sound, fresh pineapple 
juice or papain or bromelin or pancreatic extract to permit the enzymes 
contained in these substances to act on the casings to make them less 
resistant. The casings shall be handled in a clean and sanitary manner 
throughout and the treatment shall be followed by washing and flushing 
the casings with water sufficiently to effectively remove the substance 
used and terminate the enzymatic action.
    (4) 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.
    (5) Testicles if handled as an edible product may be shipped from 
the official establishment as such, but they shall not be used as an 
ingredient of a meat food product.
    (6) Tonsils shall be removed and shall not be used as ingredients of 
meat food products.
    (7) Blood from livestock prepared in accordance with Sec. 310.20 of 
this subchapter may be used as an ingredient
 
[[Page 237]]
 
of a meat food product for which a standard is prescribed in part 319 of 
this subchapter, if permitted by such standard, and may be used in any 
meat food product for which no such standard is prescribed in part 319 
of this subchapter if it is a common and usual ingredient of such 
product.
    (8) Intestines shall not be used as ingredients in any meat food 
product for which a standard is prescribed in part 319 of this 
subchapter and shall not be used in other products unless the products 
are labeled in accordance with Sec. 317.8(b)(3) of this subchapter.
    (9) Poultry products and egg products (other than shell eggs) 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 the Department under the 
regulations in 7 CFR part 59 or 9 CFR part 362 or 381 and when found to 
be sound and otherwise acceptable when presented for use. 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.
    (10) 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 Department 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.
    (11) [Reserved]
    (12) Ingredients for use in any product may not bear or contain any 
pesticide chemical or other residues in excess of level permitted in 
Sec. 318.16.
    (13) Use of "Mechanically Separated (Kind of Poultry)," as defined 
in Sec. 381.173 of this chapter, in the preparation of meat food 
products shall accord with Sec. 381.174 and all other applicable 
provisions of this subchapter.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR 14368, June 1, 1973; 38 
FR 29214, Oct. 23, 1973; 39 FR 1973, Jan. 16, 1974; 41 FR 23702, June 
11, 1976; 49 FR 19623, May 9, 1984; 50 FR 6, Jan. 2, 1985; 60 FR 55982, 
Nov. 3, 1995]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.8]
 
[Page 237-238]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.8  Preservatives and other substances permitted in product for export only; handling; such product not to be used for domestic food purposes.
 
    (a) Preservatives and other substances not permitted in domestic 
product under the regulations in this subchapter may be used in the 
preparation and packing of product intended for export provided the 
product (1) accords to the specifications or directions of the foreign 
purchaser; (2) is not in conflict with the laws of the country to which 
it is intended for export; and (3) is labeled on the outside container 
to show that it is intended for export, and is otherwise labeled as 
required by this subchapter for such export product.
    (b) The preparation and packing of export product as provided for in 
paragraph (a) of this section shall be done in a manner acceptable to 
the inspector in charge so that the identity of the export product is 
maintained conclusively and the preparation of domestic product is 
adequately protected. The preservatives and other substances not 
permitted in domestic product shall be stored in a room or compartment 
separate from areas used to store other supplies and shall be held under 
Program lock. Use of the preservatives or other substances shall be 
under the direct supervision of a Program employee.
    (c) The packing of all articles under paragraph (a) of this section 
shall be conducted under the direct supervision of a Program employee.
    (d) No article prepared or packed for export under paragraph (a) of 
this section shall be sold or offered for sale for domestic use or 
consumption, but unless exported shall be destroyed for food purposes 
under the direct supervision of a Program employee.
    (e) The contents of the container of any article prepared or packed 
for export under paragraph (a) of this section shall not be removed, in 
whole or in part, from such container prior to exportation, except under 
the supervision of a Program employee. If such contents are removed 
prior to exportation, then the article shall be either repacked, in 
accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this
 
[[Page 238]]
 
section, or destroyed for food purposes under the direct supervision of 
a Program employee.
    (f) Permission must be obtained from the Administrator before meats 
packed in borax are shipped from one official establishment to another 
or to an unofficial establishment for storage, except such meat prepared 
for the account of Federal agencies.
    (g) At all times, the identity of meat to which borax has been added 
shall be effectively maintained. In no case shall such meat, nor any 
trimmings or fat derived from such meat, whether unwashed or washed, or 
otherwise treated, be diverted to domestic use.
    (h) Salt used for bulking meat previously packed in borax may not 
again be used in an edible products department other than in connection 
with the packing of meat in borax. Only metal equipment should be used 
for handling such meat. Particularly effective cleansing will be 
required if wooden equipment such as trucks, washing vats, etc., is 
used. Boxes from which boraxed meat has been removed may be used for 
repacking meat in borax, but their use as containers for other meat will 
be dependent upon the effective removal of all traces of borax.
    (i) The following instructions pertain to export cured pork packed 
in borax for the account of Federal agencies. The meat may be packed in 
borax in a room in which there is borax-free meat, provided proper care 
is taken to see that the borax-free meat is not affected by the borax. 
Under the same condition, meat packed in borax may be received, 
unpacked, defrosted, soaked, washed, smoked, and repacked in a room 
where there is other meat. However, meat originally packed in borax 
shall at all times be subject to the restrictions of meat so packed, 
even though repacked without borax. After packing or repacking, borax 
packed meat may be stored in a room with meat not packed in borax, 
provided a reasonable degree of separation is maintained between the two 
classes of product.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970; 36 FR 11903, June 23, 1971, as amended at 38 
FR 29214, Oct. 23, 1973]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.9]
 
[Page 238]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.9  Samples of products, water, dyes, chemicals, etc., to be taken for examination.
 
    Samples of products, water, dyes, chemicals, preservatives, spices, 
or other articles in any official establishment shall be taken, without 
cost to the Program, for examination, as often as may be deemed 
necessary for the efficient conduct of the inspection.
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.10]
 
[Page 238-248]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.10  Prescribed treatment of pork and products containing pork to destroy trichinae.
 
    (a)(1) 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 paragraph (b) of this section, 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.
    (2) Pork from carcasses or carcass parts that have been found free 
of trichinae as described under paragraph (e) or (f) of this section is 
not required to be treated for the destruction of trichinae.
    (b) Products named in this paragraph, and products of the character 
hereof, containing pork muscle tissue (not including pork hearts, pork 
stomachs, 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, as prescribed in this 
section at the official establishment where such products are prepared: 
Bologna, frankfurter, vienna, and other cooked sausage; smoked sausage; 
knoblauch sausage; mortadella; all forms of summer or dried sausage, 
including mettwurst; flavored pork sausages such as those containing 
wine or similar flavoring materials; cured pork sausage; sausage 
containing cured and/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
 
[[Page 239]]
 
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 (excepting smoked hams, and smoked pork 
shoulder picnics which are specially prepared for distribution in 
tropical climates or smoked hams delivered to the Armed Services); 
ground meat mixtures containing pork and beef, veal, lamb, mutton, or 
goat meat and other product consisting of mixtures of pork and other 
ingredients, which the Administrator determines at the time the labeling 
for the product is submitted for approval in accordance with part 317 of 
the regulations in this subchapter or upon subsequent reevaluation of 
the product, would be prepared in such a manner that the product might 
be eaten rare or without thorough cooking because of the appearance of 
the finished product or otherwise. Cured boneless pork loins shall be 
subjected to prescribed treatment for destruction of trichinae prior to 
being shipped from the establishment where cured.
    (c) The treatment shall consist of heating, refrigerating, or 
curing, as follows:
    (1) Heating. (i) All parts of the pork muscle tissue shall be heated 
according to one of the time and temperature combinations in the 
following table:
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Minimum internal temperature
--------------------------------------------------
                                         Degrees        Minimum time
          Degrees fahrenheit           centigrade
------------------------------------------------------------------------
120..................................       49.0   21 hours.
122..................................       50.0   9.5 hours.
124..................................       51.1   4.5 hours.
126..................................       52.2   2 hours.
128..................................       53.4   1 hour.
130..................................       54.5   30 minutes.
132..................................       55.6   15 minutes.
134..................................       56.7   6 minutes.
136..................................       57.8   3 minutes.
138..................................       58.9   2 minutes.
140..................................       60.0   1 minute.
142..................................       61.1   1 minute.
144..................................       62.2   Instant.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (ii) Time and temperature shall be monitored by a calibrated 
recording instrument that meets the requirements of paragraph (d) of 
this section, except for paragraph (c)(1)(iv).
    (iii) The time to raise product temperature from 60  deg.F. to 120 
deg.F shall not exceed 2 hours unless the product is cured or fermented.
    (iv) Time, in combination with temperatures of 138  deg.F to 143 
deg.F, need not be monitored if the product's minimum thickness exceeds 
2 inches (5.1 cm) and refrigeration of the product does not begin within 
5 minutes of attaining 138  deg.F (58.9  deg.C).
    (v) The establishment shall use procedures which insure the proper 
heating of all parts of the product. 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.
    (2) Refrigerating. At any stage of preparation and after preparatory 
chilling to a temperature of not above 40  deg.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 table 1, the duration of such 
refrigeration at the specified temperature being dependent on the 
thickness of the meat or inside dimensions of the container.
 
      Table 1--Required Period of Freezing at Temperature Indicated
------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Temperature  deg.F.        Group 1 (Days)          Group 2 (Days)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                5                       20                      30
              -10                       10                      20
              -20                        6                      12
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (i) Group 1 comprises product in separate pieces not exceeding 6 
inches in thickness, or arranged on separate racks with the layers not 
exceeding 6 inches in depth, or stored in crates or boxes not exceeding 
6 inches in depth, or stored as solidly frozen blocks not exceeding 6 
inches in thickness.
    (ii) Group 2 comprises product in pieces, layers, or within 
containers, the thickness of which exceeds 6 inches but
 
[[Page 240]]
 
not 27 inches, and product in containers including tierces, barrels, 
kegs, and cartons having a thickness not exceeding 27 inches.
    (iii) 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  deg.F., -10 
deg.F., or -20  deg.F., as the case may be.
    (iv) In lieu of the methods prescribed in Table 1, the treatment may 
consist of commercial freeze drying or controlled freezing, at the 
center of the meat pieces, in accordance with the times and temperatures 
specified in Table 2.
 
    Table 2--Alternate Periods of Freezing at Temperatures Indicated
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Maximum internal temperature
--------------------------------------------------
                                         Degrees        Minimum Time
          Degrees Fahrenheit           centigrade
------------------------------------------------------------------------
  0..................................       -17.8  106 hours.
-5...................................       -20.6  82 hours.
-10..................................       -23.3  63 hours.
-15..................................       -26.1  48 hours.
-20..................................       -28.9  35 hours.
-25..................................       -31.7  22 hours.
-30..................................       -34.5  8 hours.
-35..................................       -37.2  \1/2\ hour.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (v) 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 an official Program lock 
or seal. 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 covered by 
paragraph (b) of this section 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 paragraph (b) of this section or until it 
is transferred under Program control to another official establishment 
for preparation in such finished form.
    (vi) Pork which has been refrigerated as specified in this 
subparagraph 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 covered by paragraph (b) of this section. Such 
vehicles and containers shall be sealed and transported between official 
establishments in accordance with Sec. 325.7 of this subchapter.
    (3) Curing--(i) 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:
 
    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  deg.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  deg.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.
    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
 
[[Page 241]]
 
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  deg.F., and finally held in a drying room not less than 10 days at a 
temperature not lower than 45  deg.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 above 
indicated, not less than 25 days at a temperature not lower than 45 
deg.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.
    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  deg.F. for not less than 36 hours. After 
being stuffed, the sausage shall be held at a temperature not lower than 
34  deg.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 deg. strength (salometer 
reading) at a temperature not lower than 44  deg.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 
deg.F.; and for 4 consecutive hours of this period the smokehouse shall 
be maintained at a temperature not lower than 128  deg.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  deg.F., and for 7 
consecutive hours of this period the smokehouse shall be maintained at a 
temperature not lower than 128  deg.F. In regulating the temperature of 
the smokehouse for the treatment of sausage under this method, the 
temperature of 128  deg.F. shall be attained gradually during a period 
of not less than 4 hours.
    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  deg.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  deg.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  deg.F., 
or subjected to smoking at a temperature not lower than 80  deg.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.
    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  deg.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 Administrator.
    Method No. 6. (A) Basic requirements. 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 3.33 pounds of salt to 
each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage, excluding the weight of dry 
ingredients, shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground or chopped meat. 
After the curing mixture has been added, the sausage shall be held for 
two time periods, a holding period and a drying period. The holding 
period will be for a minimum of 48 hours at a room temperature not lower 
than 35  deg.F. This holding period requirement may be fulfilled totally 
or in part before the drying period and then the remainder, if any, 
after the drying period or as an extension of the drying period. During 
the drying period, the sausage shall be held in a drying room at a 
temperature not lower than 50 (10.0  deg.F. (10.0  deg.C) for a period 
of time determined by Tables 3A, 3B, and 4. The length of the drying 
period, established in (c)(3)(i)(A), may be modified as provided in 
paragraphs (c)(3)(i)(B) and (c)(3)(i)(C) of this section.
 
[[Page 242]]
 
 
 
           Table 3A--Sausage Drying Room Times by Method No. 6
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Days in
           Diameter of casing at time of stuffing\1\              drying
                                                                 room\2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up to:
    1 inches...................................................       14
    1\1/2\ inches..............................................       15
    2 inches...................................................       16
    2\1/2\ inches..............................................       18
    3 inches...................................................       20
    3\1/2\ inches..............................................       23
    4 inches...................................................       25
    4\1/2\ inches..............................................       30
    5 inches...................................................       35
    5\1/2\ inches..............................................       43
    6 inches...................................................       50
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The drying room times for flattened or oval sausages shall use a
  diameter derived by measuring the circumference and dividing by 3.14
  (pi).
\2\ Drying room time may be modified as set forth in Tables 3B and 4.
 
    (B) Reduction in Drying Room Time. During the holding period, the 
sausage may be smoked or fermented. If the temperature is increased to 
70  deg.F. (21.1  deg.C) or higher, while the sausage is being held 
after adding curing materials but before the drying period, the 
subsequent drying room times prescribed for this method may be reduced 
according to the schedule in Table 3B. No interpolation of values is 
permissible.
 
              Table 3B--Percentage Reduction in Drying Room Time (Table 3A) Permitted by Holding Times and Temperatures Prior to Drying \1\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Minimum Temperature \2\
                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         70        75        80        85        90        95        100       105       110       120
                    Minimum Time                        deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F     deg.F
                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                        21.1      23.9      26.7      29.5      32.2      35.0      37.9      40.6      43.3      48.9
                                                        deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C     deg.C
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 hours............................................         4         5         8        10        15        23        37        57        90   \3\ 100
48 hours............................................         9        12        18        25        35        49        88   \3\ 100   \3\ 100       100
72 hours............................................        14        19        28        39        55        74   \3\ 100       100       100       100
96 hours............................................        19        26        38        53        75        98       100       100       100       100
120 hours...........................................        24        33        48        67        95   \3\ 100       100       100       100       100
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In computing the days to be deducted, the number with any fraction shall be rounded to the next lower whole number and shall be deducted from the
  required total drying time. Example: Sausage stuffed in 3 diameter casing requires 20 days in the drying room (from Drying Room Times,
  Table 3A). If allowed to ferment, after addition of curing materials, at 80  deg.F. for 48 hours, the 20 day drying time may be reduced 18% (from
  Table 3B). Eighteen percent of 20 day equals 3.6 days. Twenty days minus 3 days equals 17 days. The total drying time required in the drying room,
  therefore, will be 17 days.
\2\ Either room temperature or internal product temperature shall be used for sausages that will be subsequently dried to a moisture-protein ratio of
  2.3:1 or less. Internal product temperature shall be used for all other sausages.
\3\ Trichinae will be destroyed during fermentation or smoking at the temperature and length of time indicated. Therefore, no drying room period is
  required for products so treated.
 
    (C) Reduced Salt Content--Drying Room Times. Salt content of less 
than 3.33 pounds for each hundredweight of sausage formulation, 
excluding dry ingredients, (such as salts, sugars, and spices), may be 
permitted provided the drying time is increased according to the 
schedule contained in Table 4.
 
             Trichina Treatment of Sausage by Method No. 6;
 
            Table 4--Reduced Salt Content--Drying Room Times
 [Required percentage increase in drying room time (table 3A) for added
       salt of less than 3.33 pounds per hundredweight of sausage]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Increase
                                                               in drying
         Minimum pounds of salt added to sausage \1\           room time
                                                                  \2\
------------------------------------------------------------------------
3.3..........................................................          1
3.2..........................................................          4
3.1..........................................................          7
3.0..........................................................         10
2.9..........................................................         13
2.8..........................................................         16
2.7..........................................................         19
2.6..........................................................         22
2.5..........................................................         25
2.4..........................................................         28
2.3..........................................................         31
2.2..........................................................         34
2.1..........................................................         37
2.0..........................................................         40
------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Calculate the salt content for column 1 as follows: Multiply the
  pounds of salt in the sausage formulation by 100. Then divide this
  number by the total weight of sausage formulation minus the weight of
  dry ingredients and round down to the next lowest 0.1%. Percents may
  be substituted for pounds.
Example: 120 lbs. pork, 3.56 lbs. salt, 2 lbs. spices, 0.5 lbs. wine, 1
  lb. water and starter culture, 0.8 lbs. sugar, .012 lbs. sodium
  nitrite total weight is 127.872 lbs.
 
 
[[Page 243]]
 
 
(3.56x100)/(127.872-3.56-2-.8-.012)=356/121.5=2.93
 
Therefore, the sausage drying time must be increased by 13 percent.
\2\ In computing the days to be added to the required total drying time,
  fractions shall be rounded to the next higher whole number and added
  to the required total drying time. Example: Sausage stuffed in 3\1/2\
  inch diameter casing requires 23 days in the drying room (from Drying
  Room Times). If the quantity of salt added per hundredweight of
  sausage is 2 pounds instead of 3.33 pounds, the drying room time must
  be increased by 40 percent (from Reduced Salt Content-Drying Room
  Times), or 9.2 days. The 9.2 is rounded up to 10 days and is added to
  the 23 days to equal 33 days. The total drying time required in the
  drying room, therefore, will be 33 days.
 
    Method No. 7, Dry Sausages. (A) General Requirements. The 
establishment shall use meat particles reduced in size to no more than 
1/4 inch in diameter. The establishment shall add a curing mixture 
containing no less than 2.7 pounds of salt per hundred pounds of meat 
and mix it uniformly throughout the product. The establishment shall 
hold, heat, and dry the product according to paragraph (B) or (C) below.
    (B) Holding, Heating, and Drying Treatment, Large Sausages. Except 
as permitted in (C) below, the establishment shall subject sausages in 
casings not exceeding 105 mm in diameter, at the time of stuffing, to 
all of the following minimum chamber temperatures and time periods.
 
 Treatment Schedule for Sausages 105 Millimeters (4\1/8\ Inches) or Less
                               in Diameter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Minimum chamber temperature
-------------------------------------------------  Minimum time (hours)
        ( deg.F)                 ( deg.C)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               50                       10                       12
               90                     32.2                        1
              100                     37.8                        1
              110                     43.3                        1
              120                     48.9                        1
              125                     51.7                        7
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Following the preceding treatment, the establishment shall dry the 
sausages at a temperature not lower than 50  deg.F (10  deg.C) for not 
less than 7 days.
    (C) Heating and Drying Treatment, Small Sausages. Alternatively, the 
establishment may subject sausages in casings not exceeding 55 mm in 
diameter, at the time of stuffing, to all of the following minimum 
chamber temperatures and time periods.
 
 Treatment Schedule for Sausages 55 Millimeters (2\1/8\ Inches) or Less
                               in Diameter
------------------------------------------------------------------------
           Minimum chamber temperature
-------------------------------------------------  Minimum time (hours)
        ( deg.F)                 ( deg.C)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
               50                       10                       12
              100                     37.8                        1
              125                     51.7                        6
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Following the preceding heat treatment, the establishment shall dry the 
sausages at a temperature not lower than 50  deg.F (10  deg.C) for not 
less than 4 days.
 
    (ii) 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  deg.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 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 smoked for a period of not less than 30 hours at a temperature 
not lower than 80  deg.F., and shall finally be held in a drying room 
not less than 20 days at a temperature not lower than 45  deg.F.
    (iii) 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  deg.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 not lower than 45  deg.F.
    (iv) Hams and pork shoulder picnics. In the curing of hams and pork 
shoulder picnics, one of the methods below shall be used. For 
calculating days per pound, the establishment shall use the weight of 
the heaviest ham or picnic in the lot.
 
    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 no lower 
than 36  deg.F. The products shall
 
[[Page 244]]
 
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 (turned over for the application of additional cure) 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  deg.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 at a time and temperature not 
less than a combination prescribed in Table 5 of Method No. 3.
    Method No. 2. [Reserved]
    Method No. 3. (A) Curing. (Other than bag curing): Establishments 
shall cure hams and shoulders by using a cure mixture containing not 
less than 70 percent salt by weight to cover all exposed muscle tissue 
and to pack the hock region. Total curing time consists of a mandatory 
cure contact time and an optional equalization time.
    (B) Cure Contact Time. This is the cure contact period, during which 
the establishment shall keep exposed muscle tissue coated with the cure 
mixture at least 28 days but for no less than 1.5 days per pound of ham 
or shoulder. Overhaul is optional so long as the exposed muscle tissue 
remains coated with curing mixture.
    (C) Equalization. The establishment may provide an equalization 
period after the minimum cure contact period in (B) above to permit the 
absorbed salt to permeate the product's inner tissues. Equalization is 
the time after the excess cure has been removed from the product at the 
end of the cure contact period until the product is placed in the drying 
room and the drying period begins. The total curing time (equalization 
plus cure contact) shall be at least 40 days and in no case less than 2 
days per pound of an uncured ham or shoulder.
    (D) Removing Excess Cure. After the required cure contact period, 
the establishment may remove excess cure mixture from the product's 
surface mechanically or by rinsing up to 1 minute with water, but not by 
soaking.
    (E) Bag Curing. Bag curing is a traditional ham curing technique in 
which the manufacturer wraps the ham and all of the cure mixture 
together in kraft paper then hangs them individually. The paper keeps 
the extra cure mixture in close contact with the product making 
reapplication of salt unnecessary, and it protects the product from 
mites and insects. Establishments may employ the bag curing method as an 
alternative to (A) through (D) above. An establishment which elects to 
use the bag curing method shall apply a cure mixture containing at least 
6 pounds of salt per 100 pounds of uncured product. The establishment 
shall rub the curing mixture into the exposed muscle tissue, pack the 
hock region with the curing mixture, and use uncoated wrapping paper to 
wrap the product together with any remaining curing mixture. The bag 
cured product shall remain wrapped throughout the curing period and may 
or may not remain wrapped during the drying period. In any case, the 
curing period shall be at least 40 days but not less than 2 days per 
pound of an uncured ham or shoulder. After curing, the cured product 
shall be exposed to a drying time and temperature prescribed in Table 5.
    (F) Curing Temperature. During the curing period the establishment 
shall use one of the following procedures:
    (1) The establishment shall control the room temperature at not less 
than 35  deg.F (1.7  deg.C) nor greater than 45  deg.F (7.2  deg.C) for 
the first 1.5 days per pound of an uncured ham or shoulder, and not less 
than 35  deg.F (1.7  deg.C) nor greater than 60  deg.F (15.6  deg.C) for 
the remainder of the curing period.
    (2) The establishment shall monitor and record daily product 
temperature. The room temperature need not be controlled but days on 
which the product temperature drops below 35  deg.F (1.7  deg.C) shall 
not be counted as curing time. If the product temperature exceeds 45 
deg.F (7.2  deg.C) within the first period of 1.5 days per pound of an 
uncured ham or shoulder or if it exceeds 60  deg.F (15.6  deg.C) for the 
remainder of the curing period, the establishment shall cool the product 
back to the 45  deg.F (7.2  deg.C) maximum during the first period or 55 
 deg.F (12.8  deg.C) maximum during the remainder of the period.
    (3) The establishment shall begin curing product only between the 
dates of December 1 and February 13. The room temperature need not be 
controlled, but the establishment shall monitor and record daily room 
temperatures, and days in which the room temperature drops below 35 
deg.F (1.7  deg.C) shall not be counted as curing time.
    (G) Drying. After the curing period, establishments shall use one of 
three procedures for drying:
    (1) The establishment shall subject the product to a controlled room 
temperature for a minimum time and minimum temperature combination 
prescribed in Table 5 or for a set of such combinations in which the 
total of the fractional periods (in column 4 of Table 5) exceeds 1.5.
    (2) Establishments using uncontrolled room temperatures shall 
monitor and record the internal product temperature. The drying period 
shall be complete when, from the days which can be counted as curing 
time, one of the time/temperature combinations of
 
[[Page 245]]
 
Table 5 is satisfied or when the total of the fractional values for the 
combinations exceeds 1.5.
    (3) Establishments using uncontrolled room temperatures shall dry 
the product for a minimum of 160 days including the entire months of 
June, July, and August. This procedure is obviously dependent on local 
climatic conditions and no problem exists with respect to current 
producers who use this procedure. Future applicants shall demonstrate 
that their local monthly average temperatures and the local monthly 
minimum temperatures are equal to or warmer than the normal average 
temperatures and normal minimum temperatures compiled by the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for Boone, North Carolina, 
station 31-0977, 1951 through 1980.
 
                              Monthly Temperatures ( deg.F) for Boone NC, 1951-1980
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Jan.                             Feb.   Mar.   Apr.   May    June   July   Aug.   Sep.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Normal average temperatures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          32.2                             34.1   41.3   51.2   59.1   65.1   68.3   67.5   61.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           Normal minimum temperatures
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          22.8                             24.2   30.8   39.6   48.1   54.7   58.5   57.6   51.6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
  Drying Times and Temperatures for Trichina Inactivation in Hams and 
                                Shoulders
 
         Table 5--Minimum Drying Days at a Minimum Temperature*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Minimum Drying Temperature                           Fractional
--------------------------------------------  Minimum days    period for
                                  Degrees       at drying     one day of
      Degrees fahrenheit         centigrade    temperature      drying
------------------------------------------------------------------------
130...........................         54.4             1.5          .67
125...........................         51.7               2          .50
120...........................         48.9               3          .33
115...........................         46.1               4          .25
110...........................         43.3               5          .20
105...........................         40.6               6          .17
100...........................         37.8               7          .14
95............................         35.0               9          .11
90............................         32.2              11         .091
85............................         29.4              18         .056
80............................         26.7              25         .040
75............................         23.9              35         .029
------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Interpolation of these times or temperatures is not acceptable;
  establishments wishing to use temperatures or times not in this Table
  shall first validate their efficacy as provided by 318.10(c)(4) of
  this section.
 
    Method No. 4. (A) Cure: Establishments shall cure hams and shoulders 
by using a cure mixture containing not less than 71.5 percent salt by 
weight to cover all exposed muscle tissue and to pack the hock region. 
Establishments may substitute potassium chloride (KCl) for up to half of 
the required salt on an equal weight basis.
    (B) Curing. Establishments shall apply the cure at a rate not less 
than 5.72 pounds of salt and KCl per hundred pounds of fresh meat. The 
cure shall be applied in either three or four approximately equal 
amounts (two or three overhauls) at separate times during the first 14 
days of curing.
    (C) Cure Contact Time. Establishments shall keep the product in 
contact with the cure mixture for no less than 2 days per pound of an 
uncured ham or shoulder but for at least 30 days. Establishments shall 
maintain the curing temperature at no less than 35  deg.F (1.7  deg.C) 
during the cure contact time.
    (D) Equalization. After the cure contact period, establishments 
shall provide an added equalization period of no less than 1 day per 
pound of an uncured ham or shoulder but at least 14 days. Equalization 
is the time after the excess cure has been removed from the product, the 
end of the cure contact period, and before the drying period begins. 
Establishments may substitute additional cure contact days for an equal 
number of equalization days.
    (E) Removing Excess Cure. After the required cure contact period, 
the establishment may remove excess cure mixture from the product's 
surface mechanically or by rinsing up to 1 minute with water, but not by 
soaking.
    (F) Drying. After the curing period, establishments shall use one of 
the controlled temperature methods for drying listed in Method No. 3 of 
this subparagraph.
    Method No. 5 (A) Curing. The establishment shall cure the ham to a 
minimum brine concentration of 6 percent by the end of the drying 
period. Brine concentration is calculated as 100 times the salt 
concentration divided by the sum of the salt and water concentrations.
 
Percent brine = 100 x [salt] / ([salt] + [water])
 
    The Agency will accept the brine concentration in the biceps femoris 
as a reasonable estimate of the minimum brine concentration in the ham.
    (B) Drying and Total Process Times. The establishment shall dry the 
cured ham at a minimum temperature of 55  deg.F (13  deg.C) for at least 
150 days. The total time of drying plus curing shall be at least 206 
days.
 
[[Page 246]]
 
    (C) Ensuring an Acceptable Internal Brine Concentration. (1) To 
establish compliance, the establishment shall take product samples from 
the first 12 lots of production as follows: From each lot,
    (i) One sample shall be taken from each of 5 or more hams;
    (ii) Each sample shall be taken from the biceps femoris. As an 
alternative to the use of the biceps femoris, the Agency shall consider 
other method(s) of sampling the dry-cured hams to determine the minimum 
internal brine concentration, as long as the establishment proposes it 
and submits data and other information to establish its sufficiency to 
the Director of the Processed Products Inspection Division;
    (iii) Each sample shall weigh no less than 100 grams;
    (iv) The samples shall be combined as one composite sample and 
sealed in a water vapor proof container;
    (v) The composite sample shall be submitted to a laboratory 
accredited under the provisions of Sec. 318.21 to be analyzed for salt 
and water content using methods from the "Official Methods of Analysis 
of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC)," 15th 
Edition, 1990, Section 983.18 (page 931) and Section 971.19 (page 933) 
which are incorporated by reference. This incorporation by reference was 
approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 
U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from the 
Association of Official Analytical Chemists, suite 400-BW, 2200 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3301. Copies may be inspected at the 
Office of the FSIS Hearing Clerk, room 3171, South Agriculture Building, 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250 or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North 
Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC 20408. If the time 
between sampling and submittal of the composite sample to the accredited 
laboratory will exceed 8 hours, then the establishment shall freeze the 
composite sample immediately after the samples are combined;
    (vi) Once the laboratory results for the composite sample are 
received, the manufacturer shall calculate the internal brine 
concentration by multiplying the salt concentration by 100 and then 
dividing that figure by the sum of the salt and water concentrations;
    (vii) Compliance is established when the samples from the first 12 
lots of production have a minimum internal brine concentration of 6 
percent. Lots being tested to establish compliance shall be held until 
the internal brine concentration has been determined and found to be at 
least 6 percent. If the minimum internal brine concentration is less 
than 6 percent, the lot being tested shall be held until the 
establishment brings the lot into compliance by further processing.
    (2) To maintain compliance, the establishment shall take samples, 
have the samples analyzed, and perform the brine calculations as set 
forth above from one lot every 13 weeks. Lots being tested to maintain 
compliance shall not be held. If the minimum internal brine 
concentration is less than 6 percent in a lot being tested to maintain 
compliance, the establishment shall develop and propose steps acceptable 
to FSIS to ensure that the process is corrected.
    (3) Accredited laboratory results and the brine calculations shall 
be placed on file at the establishment and available to Program 
employees for review.
    Method No. 6 (A) Curing. The establishment shall cure the ham to a 
minimum brine concentration of 6 percent by the end of the drying 
period. Brine concentration is calculated as 100 times the salt 
concentration divided by the sum of the salt and water concentrations.
 
Percent brine = 100 x [salt] / ([salt] + [water])
 
    The Agency will accept the brine concentration in the biceps femoris 
as a reasonable estimate of the minimum brine concentration.
    (B) Drying and Total Process Times. The establishment shall dry the 
cured ham at a minimum temperature of 110  deg.F (43  deg.C) for at 
least 4 days. The total time of drying plus curing shall be at least 34 
days.
    (c) Ensuring an Acceptable Internal Brine Concentration.
    (1) To establish compliance the establishment shall take product 
samples from the first 12 lots of production as follows: From each lot,
    (i) One sample shall be taken from each of 5 or more hams;
    (ii) Each sample shall be taken from the biceps femoris. As an 
alternative to the use of the biceps femoris, the Agency will consider 
other methods of sampling the dry-cured hams to determine internal brine 
concentration, as long as the establishment proposes it and submits data 
and other information to establish its sufficiency to the Director of 
the Processed Products Inspection Division;
    (iii) Each sample shall weigh no less than 100 grams;
    (iv) The samples shall be combined as one composite sample and 
sealed in a water vapor proof container;
    (v) The composite sample shall be submitted to a laboratory 
accredited under the provisions of Sec. 318.21 to be analyzed for salt 
and water content using methods from the "Official Methods of Analysis 
of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC)," 15th 
Edition, 1990, section 983.18 (page 931) and section 971.19 (page 933) 
which are incorporated by reference. This incorporation by reference was 
approved by the Director of the Federal Register in accordance
 
[[Page 247]]
 
with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies may be obtained from the 
Association of Official Analytical Chemists, suite 400-BW, 2200 Wilson 
Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201-3301. Copies may be inspected at the 
Office of the FSIS Hearing Clerk, room 3171, South Agriculture Building, 
Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Washington, DC 20250 or at the Office of the Federal Register, 800 North 
Capitol Street, NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. If the time between 
sampling and submittal of the composite sample to the accredited 
laboratory will exceed 8 hours, then the establishment shall freeze the 
composite sample immediately after the samples are combined;
    (vi) Compliance is established when the samples from the first 12 
lots of production have a minimum internal brine concentration of 6 
percent. Lots being tested to establish compliance shall be held until 
the internal brine concentration has been determined and found to be at 
least 6 percent. If the minimum internal brine concentration is less 
than 6 percent, the lot being tested shall be held until the 
establishment brings the lot into compliance by further processing.
    (2) To maintain compliance, the establishment shall take samples, 
have the samples analyzed, and perform the brine calculations as set 
forth above from one lot every 13 weeks. Lots being tested to maintain 
compliance shall not be held. If the minimum internal brine 
concentration is less than 6 percent in a lot being tested to maintain 
compliance, the establishment shall develop and propose steps acceptable 
to FSIS to ensure that the process is corrected.
    (3) Accredited laboratory results and the brine calculations shall 
be placed on file in the establishment and available to Program 
employees for review.
 
    (v) 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  deg.F. by the use of one of the following 
methods:
 
    Method No. 1. Application of a dry-salt curing mixture containing 
not less than 5 pounds of salt to each hundredweight of meats.
    Method No. 2. Application of a pickle solution of not less than 
80 deg. strength (salometer) on the basis of not less than 60 pounds of 
pickle to each hundredweight of meat.
    Method No. 3. Application of a pickle solution added to the dry-salt 
cure prescribed as Method No. 1 in this subdivision (v) provided the 
pickle solution is not less than 80 deg. strength (salometer).
    After removal from cure, the loins may be soaked in water for not 
more than 1 hour at a temperature not higher than 70  deg.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.
    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  deg.F., and for 4 consecutive hours of 
this period the smokehouse shall be maintained at a temperature not 
lower than 125  deg.F.
    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  deg.F.
 
    (4) The Administrator shall consider additional processing methods 
upon petition by manufacturers, and shall approve any such method upon 
his/her determination that it can be properly monitored by an inspector 
and that the safety of such methods is adequately documented by data 
which has been developed by following an experimental protocol 
previously reviewed and accepted by the Department.
    (d) General instructions: When necessary to comply with the 
requirements of this section, the smokehouses, drying rooms, and other 
compartments used in the treatment of pork to destroy possible live 
trichinae shall be suitably equipped, by the operator of the official 
establishment, with accurate automatic recording thermometers. Circuit 
supervisors are authorized to approve for use in sausage smokehouses, 
drying rooms, and other compartments, such automatic recording 
thermometers as are found to give satisfactory service and to disapprove 
and require discontinuance of use, for purposes of the regulations in 
this subchapter, any thermometers (including any automatic recording 
thermometers) of the establishment that are found to be inaccurate or 
unreliable.
    (e) The requirements for using the pooled sample digestion technique 
to analyze pork for the presence of trichina cysts are:
    (1) The establishment shall submit for the approval of the Regional 
Director its proposed procedure for identifying and pooling carcasses, 
collecting and pooling samples, testing samples (including the name and 
address of the laboratory), communicating test results, retesting 
individual carcasses, and maintaining positive identification
 
[[Page 248]]
 
and clear separation of pork found to be trichina-free from untested 
pork or trichina-positive pork.
    (2) The establishment shall use the services of a laboratory 
approved by the Administrator for all required testing. Such approval 
shall be based on adequacy of facilities, reagents, and equipment, and 
on demonstration of continuing competency and reliability in performing 
the pooled sample digestion technique for trichinae.
    (3) The establishment shall sample no less than 5 grams of diaphragm 
muscle or tongue tissue from each carcass or no less than 10 grams of 
other muscle tissue. Samples may be pooled but a pool shall not consist 
of more than 100 grams of sample. Sampling and sample preparation are 
subject to inspection supervision.
    (4) Pork or products made from tested pork shall not be released as 
trichina free from the official establishment without treatment until 
the inspector in charge receives a laboratory report that the tested 
pork is free of trichina cysts.
    (f) Approval of other tests for trichinosis in pork. The 
Administrator shall consider any additional analytical method for 
trichinosis upon petition by a manufacturer, and may approve that method 
upon the determination that it will detect at least 98 percent of swine 
bearing cysts present at a tissue density equal to or less than one cyst 
per gram of muscle from the diaphragm pillars at a 95 percent confidence 
level. Any such petitions shall be supported by any data and other 
information that the Administrator finds necessary. Notice of any 
approval shall be given in the Federal Register, and the approved method 
will be incorporated into this section.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR 31517; Nov. 15, 1973; 39 
FR 40580, Nov. 19, 1974; 50 FR 5229, Feb. 7, l985; 50 FR 48075, Nov. 21, 
1985; 52 FR 12517, Apr. 17, 1987; 57 FR 27874, June 22, 1992; 57 FR 
33633, July 30, 1992; 57 FR 56440, Nov. 30, 1992]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.12]
 
[Page 248-249]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.12  Manufacture of dog food or similar uninspected article at official establishments.
 
    (a) 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 products, separate equipment shall be provided for the 
uninspected article. To assure the maintenance of sanitary conditions in 
the edible product departments, the operations incident to the 
manufacture of the uninspected article will 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 U.S. Inspected and Passed. 
Products within Sec. 314.11 of this subchapter 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. The uninspected article may be stored in, and 
distributed from, edible product departments: Provided, That adequate 
facilities are furnished, there is no interference with the maintenance 
of sanitary conditions, and such article is properly identified.
    (b) When dog food or similar uninspected article is manufactured in 
a part of an official establishment other than an edible product 
department, the area in which the article is
 
[[Page 249]]
 
manufactured shall be separated from edible product departments in the 
manner required for separation between edible product departments and 
inedible product departments. Sufficient space must 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 provided in Sec. 314.11 of 
this subchapter, nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as 
permitting any deviation from the requirement that dead animals, 
condemned products, and similar materials of whatever origin, must be 
placed in the inedible product rendering equipment, and without undue 
delay. The manufacture of the uninspected article must 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, 
so as to avoid distribution of such animal food as human food. To 
accomplish this, such animal food shall be labeled or otherwise 
identified in accordance with Sec. 325.11(d) of this subchapter.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 36 FR 11639, June 17, 1971; 53 
FR 24679, June 30, 1988]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.13]
 
[Page 249]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.13  Mixtures containing product but not amendable to the Act.
 
    Mixtures containing product but not classed as a meat food product 
under the Act shall not bear the inspection legend or any abbreviation 
or representation thereof unless manufactured under the food inspection 
service provided for in part 350 of subchapter B of this chapter. When 
such mixtures are manufactured in any part of an official establishment, 
the sanitation of that part of the establishment shall be supervised by 
Program employees, and the manufacture of such mixtures shall not cause 
any deviation from the requirement of Sec. 318.1.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR 29215, Oct. 23, 1973]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.14]
 
[Page 249-250]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.14  Adulteration of product by polluted water; procedure for handling.
 
    (a) In the event there is polluted water (including but not limited 
to flood water) in an official establishment, all products and 
ingredients for use in the preparation of such products that have been 
rendered adulterated by the water shall be condemned.
    (b) After the polluted water has receded from an official 
establishment, all walls, ceilings, posts, and floors of the rooms and 
compartments involved, including the equipment therein, shall, under the 
supervision of an inspector, be cleaned thoroughly by the official 
establishment personnel. An adequate supply of hot water under pressure 
is essential to make such cleaning effective. After cleaning, a solution 
of sodium hypochlorite containing approximately one-half of 1 percent 
available chlorine (5,000 p/m) or other equivalent disinfectant approved 
by the Administrator \1\ shall be applied to the surface of the rooms 
and equipment and rinsed with potable water before use.
    (c) Hermetically sealed containers of product which have been 
contaminated by polluted water shall be examined promptly by the 
official establishment under supervision of an inspector and rehandled 
as follows:
    (1) Separate and condemn all product in damaged or extensively 
rusted containers.
    (2) Remove paper labels and wash the remaining containers in warm 
soapy water, using a brush where necessary to remove rust or other 
foreign material. Disinfect these containers by either of the following 
methods:
    (i) Immerse in a solution of sodium hypochlorite containing not less 
than 100 p/m of available chlorine or other equivalent disinfectant 
approved by
 
[[Page 250]]
 
the Administrator, \1\ rinse in potable water, and dry thoroughly; or
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    \1\ A list of approved disinfectants is available upon request to 
Scientific Services, Meat and Poultry Inspection Program, Food Safety 
and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC 
20250.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (ii) Immerse in 212  deg.F. water, bring temperature of the water 
back to 212  deg.F. and maintain the temperature at 212  deg.F. for 5 
minutes, then remove containers from water and cool them to 95  deg.F. 
and dry thoroughly.
    (3) After handling as described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, 
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.
 
[35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR 34455, Dec. 14, 1973]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.15]
 
[Page 250]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.15  Tagging chemicals, preservatives, cereals, spices, etc., "U.S. retained."
 
    When any chemical, preservative, cereal, spice, or other substance 
is intended for use in an official establishment, it shall be examined 
by a Program employee and if found to be unfit or otherwise unacceptable 
for the use intended, or if final decision regarding acceptance is 
deferred pending laboratory or other examination, the employee shall 
attach a "U.S. retained" tag to the substance or container thereof. 
The substance so tagged shall be kept separate from other substances as 
the circuit supervisor may require and shall not be used until the tag 
is removed, and such removal shall be made only by a Program employee 
after a finding that the substance can be accepted, or, in the case of 
an unacceptable substance, when it is removed from the establishment.
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.16]
 
[Page 250]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.16  Pesticide chemicals and other residues in products.
 
    (a) Nonmeat ingredients. 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 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and such nonmeat ingredients must 
otherwise be in compliance with the requirements under that Act.
    (b) Products, and meat, meat byproduct, or other meat food product 
ingredients. Products, and products used as ingredients of products, 
shall not bear or contain any pesticide chemical, food additives, or 
color additive residue in excess of the level permitted under the 
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the regulations in this 
subchapter, or any other substance that is prohibited by such 
regulations or that otherwise makes the products adulterated.
    (c) Standards and procedures. 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 
Administrator. Copies of such instructions will be made available to 
interested persons upon request made to the Administrator.
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.17]
 
[Page 250-251]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.17  Requirements for the production of cooked beef, roast beef, and cooked corned beef products.
 
    (a) Cooked beef, roast beef, and cooked corned beef products must be 
produced using processes ensuring that the products meet the following 
performance standards:
    (1) Lethality. A 6.5-log10 reduction of Salmonella or an 
alternative lethality that achieves an equivalent probability that no 
viable Salmonella organisms remain in the finished product, as well as 
the reduction of other pathogens and their toxins or toxic metabolites 
necessary to prevent adulteration, must be demonstrated to be achieved 
throughout the product. The lethality process must include a cooking 
step. Controlled intermediate step(s) applied to raw product may form 
part of the basis for the equivalency.
    (2) Stabilization. There can be no multiplication of toxigenic 
microorganisms such as Clostridium botulinum, and no more than 1-
log10 multiplication of Clostridium perfringens within the 
product.
 
[[Page 251]]
 
    (b) For each product produced using a process other than one 
conducted in accordance with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control 
Point (HACCP) system requirements in part 417 of this chapter, an 
establishment must develop and have on file and available to FSIS, a 
process schedule, as defined in Sec. 301.2 of this chapter. Each process 
schedule must be approved in writing by a process authority for safety 
and efficacy in meeting the performance standards established for the 
product in question. A process authority must have access to the 
establishment in order to evaluate and approve the safety and efficacy 
of each process schedule.
    (c) Under the auspices of a processing authority, an establishment 
must validate new or altered process schedules by scientifically 
supportable means, such as information gleaned from the literature or by 
challenge studies conducted outside the plant.
 
[64 FR 744, Jan. 6, 1999]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.18]
 
[Page 251]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.18  Handling of certain material for mechanical processing.
 
    Material to be processed into "Mechanically Separated (Species)" 
shall be so processed within 1 hour from the time it is cut or separated 
from carcasses or parts of carcasses, except that such product may be 
held for no more than 72 hours at 40  deg.F. (4  deg.C.) or less, or 
held indefinitely at 0  deg.F. (-18  deg.C.) or less. "Mechanically 
Separated (Species)" shall, directly after being processed, be used as 
an ingredient in a meat food product except that it may be held prior to 
such use for no more than 72 hours at 40  deg.F. (4  deg.C.) or less or 
indefinitely at 0  deg.F. (-18  deg.C.) or less.
 
[43 FR 26423, June 20, 1978, as amended at 47 FR 28256, June 29, 1982]
 
 
 
 
 
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR318.19]
 
[Page 251-255]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 318--ENTRY INTO OFFICIAL ESTABLISHMENTS; REINSPECTION AND PREPARATION OF PRODUCTS--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 318.19  Compliance procedure for cured pork products.
 
    (a) Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
    (1) A product is that cured pork article which is contained within 
one Group as defined in paragraph (a)(2) of this section and which 
purports to meet the criteria for a single product designated under the 
heading "Product Name and Qualifying Statements" in the chart in 
Sec. 319.104 or the chart in Sec. 319.105.
    (2) A Product Group or a Group means one of the following:
 
    Group I, consisting of cured pork products which have been cooked 
while imperviously encased. Any product which fits into the Group will 
be placed in this Group regardless of any other considerations.
    Group II, consisting of cured pork products which have been water 
cooked. Any product which does not fit into Group I but does fit into 
Group II will be placed into Group II regardless of any other 
considerations.
    Group III, consisting of boneless smokehouse heated cured pork 
products. Any boneless product that does not fit into Group I or Group 
II shall be placed in Group III.
    Group IV, consisting of bone-in or semi-boneless smokehouse heated 
cured pork products. Any product that is not completely boneless or 
still contains all the bone which is traditional for bone-in product, 
and does not fit into Group I, Group II, or Group III shall be placed in 
this Group.
 
    (3) A lot is that product from one production shift.
    (4) A production rate is frequency of production, expressed in days 
per week.
    (5) Protein fat free percentage, protein fat free content, PFF 
percentage, PFF content or PFF of a product means the meat protein 
(indigenous to the raw, unprocessed pork cut) content expressed as a 
percent of the non-fat portion of the finished product.
    (b) Normal Compliance Procedures. The Department shall collect 
samples of cured pork products and analyze them for their PFF content. 
Analyses shall be conducted in accordance with the "Official Methods of 
Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 
Secs. 950.46, and 928.08 (Chapter 39).\1\ The "Official Methods of 
Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists," 15th 
edition, 1990, is incorporated by reference with the approval of the 
Director of the Federal Register in accordance with 5 U.S.C.
 
[[Page 252]]
 
552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Each analytical result shall be recorded and 
evaluated to determine whether future sampling of product Groups within 
an official establishment shall be periodic or daily under the 
provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and if the affected lot 
and subsequent production of like product shall be U.S. retained, or 
administratively detained, as appropriate, as provided in paragraph 
(b)(2) of this section.\2\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    \1\ A copy of the "Official Methods of Analysis of the Association 
of Official Analytical Chemists," 15th edition, 1990, is on file with 
the Director, Office of the Federal Register, and may be purchased from 
the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc., 2200 Wilson 
Boulevard, Suite 400, Arlington, Virginia 22201.
    \2\ Rules for Rounding:
    1. Laboratory results for percent meat protein and fat will be 
reported to the second decimal place (hundredths).
    2. PFF and Sample Values for charting purposes will be calculated 
from the reported laboratory results to the second decimal place. 
Rounding of calculations to reach two decimal places will be done by the 
following rule:
    All values of five-thousandths (0.005) or more will be rounded up to 
the next highest hundredth. All values of less than five-thousandths 
(0.005) will be dropped.
    3. For compliance with the Absolute Minimum PFF requirements, the 
PFF will be rounded to the first decimal place (tenths). Rounding of 
calculations to reach one decimal place will be done by the following 
rule:
    All PFF values of five-hundredths (0.05) or more will be rounded up 
to the next highest tenth. All PFF values of less than five-hundredths 
(0.05) will be dropped.
    4. For product disposition (pass-fail of a minimum PFF standard for 
retained product) the average PFF calculation will be rounded to the 
first decimal place. Individual PFF Values will be calculated to the 
nearest hundredth as in (2) above. The average, however, will be rounded 
to the nearest tenth as in (3) above.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
    (1) Criteria to determine sampling frequency of Product Groups. For 
each official plant preparing cured pork products, Product Groups shall 
be sampled periodically or daily. Analytical results shall be evaluated 
and the sampling frequency determined as follows:
    (i) Determine the difference between the individual PFF analysis and 
the applicable minimum PFF percentage requirement of Sec. 319.104 or 
Sec. 319.105. The resulting figure shall be negative when the individual 
sample result is less than the applicable minimum PFF percentage 
requirement and shall be positive when the individual sample result is 
greater than the applicable minimum PFF percentage requirement.
    (ii) Divide the resulting number by the standard deviation assigned 
to the Product Group represented by the sample to find the Standardized 
Difference. The standard deviation assigned to Groups I and II is 0.75 
and to Groups III and IV is 0.91.
    (iii) Add 0.25 to the Standardized Difference to find the Adjusted 
Standardized Difference.
    (iv) Use the lesser of 1.90 and the Adjusted Standardized Difference 
as the Sample Value.
    (v) Cumulatively total Sample Values to determine the Group Value. 
The first Sample Value in a Group shall be the Group Value, and each 
succeeding Group Value shall be determined by adding the most recent 
Sample Value to the existing Group Value; provided, however, that in no 
event shall the Group Value exceed 1.00. When calculation of a Group 
Value results in a figure greater than 1.00, the Group Value shall be 
1.00 and all previous Sample Values shall be ignored in determining 
future Group Values.
    (vi) The frequency of sampling of a Group shall be periodic when the 
Group Value is greater than -1.40 (e.g., -1.39, -1.14, 0, 0.50, etc.) 
and shall be daily when the Group Value is -1.40 or less (e.g., -1.40, -
1.45, -1.50, etc.); provided, however, that once daily sampling has been 
initiated, it shall continue until the Group Value is 0.00 or greater, 
and each of the last seven Sample Values is -1.65 or greater (e.g., -
1.63, -1.50, etc.), and there is no other product within the affected 
Group being U.S. retained as produced, under provisions of paragraph 
(b)(2) or (c).
    (2) Criteria for U.S. retention or administrative detention of cured 
pork products for further analysis. Cured prok products shall be U.S. 
retained, or administratively detained, as appropriate, when prescribed 
by paragraphs (b)(2) (i) or (ii) of this section as follows:
    (i) Absolute Minimum PFF Requirement. In the event that an analysis 
of an individual sample indicates a PFF content below the applicable 
minimum requirement of Sec. 319.104 or Sec. 319.105 by 2.3 or more 
percentage points for a Group I or II product, or 2.7 or more percentage 
points for a Group III or IV product, the lot from which the sample
 
[[Page 253]]
 
was collected shall be U.S. retained if in an official establishment and 
shall be subject to administrative detention if not in an official 
establishment unless returned to an official establishment and there 
U.S. retained. Any subsequently produced lots of like product and any 
lots of like product for which production dates cannot be established 
shall be U.S. retained or subject to administrative detention. Such 
administratively detained product shall be handled in accordance with 
part 329 of this subchapter, or shall be returned to an official 
establishment and subjected to the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) (i) or 
(ii) of this section, or shall be relabeled in compliance with the 
applicable standard, under the supervision of a program employee, at the 
expense of the product owner. Disposition of such U.S. retained product 
shall be in accordance with paragraph (c) of this section.
    (ii) Product Value requirement. The Department shall maintain, for 
each product prepared in an official establishment, a Product Value. 
Except as provided in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, calculation of 
the Product Value and its use to determine if a product shall be U.S. 
retained shall be as follows:
    (A) Determine the difference between the individual PFF analysis and 
applicable minimum PFF percentage requirement of Sec. 319.104 and 
Sec. 319.105. The resulting figure shall be negative when the individual 
sample result is less than the applicable minimum PFF percentage 
requirement and shall be positive when the individual sample result is 
greater than the applicable minimum PFF percentage requirement.
    (B) Divide the difference determined in paragraph (b)(2)(ii)(A) of 
this section by the standard deviation assigned to the product's Group 
in paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section to find the standardized 
difference.
    (C) Use the lesser of 1.65 and the standardized difference as the 
Sample Value.
    (D) Cumulatively total Sample Values to determine the Product Value. 
The first Sample Value of a product shall be the Product Value, and each 
succeeding Product Value shall be determined by adding the most recent 
Sample Value to the existing Product Value; provided, however, that in 
no event shall the Product Value exceed 1.15. When calculation of a 
Product Value results in a figure greater than 1.15, the Product Value 
shall be 1.15, and all previous Sample Values shall be ignored in 
determining future Product Values.
    (E) Provided daily group sampling is in effect pursuant to the 
provisions of paragraph (b)(1) of this section, and provided further the 
Product Value is -1.65 or less (e.g., -1.66), the affected lot (if 
within the official establishment) and all subsequent lots of like 
product prepared by and still within the official establishment shall be 
U.S. retained and further evaluated under paragraph (c) of this section. 
Except for release of individual lot pursuant to paragraph (c)(1), 
subsequently produced lots of like product shall continue to be U.S. 
retained until discontinued pursuant to paragraph (c)(2) of this 
section.
    (c) Compliance procedure during product retention. When a product 
lot is U.S. retained under the provisions of paragraph (b)(2) of this 
section, the Department shall collect three randomly selected samples 
from each such lot and analyze them individually for PFF content. The 
PFF content of the three samples shall be evaluated to determine 
disposition of the lot as provided in paragraph (c)(1) of this section 
and the action t