Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA § 318.10
section, or destroyed for food purposes § 318.9 Samples of products, water, under the direct supervision of a Pro- dyes, chemicals, etc., to be taken for gram employee. examination. (f) Permission must be obtained from Samples of products, water, dyes, the Administrator before meats packed chemicals, preservatives, spices, or in borax are shipped from one official other articles in any official establish- establishment to another or to an unof- ment shall be taken, without cost to ficial establishment for storage, except the Program, for examination, as often such meat prepared for the account of as may be deemed necessary for the ef- Federal agencies. ficient conduct of the inspection. (g) At all times, the identity of meat § 318.10 Prescribed treatment of pork to which borax has been added shall be and products containing pork to de- effectively maintained. In no case shall stroy trichinae. such meat, nor any trimmings or fat (a)(1) All forms of fresh pork, includ- derived from such meat, whether un- ing fresh unsmoked sausage containing washed or washed, or otherwise treat- pork muscle tissue, and pork such as ed, be diverted to domestic use. bacon and jowls, other than those cov- (h) Salt used for bulking meat pre- ered by paragraph (b) of this section, viously packed in borax may not again are classed as products that are cus- be used in an edible products depart- tomarily well cooked in the home or ment other than in connection with elsewhere before being served to the the packing of meat in borax. Only consumer. Therefore, the treatment of metal equipment should be used for such products for the destruction of handling such meat. Particularly effec- trichinae is not required. tive cleansing will be required if wood- (2) Pork from carcasses or carcass en equipment such as trucks, washing parts that have been found free of vats, etc., is used. Boxes from which trichinae as described under paragraph boraxed meat has been removed may be (e) or (f) of this section is not required used for repacking meat in borax, but to be treated for the destruction of their use as containers for other meat trichinae. (b) Products named in this para- will be dependent upon the effective re- graph, and products of the character moval of all traces of borax. hereof, containing pork muscle tissue (i) The following instructions pertain (not including pork hearts, pork stom- to export cured pork packed in borax achs, and pork livers), or the pork mus- for the account of Federal agencies. cle tissue which forms an ingredient of The meat may be packed in borax in a such products, shall be effectively room in which there is borax-free meat, heated, refrigerated, or cured to de- provided proper care is taken to see stroy any possible live trichinae, as that the borax-free meat is not affected prescribed in this section at the official by the borax. Under the same condi- establishment where such products are tion, meat packed in borax may be re- prepared: Bologna, frankfurter, vienna, ceived, unpacked, defrosted, soaked, and other cooked sausage; smoked sau- washed, smoked, and repacked in a sage; knoblauch sausage; mortadella; room where there is other meat. How- all forms of summer or dried sausage, ever, meat originally packed in borax including mettwurst; flavored pork shall at all times be subject to the re- sausages such as those containing wine strictions of meat so packed, even or similar flavoring materials; cured though repacked without borax. After pork sausage; sausage containing cured packing or repacking, borax packed and/or smoked pork; cooked loaves; meat may be stored in a room with roasted, baked, boiled, or cooked hams, meat not packed in borax, provided a pork shoulders, or pork shoulder pic- reasonable degree of separation is nics; Italian-style hams; Westphalia- style hams; smoked boneless pork maintained between the two classes of shoulder butts; cured meat rolls; product. capocollo (capicola, capacola); coppa; [35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970; 36 FR 11903, June 23, fresh or cured boneless pork shoulder 1971, as amended at 38 FR 29214, Oct. 23, 1973] butts, hams, loins, shoulders, shoulder
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picnics, and similar pork cuts, in cas- (ii) Time and temperature shall be ings or other containers in which monitored by a calibrated recording in- ready-to-eat delicatessen articles are strument that meets the requirements customarily enclosed (excepting of paragraph (d) of this section, except Scotch-style hams); breaded pork prod- for paragraph (c)(1)(iv). ucts; cured boneless pork loins; (iii) The time to raise product tem- boneless back bacon; bacon used for perature from 60 °F. to 120 °F shall not wrapping around patties, steaks and exceed 2 hours unless the product is similar products; and smoked pork cuts cured or fermented. such as hams, shoulders, loins, and (iv) Time, in combination with tem- pork shoulder picnics (excepting peratures of 138 °F to 143 °F, need not smoked hams, and smoked pork shoul- be monitored if the product’s minimum der picnics which are specially pre- thickness exceeds 2 inches (5.1 cm) and pared for distribution in tropical cli- refrigeration of the product does not mates or smoked hams delivered to the begin within 5 minutes of attaining 138 Armed Services); ground meat mix- °F (58.9 °C). tures containing pork and beef, veal, (v) The establishment shall use pro- lamb, mutton, or goat meat and other cedures which insure the proper heat- product consisting of mixtures of pork ing of all parts of the product. It is im- and other ingredients, which the Ad- portant that each piece of sausage, ministrator determines at the time the each ham, and other product treated by labeling for the product is submitted heating in water be kept entirely sub- for approval in accordance with part merged throughout the heating period; 317 of the regulations in this sub- and that the largest pieces in a lot, the chapter or upon subsequent reevalua- innermost links of bunched sausage or tion of the product, would be prepared other massed articles, and pieces in such a manner that the product placed in the coolest part of a heating might be eaten rare or without thor- cabinet or compartment or vat be in- ough cooking because of the appear- cluded in the temperature tests. ance of the finished product or other- (2) Refrigerating. At any stage of prep- wise. Cured boneless pork loins shall be aration and after preparatory chilling subjected to prescribed treatment for to a temperature of not above 40 °F. or destruction of trichinae prior to being preparatory freezing, all parts of the shipped from the establishment where muscle tissue of pork or product con- cured. taining such tissue shall be subjected (c) The treatment shall consist of continuously to a temperature not heating, refrigerating, or curing, as fol- higher than one of those specified in lows: table 1, the duration of such refrigera- (1) Heating. (i) All parts of the pork tion at the specified temperature being muscle tissue shall be heated according dependent on the thickness of the meat to one of the time and temperature or inside dimensions of the container. combinations in the following table: TABLE 1—REQUIRED PERIOD OF FREEZING AT Minimum internal temperature TEMPERATURE INDICATED
De- Minimum Temperature °F. Group 1 (Days) Group 2 (Days) Degrees fahrenheit grees time centi- 52030 grade ¥10 10 20 ¥20 6 12 120 ...... 49.0 21 hours. 122 ...... 50.0 9.5 hours. 124 ...... 51.1 4.5 hours. (i) Group 1 comprises product in sepa- 126 ...... 52.2 2 hours. rate pieces not exceeding 6 inches in 128 ...... 53.4 1 hour. thickness, or arranged on separate 130 ...... 54.5 30 minutes. racks with the layers not exceeding 6 132 ...... 55.6 15 minutes. inches in depth, or stored in crates or 134 ...... 56.7 6 minutes. 136 ...... 57.8 3 minutes. boxes not exceeding 6 inches in depth, 138 ...... 58.9 2 minutes. or stored as solidly frozen blocks not 140 ...... 60.0 1 minute. exceeding 6 inches in thickness. 142 ...... 61.1 1 minute. (ii) Group 2 comprises product in 144 ...... 62.2 Instant. pieces, layers, or within containers, the
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thickness of which exceeds 6 inches but cial establishment for preparation in not 27 inches, and product in con- such finished form. tainers including tierces, barrels, kegs, (vi) Pork which has been refrigerated and cartons having a thickness not ex- as specified in this subparagraph may ceeding 27 inches. be transferred in sealed railroad cars, (iii) The product undergoing such re- sealed motortrucks, sealed trailers, or frigeration or the containers thereof sealed closed containers to another of- shall be so spaced while in the freezer ficial establishment at the same or an- as will insure a free circulation of air other location, for use in the prepara- between the pieces of meat, layers, tion of product covered by paragraph blocks, boxes, barrels, and tierces in (b) of this section. Such vehicles and order that the temperature of the meat containers shall be sealed and trans- throughout will be promptly reduced to ported between official establishments not higher than 5 °F., ¥10 °F., or ¥20 in accordance with § 325.7 of this sub- °F., as the case may be. chapter. (iv) In lieu of the methods prescribed (3) Curing—(i) Sausage. The sausage in Table 1, the treatment may consist may be stuffed in animal casings, of commercial freeze drying or con- hydrocellulose casings, or cloth bags. trolled freezing, at the center of the During any stage of treating the sau- meat pieces, in accordance with the sage for the destruction of live times and temperatures specified in trichinae, except as provided in Method Table 2. 5, these coverings shall not be coated with paraffin or like substance, nor TABLE 2—ALTERNATE PERIODS OF FREEZING AT shall any sausage be washed during any TEMPERATURES INDICATED prescribed period of drying. In the preparation of sausage, one of the fol- Maximum internal temperature lowing methods may be used: Degrees Minimum Degrees Fahrenheit centi- Time Method No. 1. The meat shall be ground or grade chopped into pieces not exceeding three- fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing ¥ 0 ...... 17.8 106 hours. mixture containing not less than 31⁄3 pounds ¥5 ...... ¥20.6 82 hours. of salt to each hundredweight of the ¥ ¥ 10 ...... 23.3 63 hours. unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed ¥15 ...... ¥26.1 48 hours. with the ground or chopped meat. After ¥20 ...... ¥28.9 35 hours. ¥25 ...... ¥31.7 22 hours. being stuffed, sausage having a diameter not ¥30 ...... ¥34.5 8 hours. exceeding 31⁄2 inches, measured at the time of ¥35 ...... ¥37.2 1⁄2 hour. stuffing, shall be held in a drying room not less than 20 days at a temperature not lower (v) During the period of refrigeration than 45 °F., except that in sausage of the va- the product shall be kept separate from riety known as pepperoni, if in casings not 3 other products and in the custody of exceeding 1 ⁄8 inches in diameter measured at the time of stuffing, the period of drying the Program in rooms or compart- may be reduced to 15 days. In no case, how- ments equipped and made secure with ever, shall the sausage be released from the an official Program lock or seal. The drying room in less than 25 days from the rooms or compartments containing time the curing materials are added, except product undergoing freezing shall be that sausage of the variety known as equipped with accurate thermometers pepperoni, if in casings not exceeding the placed at or above the highest level at size specified, may be released at the expira- tion of 20 days from the time the curing ma- which the product undergoing treat- terials are added. Sausage in casings exceed- ment is stored and away from refrig- 1 ing 3 ⁄2 inches, but not exceeding 4 inches, in erating coils. After completion of the diameter at the time of stuffing, shall be prescribed freezing of pork to be used held in a drying room not less than 35 days in the preparation of product covered at a temperature not lower than 45 °F., and by paragraph (b) of this section the in no case shall the sausage be released from pork shall be kept under close super- the drying room in less than 40 days from the vision of an inspector until it is pre- time the curing materials are added to the meat. pared in finished form as one of the Method No. 2. The meat shall be ground or products enumerated in paragraph (b) chopped into pieces not exceeding three- of this section or until it is transferred fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing under Program control to another offi- mixture containing not less than 31⁄3 pounds
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of salt to each hundredweight of the containing not less than 21⁄2 pounds of salt to unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed each hundredweight of the unstuffed sausage with the ground or chopped meat. After shall be thoroughly mixed with the ground being stuffed, sausage having a diameter not or chopped meat. After admixture with the exceeding 31⁄2 inches, measured at the time of salt and other curing materials and before stuffing, shall be smoked not less than 40 stuffing, the ground or chopped sausage shall hours at a temperature not lower than 80 °F., be held as a compact mass, not more than 6 and finally held in a drying room not less inches in depth, at a temperature not lower than 10 days at a temperature not lower than than 36 °F. for not less than 10 days. At the 45 °F. In no case, however, shall the sausage termination of the holding period, the sau- be released from the drying room in less sage shall be stuffed in casings or cloth bags than 18 days from the time the curing mate- not exceeding 31⁄3 inches in diameter, meas- rials are added to the meat. Sausage exceed- ured at the time of stuffing. After being ing 31⁄2 inches, but not exceeding 4 inches, in diameter at the time of stuffing, shall be stuffed, the sausage shall be held in a drying held in a drying room, following smoking as room at a temperature not lower than 45 °F. above indicated, not less than 25 days at a for the remainder of a 35-day period, meas- temperature not lower than 45 °F., but in no ured from the time the curing materials are case shall the sausage be released from the added to the meat. At any time after stuff- drying room in less than 33 days from the ing, if the establishment operator deems it time the curing materials are added to the desirable, the product may be heated in a meat. water bath for a period not to exceed 3 hours Method No. 3. The meat shall be ground or at a temperature not lower than 85 °F., or chopped into pieces not exceeding three- subjected to smoking at a temperature not fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing lower than 80 °F., or the product may be both mixture containing not less than 31⁄3 pounds heated and smoked as specified. The time of salt to each hundredweight of the consumed in heating and smoking, however, unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed shall be in addition to the 35-day holding pe- with the ground or chopped meat. After ad- riod specified. mixture with the salt and other curing mate- Method No. 5. The meat shall be ground or rials and before stuffing, the ground or chopped into pieces not exceeding three- chopped meat shall be held at a temperature not lower than 34 °F. for not less than 36 fourths of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing 1 hours. After being stuffed, the sausage shall mixture containing not less than 3 ⁄3 pounds be held at a temperature not lower than 34 of salt to each hundredweight of the °F. for an additional period of time sufficient unstuffed sausage shall be thoroughly mixed to make a total of not less than 144 hours with the ground or chopped meat. After from the time the curing materials are added being stuffed, the sausage shall be held for to the meat, or the sausage shall be held for not less than 65 days at a temperature not the time specified in a pickle-curing medium lower than 45 °F. The coverings for sausage of not less than 50° strength (salometer read- prepared according to this method may be ing) at a temperature not lower than 44 °F. coated at any stage of the preparation before Finally, sausage having a diameter not ex- or during the holding period with paraffin or ceeding 31⁄2 inches, measured at the time of other substance approved by the Adminis- stuffing, shall be smoked for not less than 12 trator. hours. The temperature of the smokehouse Method No. 6. (A) Basic requirements. The during this period at no time shall be lower meat shall be ground or chopped into pieces ° than 90 F.; and for 4 consecutive hours of not exceeding three-fourths of an inch in di- this period the smokehouse shall be main- ameter. A dry-curing mixture containing not tained at a temperature not lower than 128 less than 3.33 pounds of salt to each hundred- °F. Sausage exceeding 31⁄2 inches, but not ex- weight of the unstuffed sausage, excluding ceeding 4 inches, in diameter at the time of the weight of dry ingredients, shall be thor- stuffing shall be smoked, following the pre- scribed curing, for not less than 15 hours. oughly mixed with the ground or chopped The temperature of the smokehouse during meat. After the curing mixture has been the 15-hour period shall at no time be lower added, the sausage shall be held for two time than 90 °F., and for 7 consecutive hours of periods, a holding period and a drying period. this period the smokehouse shall be main- The holding period will be for a minimum of tained at a temperature not lower than 128 48 hours at a room temperature not lower °F. In regulating the temperature of the than 35 °F. This holding period requirement smokehouse for the treatment of sausage may be fulfilled totally or in part before the under this method, the temperature of 128 drying period and then the remainder, if any, °F. shall be attained gradually during a pe- after the drying period or as an extension of riod of not less than 4 hours. the drying period. During the drying period, Method No. 4. The meat shall be ground or the sausage shall be held in a drying room at chopped into pieces not exceeding one-fourth a temperature not lower than 50 (10.0 °F. (10.0 of an inch in diameter. A dry-curing mixture °C) for a period of time determined by Tables
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3A, 3B, and 4. The length of the drying pe- TABLE 3A—SAUSAGE DRYING ROOM TIMES BY riod, established in (c)(3)(i)(A), may be modi- METHOD NO. 6—Continued fied as provided in paragraphs (c)(3)(i)(B) and (c)(3)(i)(C) of this section. Days in Diameter of casing at time of stuffing1 drying room2 TABLE 3A—SAUSAGE DRYING ROOM TIMES BY METHOD NO. 6 6 inches ...... 50 1 The drying room times for flattened or oval sausages shall Days in use a diameter derived by measuring the circumference and Diameter of casing at time of stuffing1 drying dividing by 3.14 (pi). room2 2 Drying room time may be modified as set forth in Tables 3B and 4. Up to: 1 inches ...... 14 (B) Reduction in Drying Room Time. During 1 the holding period, the sausage may be 1 ⁄2 inches ...... 15 2 inches ...... 16 smoked or fermented. If the temperature is ° ° 21⁄2 inches ...... 18 increased to 70 F. (21.1 C) or higher, while 3 inches ...... 20 the sausage is being held after adding curing 31⁄2 inches ...... 23 materials but before the drying period, the 4 inches ...... 25 subsequent drying room times prescribed for 41⁄2 inches ...... 30 this method may be reduced according to the 5 inches ...... 35 schedule in Table 3B. No interpolation of val- 51⁄2 inches ...... 43 ues 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 Minimum Time 70 °F 75 °F 80 °F 85 °F 90 °F 95 °F 100 °F 105 °F 110 °F 120 °F 21.1 °C 23.9 °C 26.7 °C 29.5 °C 32.2 °C 35.0 °C 37.9 °C 40.6 °C 43.3 °C 48.9 °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 °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 mois- ture-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 dry- ing room period is required for products so treated.
(C) Reduced Salt Content—Drying Room TABLE 4—REDUCED SALT CONTENT—DRYING Times. Salt content of less than 3.33 pounds ROOM TIMES—Continued for each hundredweight of sausage formula- [Required percentage increase in drying room time (table 3A) tion, excluding dry ingredients, (such as for added salt of less than 3.33 pounds per hundredweight salts, sugars, and spices), may be permitted of sausage] provided the drying time is increased accord- ing to the schedule contained in Table 4. Increase in drying Minimum pounds of salt added to sausage 1 room TRICHINA TREATMENT OF SAUSAGE BY METHOD time 2 NO. 6; 3.1 ...... 7 TABLE 4—REDUCED SALT CONTENT—DRYING 3.0 ...... 10 ROOM TIMES 2.9 ...... 13 [Required percentage increase in drying room time (table 3A) 2.8 ...... 16 for added salt of less than 3.33 pounds per hundredweight 2.7 ...... 19 of sausage] 2.6 ...... 22 2.5 ...... 25 Increase 2.4 ...... 28 1 in drying Minimum pounds of salt added to sausage room 2.3 ...... 31 time 2 2.2 ...... 34 2.1 ...... 37 3.3 ...... 1 3.2 ...... 4
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TABLE 4—REDUCED SALT CONTENT—DRYING may subject sausages in casings not exceed- ROOM TIMES—Continued ing 55 mm in diameter, at the time of stuff- [Required percentage increase in drying room time (table 3A) ing, to all of the following minimum cham- for added salt of less than 3.33 pounds per hundredweight ber temperatures and time periods. of sausage] TREATMENT SCHEDULE FOR SAUSAGES 55 MILLI- Increase in drying METERS (21⁄8 INCHES) OR LESS IN DIAMETER Minimum pounds of salt added to sausage 1 room time 2 Minimum chamber temperature Minimum time 2.0 ...... 40 (°F) (°C) (hours) 1 Calculate the salt content for column 1 as follows: Multiply the pounds of salt in the sausage formulation by 100. Then di- 50 10 12 vide this number by the total weight of sausage formulation 100 37.8 1 minus the weight of dry ingredients and round down to the 125 51.7 6 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. Following the preceding heat treatment, the sodium nitrite total weight is 127.872 lbs. establishment shall dry the sausages at a (3.56×100)/(127.872¥3.56¥2¥.8¥.012)=356/121.5=2.93 temperature not lower than 50 °F (10 °C) for Therefore, the sausage drying time must be increased by not less than 4 days. 13 percent. 2 In computing the days to be added to the required total drying time, fractions shall be rounded to the next higher (ii) Capocollo (capicola, capacola). whole number and added to the required total drying time. Ex- Boneless pork butts for capocollo shall ample: Sausage stuffed in 31⁄2 inch diameter casing requires 23 days in the drying room (from Drying Room Times). If the be cured in a dry-curing mixture con- quantity of salt added per hundredweight of sausage is 2 taining not less than 41⁄2 pounds of salt pounds instead of 3.33 pounds, the drying room time must be increased by 40 percent (from Reduced Salt Content-Drying per hundredweight of meat for a period Room Times), or 9.2 days. The 9.2 is rounded up to 10 days of not less than 25 days at a tempera- and is added to the 23 days to equal 33 days. The total dry- ing time required in the drying room, therefore, will be 33 ture not lower than 36 °F. If the curing days. materials are applied to the butts by the process known as churning, a small Method No. 7, Dry Sausages. (A) General Re- quantity of pickle may be added. Dur- quirements. The establishment shall use meat particles reduced in size to no more than 1/ ing the curing period the butts may be 4 inch in diameter. The establishment shall overhauled according to any of the add a curing mixture containing no less than usual processes of overhauling, includ- 2.7 pounds of salt per hundred pounds of meat ing the addition of pickle or dry salt if and mix it uniformly throughout the prod- desired. The butts shall not be sub- uct. The establishment shall hold, heat, and jected during or after curing to any dry the product according to paragraph (B) treatment designed to remove salt or (C) below. from the meat, except that superficial (B) Holding, Heating, and Drying Treatment, Large Sausages. Except as permitted in (C) washing may be allowed. After being below, the establishment shall subject sau- stuffed, the product shall be smoked sages in casings not exceeding 105 mm in di- for a period of not less than 30 hours at ameter, at the time of stuffing, to all of the a temperature not lower than 80 °F., following minimum chamber temperatures and shall finally be held in a drying and time periods. room not less than 20 days at a tem- perature not lower than 45 °F. TREATMENT SCHEDULE FOR SAUSAGES 105 MIL- (iii) Coppa. Boneless pork butts for LIMETERS (41⁄8 INCHES) OR LESS IN DIAMETER coppa shall be cured in a dry-curing mixture containing not less than 41⁄2 Minimum chamber temperature Minimum time pounds of salt per hundredweight of (°F) (°C) (hours) meat for a period of not less than 18 50 10 12 days at a temperature not lower than 90 32.2 1 36 °F. If the curing mixture is applied 100 37.8 1 110 43.3 1 to the butts by the process known as 120 48.9 1 churning, a small quantity of pickle 125 51.7 7 may be added. During the curing period the butts may be overhauled according Following the preceding treatment, the es- to any of the usual processes of over- tablishment shall dry the sausages at a tem- perature not lower than 50 °F (10 °C) for not hauling, including the addition of pick- less than 7 days. le or dry salt if desired. The butts shall (C) Heating and Drying Treatment, Small not be subjected during or after curing Sausages. Alternatively, the establishment to any treatment designed to remove
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salt from the meat, except that super- contact) shall be at least 40 days and in no ficial washing may be allowed. After case less than 2 days per pound of an uncured being stuffed, the product shall be held ham or shoulder. in a drying room not less than 35 days (D) Removing Excess Cure. After the re- ° quired cure contact period, the establish- at a temperature not lower than 45 F. ment may remove excess cure mixture from (iv) Hams and pork shoulder picnics. In the product’s surface mechanically or by the curing of hams and pork shoulder rinsing up to 1 minute with water, but not by picnics, one of the methods below shall soaking. be used. For calculating days per (E) Bag Curing. Bag curing is a traditional pound, the establishment shall use the ham curing technique in which the manufac- weight of the heaviest ham or picnic in turer wraps the ham and all of the cure mix- the lot. ture together in kraft paper then hangs them individually. The paper keeps the extra cure Method No. 1. The hams and pork shoulder mixture in close contact with the product picnics shall be cured by a dry-salt curing making reapplication of salt unnecessary, process not less than 40 days at a tempera- and it protects the product from mites and ture no lower than 36 °F. The products shall insects. Establishments may employ the bag be laid down in salt, not less than 4 pounds curing method as an alternative to (A) to each hundredweight of product, the salt through (D) above. An establishment which being applied in a thorough manner to the elects to use the bag curing method shall lean meat of each item. When placed in cure, apply a cure mixture containing at least 6 the products may be pumped with pickle if pounds of salt per 100 pounds of uncured desired. At least once during the curing proc- product. The establishment shall rub the ess, the products shall be overhauled (turned curing mixture into the exposed muscle tis- over for the application of additional cure) sue, pack the hock region with the curing and additional salt applied, if necessary, so mixture, and use uncoated wrapping paper to that the lean meat of each item is thor- wrap the product together with any remain- oughly covered. After removal from cure, the ing curing mixture. The bag cured product products may be soaked in water at a tem- shall remain wrapped throughout the curing perature not higher than 70 °F for not more period and may or may not remain wrapped than 15 hours, during which time the water during the drying period. In any case, the may be changed once, but they shall not be curing period shall be at least 40 days but subjected to any other treatment designed to not less than 2 days per pound of an uncured remove salt from the meat except that su- ham or shoulder. After curing, the cured perficial washing may be allowed. The prod- product shall be exposed to a drying time ucts shall finally be dried or smoked at a and temperature prescribed in Table 5. time and temperature not less than a com- (F) Curing Temperature. During the curing bination prescribed in Table 5 of Method No. period the establishment shall use one of the 3. following procedures: Method No. 2. [Reserved] (1) The establishment shall control the Method No. 3. (A) Curing. (Other than bag room temperature at not less than 35 °F (1.7 curing): Establishments shall cure hams and °C) nor greater than 45 °F (7.2 °C) for the first shoulders by using a cure mixture containing 1.5 days per pound of an uncured ham or not less than 70 percent salt by weight to shoulder, and not less than 35 °F (1.7 °C) nor cover all exposed muscle tissue and to pack greater than 60 °F (15.6 °C) for the remainder the hock region. Total curing time consists of the curing period. of a mandatory cure contact time and an op- (2) The establishment shall monitor and tional equalization time. record daily product temperature. The room (B) Cure Contact Time. This is the cure con- temperature need not be controlled but days tact period, during which the establishment on which the product temperature drops shall keep exposed muscle tissue coated with below 35 °F (1.7 °C) shall not be counted as the cure mixture at least 28 days but for no curing time. If the product temperature ex- less than 1.5 days per pound of ham or shoul- ceeds 45 °F (7.2 °C) within the first period of der. Overhaul is optional so long as the ex- 1.5 days per pound of an uncured ham or posed muscle tissue remains coated with cur- shoulder or if it exceeds 60 °F (15.6 °C) for the ing mixture. remainder of the curing period, the estab- (C) Equalization. The establishment may lishment shall cool the product back to the provide an equalization period after the min- 45 °F (7.2 °C) maximum during the first pe- imum cure contact period in (B) above to riod or 55 °F (12.8 °C) maximum during the permit the absorbed salt to permeate the remainder of the period. product’s inner tissues. Equalization is the (3) The establishment shall begin curing time after the excess cure has been removed product only between the dates of December from the product at the end of the cure con- 1 and February 13. The room temperature tact period until the product is placed in the need not be controlled, but the establish- drying room and the drying period begins. ment shall monitor and record daily room The total curing time (equalization plus cure temperatures, and days in which the room
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temperature drops below 35 °F (1.7 °C) shall fractional values for the combinations ex- not be counted as curing time. ceeds 1.5. (G) Drying. After the curing period, estab- (3) Establishments using uncontrolled lishments shall use one of three procedures room temperatures shall dry the product for for drying: a minimum of 160 days including the entire (1) The establishment shall subject the months of June, July, and August. This pro- product to a controlled room temperature cedure is obviously dependent on local cli- for a minimum time and minimum tempera- matic conditions and no problem exists with ture combination prescribed in Table 5 or for a set of such combinations in which the total respect to current producers who use this of the fractional periods (in column 4 of procedure. Future applicants shall dem- Table 5) exceeds 1.5. onstrate that their local monthly average (2) Establishments using uncontrolled temperatures and the local monthly min- room temperatures shall monitor and record imum temperatures are equal to or warmer the internal product temperature. The dry- than the normal average temperatures and ing period shall be complete when, from the normal minimum temperatures compiled by days which can be counted as curing time, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- one of the time/temperature combinations of ministration for Boone, North Carolina, sta- Table 5 is satisfied or when the total of the tion 31–0977, 1951 through 1980.
MONTHLY TEMPERATURES (°F) FOR BOONE NC, 1951Ð1980
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 up to half of the required salt on an equal Trichina Inactivation in Hams and weight basis. Shoulders (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 TABLE 5—MINIMUM DRYING DAYS AT A MINIMUM meat. The cure shall be applied in either TEMPERATURE* three or four approximately equal amounts (two or three overhauls) at separate times Minimum Drying Temperature Fractional Minimum days period for during the first 14 days of curing. at drying tem- (C) Cure Contact Time. Establishments shall Degrees fahr- Degrees perature one day of enheit centigrade drying keep the product in contact with the cure mixture for no less than 2 days per pound of 130 ...... 54.4 1.5 .67 an uncured ham or shoulder but for at least 125 ...... 51.7 2 .50 30 days. Establishments shall maintain the 120 ...... 48.9 3 .33 ° 115 ...... 46.1 4 .25 curing temperature at no less than 35 F (1.7 ° 110 ...... 43.3 5 .20 C) during the cure contact time. 105 ...... 40.6 6 .17 (D) Equalization. After the cure contact pe- 100 ...... 37.8 7 .14 riod, establishments shall provide an added 95 ...... 35.0 9 .11 equalization period of no less than 1 day per 90 ...... 32.2 11 .091 pound of an uncured ham or shoulder but at 85 ...... 29.4 18 .056 least 14 days. Equalization is the time after 80 ...... 26.7 25 .040 the excess cure has been removed from the 75 ...... 23.9 35 .029 product, the end of the cure contact period, * Interpolation of these times or temperatures is not accept- and before the drying period begins. Estab- able; establishments wishing to use temperatures or times not lishments may substitute additional cure in this Table shall first validate their efficacy as provided by contact days for an equal number of equali- 318.10(c)(4) of this section. zation days. Method No. 4. (E) Removing Excess Cure. After the re- quired cure contact period, the establish- (A) Cure: Establishments shall cure hams ment may remove excess cure mixture from and shoulders by using a cure mixture con- the product’s surface mechanically or by taining not less than 71.5 percent salt by rinsing up to 1 minute with water, but not by weight to cover all exposed muscle tissue soaking. and to pack the hock region. Establishments (F) Drying. After the curing period, estab- may substitute potassium chloride (KCl) for lishments shall use one of the controlled
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temperature methods for drying listed in tory will exceed 8 hours, then the establish- Method No. 3 of this subparagraph. ment shall freeze the composite sample im- mediately after the samples are combined; Method No. 5 (vi) Once the laboratory results for the (A) Curing. The establishment shall cure composite sample are received, the manufac- the ham to a minimum brine concentration turer shall calculate the internal brine con- of 6 percent by the end of the drying period. centration by multiplying the salt con- Brine concentration is calculated as 100 centration by 100 and then dividing that fig- times the salt concentration divided by the ure by the sum of the salt and water con- sum of the salt and water concentrations. centrations; (vii) Compliance is established when the Percent brine = 100 × [salt] / ([salt] + [water]) samples from the first 12 lots of production The Agency will accept the brine con- have a minimum internal brine concentra- centration in the biceps femoris as a reason- tion of 6 percent. Lots being tested to estab- able estimate of the minimum brine con- lish compliance shall be held until the inter- centration in the ham. nal brine concentration has been determined (B) Drying and Total Process Times. The es- and found to be at least 6 percent. If the min- tablishment shall dry the cured ham at a imum internal brine concentration is less minimum temperature of 55 °F (13 °C) for at than 6 percent, the lot being tested shall be least 150 days. The total time of drying plus held until the establishment brings the lot curing shall be at least 206 days. into compliance by further processing. (C) Ensuring an Acceptable Internal Brine (2) To maintain compliance, the establish- Concentration. (1) To establish compliance, ment shall take samples, have the samples the establishment shall take product sam- analyzed, and perform the brine calculations ples from the first 12 lots of production as as set forth above from one lot every 13 follows: From each lot, weeks. Lots being tested to maintain compli- (i) One sample shall be taken from each of ance shall not be held. If the minimum inter- 5 or more hams; nal brine concentration is less than 6 percent (ii) Each sample shall be taken from the in a lot being tested to maintain compliance, biceps femoris. As an alternative to the use the establishment shall develop and propose of the biceps femoris, the Agency shall con- steps acceptable to FSIS to ensure that the sider other method(s) of sampling the dry- process is corrected. cured hams to determine the minimum in- (3) Accredited laboratory results and the ternal brine concentration, as long as the es- brine calculations shall be placed on file at tablishment proposes it and submits data the establishment and available to Program and other information to establish its suffi- employees for review. ciency to the Director of the Processed Prod- Method No. 6 ucts Inspection Division; (iii) Each sample shall weigh no less than (A) Curing. The establishment shall cure 100 grams; the ham to a minimum brine concentration (iv) The samples shall be combined as one of 6 percent by the end of the drying period. composite sample and sealed in a water Brine concentration is calculated as 100 vapor proof container; times the salt concentration divided by the (v) The composite sample shall be sub- sum of the salt and water concentrations. mitted to a laboratory accredited under the Percent brine = 100 × [salt] / ([salt] + [water]) provisions of § 318.21 to be analyzed for salt and water content using methods from the The Agency will accept the brine con- ‘‘Official Methods of Analysis of the Associa- centration in the biceps femoris as a reason- tion of Official Analytical Chemists able estimate of the minimum brine con- (AOAC),’’ 15th Edition, 1990, Section 983.18 centration. (page 931) and Section 971.19 (page 933) which (B) Drying and Total Process Times. The es- are incorporated by reference. This incorpo- tablishment shall dry the cured ham at a ration by reference was approved by the Di- minimum temperature of 110 °F (43 °C) for at rector of the Federal Register in accordance least 4 days. The total time of drying plus with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies curing shall be at least 34 days. may be obtained from the Association of Of- (c) Ensuring an Acceptable Internal Brine ficial Analytical Chemists, suite 400–BW, 2200 Concentration. Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201–3301. (1) To establish compliance the establish- Copies may be inspected at the Office of the ment shall take product samples from the FSIS Hearing Clerk, room 3171, South Agri- first 12 lots of production as follows: From culture Building, Food Safety and Inspection each lot, Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, (i) One sample shall be taken from each of Washington, DC 20250 or at the Office of the 5 or more hams; Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, (ii) Each sample shall be taken from the NW., suite 700, Washington, DC 20408. If the biceps femoris. As an alternative to the use time between sampling and submittal of the of the biceps femoris, the Agency will con- composite sample to the accredited labora- sider other methods of sampling the dry-
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cured hams to determine internal brine con- destroy possible live trichinae in centration, as long as the establishment pro- boneless loins, the loins may be cured poses it and submits data and other informa- for a period of not less than 25 days at tion to establish its sufficiency to the Direc- a temperature not lower than 36 °F. by tor of the Processed Products Inspection Di- vision; the use of one of the following meth- (iii) Each sample shall weigh no less than ods: 100 grams; Method No. 1. Application of a dry-salt cur- (iv) The samples shall be combined as one ing mixture containing not less than 5 composite sample and sealed in a water pounds of salt to each hundredweight of vapor proof container; meats. (v) The composite sample shall be sub- Method No. 2. Application of a pickle solu- mitted to a laboratory accredited under the tion of not less than 80° strength (salometer) provisions of § 318.21 to be analyzed for salt on the basis of not less than 60 pounds of and water content using methods from the pickle to each hundredweight of meat. ‘‘Official Methods of Analysis of the Associa- Method No. 3. Application of a pickle solu- tion of Official Analytical Chemists tion added to the dry-salt cure prescribed as (AOAC),’’ 15th Edition, 1990, section 983.18 Method No. 1 in this subdivision (v) provided (page 931) and section 971.19 (page 933) which the pickle solution is not less than 80° are incorporated by reference. This incorpo- strength (salometer). ration by reference was approved by the Di- After removal from cure, the loins may be rector of the Federal Register in accordance soaked in water for not more than 1 hour at with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51. Copies a temperature not higher than 70 °F. or may be obtained from the Association of Of- washed under a spray but shall not be sub- ficial Analytical Chemists, suite 400–BW, 2200 jected, during or after the curing process, to Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22201–3301. any other treatment designed to remove Copies may be inspected at the Office of the salt. FSIS Hearing Clerk, room 3171, South Agri- Following curing, the loins shall be culture Building, Food Safety and Inspection smoked for not less than 12 hours. The min- Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, imum temperature of the smokehouse during Washington, DC 20250 or at the Office of the this period at no time shall be lower than 100 Federal Register, 800 North Capitol Street, °F., and for 4 consecutive hours of this period NW., suite 700, Washington, DC. If the time the smokehouse shall be maintained at a between sampling and submittal of the com- temperature not lower than 125 °F. posite sample to the accredited laboratory Finally, the product shall be held in a dry- will exceed 8 hours, then the establishment ing room for a period of not less than 12 days shall freeze the composite sample imme- at a temperature not lower than 45 °F. diately after the samples are combined; (4) The Administrator shall consider (vi) Compliance is established when the additional processing methods upon pe- samples from the first 12 lots of production have a minimum internal brine concentra- tition by manufacturers, and shall ap- tion of 6 percent. Lots being tested to estab- prove any such method upon his/her de- lish compliance shall be held until the inter- termination that it can be properly nal brine concentration has been determined monitored by an inspector and that the and found to be at least 6 percent. If the min- safety of such methods is adequately imum internal brine concentration is less documented by data which has been de- than 6 percent, the lot being tested shall be veloped by following an experimental held until the establishment brings the lot protocol previously reviewed and ac- into compliance by further processing. cepted by the Department. (2) To maintain compliance, the establish- ment shall take samples, have the samples (d) General instructions: When nec- analyzed, and perform the brine calculations essary to comply with the require- as set forth above from one lot every 13 ments of this section, the weeks. Lots being tested to maintain compli- smokehouses, drying rooms, and other ance shall not be held. If the minimum inter- compartments used in the treatment of nal brine concentration is less than 6 percent pork to destroy possible live trichinae in a lot being tested to maintain compliance, shall be suitably equipped, by the oper- the establishment shall develop and propose ator of the official establishment, with steps acceptable to FSIS to ensure that the accurate automatic recording ther- process is corrected. (3) Accredited laboratory results and the mometers. Circuit supervisors are au- brine calculations shall be placed on file in thorized to approve for use in sausage the establishment and available to Program smokehouses, drying rooms, and other employees for review. compartments, such automatic record- (v) Boneless pork loins and loin ends. ing thermometers as are found to give In lieu of heating or refrigerating to satisfactory service and to disapprove
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and require discontinuance of use, for any data and other information that purposes of the regulations in this sub- the Administrator finds necessary. No- chapter, any thermometers (including tice of any approval shall be given in any automatic recording thermom- the FEDERAL REGISTER, and the ap- eters) of the establishment that are proved method will be incorporated found to be inaccurate or unreliable. into this section. (e) The requirements for using the [35 FR 15586, Oct. 3, 1970, as amended at 38 FR pooled sample digestion technique to 31517; Nov. 15, 1973; 39 FR 40580, Nov. 19, 1974; analyze pork for the presence of tri- 50 FR 5229, Feb. 7, l985; 50 FR 48075, Nov. 21, china cysts are: 1985; 52 FR 12517, Apr. 17, 1987; 57 FR 27874, (1) The establishment shall submit June 22, 1992; 57 FR 33633, July 30, 1992; 57 FR for the approval of the Regional Direc- 56440, Nov. 30, 1992] tor its proposed procedure for identi- fying and pooling carcasses, collecting § 318.11 [Reserved] and pooling samples, testing samples § 318.12 Manufacture of dog food or (including the name and address of the similar uninspected article at offi- laboratory), communicating test re- cial establishments. sults, retesting individual carcasses, (a) When dog food, or similar and maintaining positive identification uninspected article is manufactured in and clear separation of pork found to an edible product department, there be trichina-free from untested pork or shall be sufficient space allotted and trichina-positive pork. adequate equipment provided so that (2) The establishment shall use the the manufacture of the uninspected ar- services of a laboratory approved by ticle in no way interferes with the han- the Administrator for all required test- dling or preparation of edible products. ing. Such approval shall be based on Where necessary to avoid adulteration adequacy of facilities, reagents, and of edible products, separate equipment equipment, and on demonstration of shall be provided for the uninspected continuing competency and reliability article. To assure the maintenance of in performing the pooled sample diges- sanitary conditions in the edible prod- tion technique for trichinae. uct departments, the operations inci- (3) The establishment shall sample no dent to the manufacture of the less than 5 grams of diaphragm muscle uninspected article will be subject to or tongue tissue from each carcass or the same sanitary requirements that no less than 10 grams of other muscle apply to all operations in edible prod- tissue. Samples may be pooled but a uct departments. The manufacture of pool shall not consist of more than 100 the uninspected article shall be limited grams of sample. Sampling and sample to those hours during which the estab- preparation are subject to inspection lishment operates under inspectional supervision. supervision; and there shall be no han- (4) Pork or products made from test- dling, other than receiving at the offi- ed pork shall not be released as tri- cial establishment, of any of the prod- china free from the official establish- uct ingredient of the uninspected arti- ment without treatment until the in- cle, other than during the regular spector in charge receives a laboratory hours of inspection. The materials used report that the tested pork is free of in the manufacture of the uninspected trichina cysts. article shall not be used so as to inter- (f) Approval of other tests for trichinosis fere with the inspection of edible prod- in pork. The Administrator shall con- uct or the maintenance of sanitary sider any additional analytical method conditions in the department or render for trichinosis upon petition by a man- any edible product adulterated. The ufacturer, and may approve that meth- meat, meat byproducts, and meat food od upon the determination that it will product ingredients of the uninspected detect at least 98 percent of swine bear- article may be admitted into any edi- ing cysts present at a tissue density ble products department of an official equal to or less than one cyst per gram establishment only if they are U.S. In- of muscle from the diaphragm pillars spected and Passed. Products within at a 95 percent confidence level. Any § 314.11 of this subchapter or parts of such petitions shall be supported by carcasses of kinds not permitted under
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