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TITLE 25HEALTH SERVICES
PART 1DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
CHAPTER 221MEAT SAFETY ASSURANCE
SUBCHAPTER BMEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION
RULE §221.14Custom Slaughter and Processing; Very Low Volume Poultry/Rabbit Slaughter Operations

    (B) A department representative that determines a carcass is adulterated, unfit for human food, is from an unhealthy or unsound animal, or may be a health hazard, may attach a "Texas Retained" tag to the carcass and document the reason for attaching the tag on a form specified by the department and deliver the form to the operator of the establishment. The owner of the carcass shall be notified by the plant operator and advised of the potential health risk. The custom processor shall ensure that the owner of the carcass or parts either authorizes the voluntary destruction and denaturing of the carcass and all parts or agrees to remove the carcass from the custom processing establishment. Under no circumstances may the carcass be further processed at the establishment.

  (6) Marking and labeling of custom prepared products.

    (A) Products that are custom prepared must be packaged immediately after preparation and must be labeled with the term "Not For Sale" in lettering not less than three-eighths inch in height. Such custom prepared products or their containers shall also bear the owner's name and any additional labeling such as product cut or description.

    (B) Safe handling instructions shall accompany every customer's raw or not fully cooked products. The information shall be in lettering no smaller than one-sixteenth of an inch in size and may be placed on each product package, each tote box or bag containing packaged product, or given as a flyer to the customer with the product. The safe handling instructions shall include the following or similar statements.

      (i) "Some meat and meat products may contain bacteria that could cause illness if the product is mishandled or cooked improperly. For your protection, follow these safe handling instructions" shall be placed immediately after the heading and before the safe handling statements.

      (ii) "Meat and poultry must be kept refrigerated or frozen. Thaw in refrigerator or microwave." However, any portion of this statement that is in conflict with the product's specific handling instructions may be omitted, e.g., instructions to cook without thawing. A graphic illustration of a refrigerator may be displayed next to this statement.

      (iii) "Raw meat and poultry must be kept separate from other foods. Wash working surfaces including cutting boards, utensils, and hands after touching raw meat or poultry." A graphic illustration of soapy hands under a faucet may be displayed next to this statement.

      (iv) "Meat and poultry must be cooked thoroughly. Ground meat products should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit or until the juices run clear. Other meat products should be cooked so that the external temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit." A graphic illustration of a skillet may be displayed next to this statement.

      (v) "Hot foods must be kept hot. Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard." A graphic illustration of a thermometer may be displayed next to the statement.

  (7) Requirements concerning procedures.

    (A) Uninspected heads from custom slaughtered animals may not be sold or used in the preparation of meat food products unless prepared specifically for the owner of the animal for his personal use.

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

    (C) Bones and parts of bones shall be removed from product which is intended for chopping or grinding.

    (D) Kidneys for use in the preparation of meat food products shall first be freely sectioned and then thoroughly soaked and washed.

    (E) Clotted blood shall be removed from livestock hearts before they are used in the preparation of meat food products.

    (F) Product shall not be adulterated as defined in §221.12(b)(2) of this title when placed in coolers or freezers.

    (G) Frozen product may be defrosted in water or pickle in a manner that is not conducive to promoting bacterial growth or resulting in adulteration of the product.

  (8) Requirements concerning ingredients.

    (A) All ingredients and other articles used in the preparation of any product shall be clean, sound, healthful, wholesome, and otherwise such as to not result in adulteration of product. A letter of guaranty from the manufacturer stating that the ingredient or article is safe when used as an ingredient or in contact with food shall be obtained by the custom processor and made available upon request to the department representative.

    (B) Ingredients for use in any product may not contain any pesticide chemical or other residues in excess of levels permitted under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

  (9) Approval of substances for use.

    (A) No substance may be used in the preparation of any product unless it is an FDA approved food additive.

    (B) No product shall contain any substance which would render it adulterated.

    (C) Nitrates shall not be used in curing bacon.

      (i) Nitrites in the form of sodium nitrite may be used at 120 parts per million (ppm) ingoing (or in the form of potassium nitrite at 148 ppm ingoing) maximum for injected, massaged, or immersion cured bacon; and 550 ppm of sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate (isoascorbate) for injected, massaged, or immersion cured bacon shall be used.

      (ii) Sodium or potassium nitrite may be used at 2 pounds to 100 gallons pickle at 10% pump level; 1 ounce to 100 pounds meat (dry cure).

      (iii) Sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate (isoascorbate) may be used at 87.5 ounces to 100 gallons pickle at 10% pump level; 7/8 ounces to 100 pounds meat; or 10% solution to surfaces of cut meat.

      (iv) Sodium nitrite shall not exceed 200 ppm ingoing or an equivalent amount of potassium nitrite (246 ppm ingoing) in dry cured bacon based on the actual or estimated skin-free green weight of the bacon belly.

    (D) When curing products other than bacon, nitrites, nitrates, or combination shall not result in more than 200 ppm of nitrite in the finished product.

      (i) Sodium or potassium nitrite may be used at 2 pounds to 100 gallons pickle at 10% pump level; 1 ounce to 100 pounds meat (dry cure); or 1/4 ounce to 100 pounds chopped meat and/or meat byproduct.

      (ii) Sodium or potassium nitrate may be used at 7 pounds to 100 gallons pickle; 3 1/2 ounce to 100 pounds meat (dry cure); or 2 3/4 ounce to 100 pounds chopped meat. (Nitrates may not be used in bacon.)

  (10) Prescribed treatment of heat-treated meat and poultry products.

    (A) All forms of fresh meat and poultry, including fresh unsmoked sausage and pork such as bacon and jowls are classified as products that are customarily well cooked in the home before being consumed. Therefore the treatment of such products for the destruction of pathogens is not required.

    (B) Meat and poultry products, that are not customarily cooked or may not be cooked before consumption because they have the appearance of being fully cooked, must not contain pathogens.

      (i) Heat-treated products and dry, semi-dry, and fermented sausages, that are less than three inches in diameter, are required to be heated to an internal temperature according to the following chart:

Attached Graphic

      (ii) Heat treated products and dry, semi-dry, and fermented sausages, that are more than three inches in diameter, are required to be heated to an internal temperature according to the following chart:

Attached Graphic

      (iii) Heat treated products that must be stored under refrigerated temperatures must be cooled quickly to prevent bacterial growth. During cooling, the product's maximum internal temperature should not remain between 130 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 1 1/2 hours nor between 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 5 hours. Custom processors may slowly cool cured products in accordance with Food Safety and Inspection Services (FSIS) Directive 7110.3, Time/Temperature Guidelines for Cooling Heated Products.

        (I) The FSIS Directive 7110.3 may be viewed online via the Internet at http://www.fsis.usda,.gov/.

        (II) Copies of the FSIS Directive 7110.3 may be purchased from the Scientific Services, Meat and Poultry Inspection, Food Safety and Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 20250.

      (iv) Custom processors not utilizing a heating step as described in clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) of this subparagraph must submit an alternate procedure, describing the method utilized in determining safety, to a department representative.

Cont'd...

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