Abattoirs Code of Good Practice - British Columbia

Critical Design, Operational and Equipment Guidelines for Licensed Abattoirs

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Prepared by:

Food Protection BC Centre for Disease Control

In Collaboration with:

BC Ministry of Health and the Five Regional Health Authorities: Vancouver Coastal, Fraser, Interior, Northern and Vancouver Island

November 2012


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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 PROVINCIAL MEAT INSPECTION PROGRAM ............................................................................................................. 1

CHAPTER 2: PLANT CONSTRUCTION AND EQUIPMENT .......................................................................................... 2

2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 2 2.2 LAYOUT AND DESIGN OF A PLANT ......................................................................................................................... 2 2.3 BLUEPRINTS (PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS) ............................................................................................................. 2

Preparation and Contents ..................................................................................................................................... 2 2.4 GENERAL CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................. 3

Suitability of Construction Materials .................................................................................................................... 3 Water Supply ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Hand Washing Facilities, Drinking Fountains, Sanitizers and Hose Connections .................................................. 4 Drains .................................................................................................................................................................... 4 Sewage Disposal ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Disposal of Paunch and Intestinal Contents .......................................................................................................... 5 Catch Basins .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Lighting ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Ventilation............................................................................................................................................................. 5 Walls and Ceilings ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Floors..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Doorways and Doors ............................................................................................................................................. 6 Stairs ..................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Paint ...................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Screens and Insect Control .................................................................................................................................... 7 Roadways .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Separation ............................................................................................................................................................. 7

2.5 EQUIPMENT ..................................................................................................................................................... 7 Equipment Construction and Design ..................................................................................................................... 7 Cleaning of Equipment .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Accepted Equipment, Field Trials and Check List for Field Trials ........................................................................... 8

2.6 DETAILED REQUIREMENTS FOR SECTIONS, ROOMS AND PENS .................................................................................... 9 Livestock Pens ....................................................................................................................................................... 9 Pre-slaughter Holding Pens ................................................................................................................................. 10 Stunning and Bleeding Areas .............................................................................................................................. 10 Slaughter and Dressing Rooms ........................................................................................................................... 11 Carcass Coolers ................................................................................................................................................... 13 Offal Coolers........................................................................................................................................................ 13 Freezers ............................................................................................................................................................... 14 Cutting and Boning Rooms.................................................................................................................................. 14 Curing Rooms ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Processing Rooms ............................................................................................................................................... 14 Smokehouses ...................................................................................................................................................... 14 Packaging, Shipping and Receiving Rooms ......................................................................................................... 14 Dry Storage Rooms ............................................................................................................................................. 15 Hide Rooms ......................................................................................................................................................... 15

2.7 GUIDELINES FOR POULTRY SLAUGHTERING AND PROCESSING ESTABLISHMENTS ........................................................... 15 General ................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Inspection Stations .............................................................................................................................................. 16


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Ice Bins ................................................................................................................................................................ 16 Goosenecks ......................................................................................................................................................... 16 Removal of Feet Prior to Inspection .................................................................................................................... 16 Transfer Facilities ................................................................................................................................................ 16 Flow Meter on Continuous Chilling Tanks ........................................................................................................... 16 Final Inside-Outside Washer ............................................................................................................................... 16 Pre-Chiller ............................................................................................................................................................ 16

2.8 STAFF ROOMS ................................................................................................................................................ 17 Washrooms ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 Dressing Rooms ................................................................................................................................................... 17 Lunch room ......................................................................................................................................................... 17

2.9 INSPECTOR'S OFFICE ........................................................................................................................................ 17

CHAPTER 3: SANITATION ..................................................................................................................................... 19

3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 19 Definitions ........................................................................................................................................................... 19

3.2 FOOD SAFETY PLAN ......................................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 SANITATION PROGRAM .................................................................................................................................... 19

Facilities and Equipment ..................................................................................................................................... 19 Housekeeping Practices ...................................................................................................................................... 20

3.4 MANAGEMENT'S RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.5 INSPECTORS' RESPONSIBILITIES .......................................................................................................................... 20 3.6 CONTROL MECHANISMS AND PROCEDURES .......................................................................................................... 21 3.7 POTENTIAL CONTAMINATION SOURCES ............................................................................................................... 21

Paint, Dust, Rust, Condensation and Disintegrating Insulating Material ........................................................... 21 Metal Contaminants ........................................................................................................................................... 21 Other Types of Contaminants ............................................................................................................................. 21

3.8 PRE-OPERATIONAL INSPECTION ......................................................................................................................... 22 3.9 OPERATIONAL INSPECTION ................................................................................................................................ 22

Outside Premises ................................................................................................................................................. 22 Transportation of Finished Products ................................................................................................................... 23 Animal Transportation and Holding Pens ........................................................................................................... 23 Waste Disposal.................................................................................................................................................... 23 Disposal of Condemned and Other Inedible Meat Products ............................................................................... 23 Washrooms ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Sanitizers ............................................................................................................................................................. 24

3.10 PERSONAL HYGIENE ......................................................................................................................................... 24 Sanitary Practices ................................................................................................................................................ 24 Working Apparel ................................................................................................................................................. 24

3.11 PEST CONTROL ............................................................................................................................................... 25 Responsibility for Use .......................................................................................................................................... 25 Insecticides .......................................................................................................................................................... 25 Rodenticides ........................................................................................................................................................ 25 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 25

3.12 NON-MEAT INGREDIENTS ................................................................................................................................. 25 3.13 MATERIAL AND AGENTS ................................................................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 4: INSPECTION PROCEDURES, MONITORING AND CONTROLS .............................................................. 27

4.1 INSPECTION CONTROLS .................................................................................................................................... 27 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 27 Construction and Maintenance ........................................................................................................................... 27 Sanitation of Plant and Equipment ..................................................................................................................... 27 Meat Hygiene ...................................................................................................................................................... 28


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Integrity of Meat Products .................................................................................................................................. 28 4.2 PREOPERATIONAL INSPECTION ........................................................................................................................... 28

General ................................................................................................................................................................ 28 Guidelines for Preoperational Inspection ............................................................................................................ 28 Action to be Taken When Unsatisfactory Conditions are Found ......................................................................... 29

4.3 ANTE MORTEM INSPECTION .............................................................................................................................. 30 Introduction and Purpose.................................................................................................................................... 30 Facilities and Manpower Requirements .............................................................................................................. 30 Humane Treatment ............................................................................................................................................. 30 Procedures .......................................................................................................................................................... 30 Cleaning and Disinfection ................................................................................................................................... 32 Guide to Handling Suspect Animals .................................................................................................................... 32

4.4 HUMANE HANDLING AND SLAUGHTERING OF FOOD ANIMALS ................................................................................. 32 Introduction and Scope ....................................................................................................................................... 32 Responsibilities and Concerns ............................................................................................................................. 32 Pre-Slaughter Accommodation and Handling of Animals at the Slaughterhouses ............................................. 33 Stunning and Slaughter of Food Animals ............................................................................................................ 33 Enforcement Actions by Inspectors ..................................................................................................................... 34

4.5 DRESSING PROCEDURES ................................................................................................................................... 35 Dressing Procedures for Cattle ............................................................................................................................ 35 Dressing Procedures for Swine ............................................................................................................................ 38 Dressing Procedure for Poultry ........................................................................................................................... 39 Dressing Procedures for Calves ........................................................................................................................... 39 Dressing Procedures for Sheep, Lambs and Goats .............................................................................................. 40 Dressing Procedures for Horses .......................................................................................................................... 40 Dressing Procedures for Domesticated Rabbits .................................................................................................. 40 Policy on Ethnic Dressing of Food Animals in Establishments ............................................................................. 40

4.6 POST-MORTEM INSPECTION AND DISPOSITION ..................................................................................................... 41 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Cattle ............................................................................................. 41 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Hogs ............................................................................................... 44 Post-mortem Inspection of Poultry ..................................................................................................................... 45 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Calves ............................................................................................. 46 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Sheep, Lambs and Goats ................................................................ 46 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Horses ............................................................................................ 47 Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Domesticated Rabbits .................................................................... 47

4.7 OFFAL PREPARATION ....................................................................................................................................... 47 4.8 RE-INSPECTION ............................................................................................................................................... 49

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 Re-Inspection as a Monitoring Process ............................................................................................................... 49 Re-Inspection of Returned Shipped Meat Products............................................................................................. 49

4.9 REFRIGERATION AND RELATED ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................................ 49 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 49 Condensation ...................................................................................................................................................... 50 Refrigeration of Processing Areas (see Chapters 2 and 3) .................................................................................. 50 Refrigeration of Meat Products (excluding rabbits and poultry) ........................................................................ 50 Ice ........................................................................................................................................................................ 51 Refrigeration of Poultry Meat Products .............................................................................................................. 51 Refrigeration of Rabbit Meat Products ............................................................................................................... 53

4.10 ANTI-PARASITIC TREATMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 53 4.11 PROCESSING AND HANDLING TECHNIQUES ........................................................................................................... 57

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 57 Processing ........................................................................................................................................................... 57 Aging and Tenderizing ........................................................................................................................................ 57


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Fermentation ...................................................................................................................................................... 58 Boning ................................................................................................................................................................. 58 Mechanical Deboning ......................................................................................................................................... 58 Comminuting....................................................................................................................................................... 58 Curing .................................................................................................................................................................. 58

CHAPTER 5: INEDIBLE MEAT PRODUCTS .............................................................................................................. 59

5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 59 5.2 FACILITIES HANDLING AND DISPOSING INEDIBLE MEAT PRODUCTS IN AN ESTABLISHMENT ............................................. 59

Conditions for Disposal of Inedible Meat Products ............................................................................................. 59 5.3 SHIPPING CONDEMNED MEAT PRODUCTS ............................................................................................................ 62 5.4 SPECIFIED RISK MATERIALS (SRMS) ................................................................................................................... 63

Summary ............................................................................................................................................................. 63 Cattle and Carcass Identification ........................................................................................................................ 63 Stunning, Dressing and SRM Removal ................................................................................................................ 64 SRM Handling and Disposition ............................................................................................................................ 66 SRM Controls ....................................................................................................................................................... 66

APPENDIX A - CATTLE DENTITION ................................................................................................................................. 67 APPENDIX B - CATTLE VERTEBRAL COLUMN .................................................................................................................... 70

CHAPTER 6: SHIPPING AND RECEIVING ................................................................................................................ 73

6.1 RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................................................... 73 6.2 INSPECTOR'S RESPONSIBILITY ............................................................................................................................. 73 6.3 MEAT PRODUCTS RECEIVED AT AN ESTABLISHMENT ............................................................................................... 73 6.4 SHIPMENT OF MEAT PRODUCTS FROM ESTABLISHMENTS INCLUDING APPROVED STORAGES .......................................... 73

CHAPTER 7: MARKING AND LABELING OF MEAT PRODUCTS ................................................................................ 75

7.1 LEGISLATION .................................................................................................................................................. 75 7.2 INSPECTION LEGEND STAMP .............................................................................................................................. 75 7.3 LABELS .......................................................................................................................................................... 75 7.4 MEAT PRODUCT ENTERING AN ESTABLISHMENT .................................................................................................... 75


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Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction This manual is intended as a reference source for inspection personnel and plant operators. It is not intended to stand alone, but rather to be used in conjunction with relevant legislation, the National Meat Code, textbooks and other appropriate source materials to provide an extensive information base to assist in the effective operation of abattoirs.

The purpose of a meat inspection program is to provide consumers with safe and wholesome meat products. To achieve this, plant management and inspection personnel have responsibilities to assume and roles to play in both the long-term and day-to-day operation of establishments. In this manual, the respective responsibilities and roles of management and inspection personnel have been outlined.

It is important to note that a cooperative effort between management and inspection personnel should be encouraged, with good judgment used by all to achieve and maintain compliance with food safety standards.

1.2 Provincial Meat Inspection Program The BC Centre for Disease Control contracts with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to provide inspection services in abattoirs licensed pursuant to the BC Meat Inspection Regulation. Key features in the contract are:

1. CFIA inspectors have been appointed as inspectors under the provincial legislation. Hence, federal inspectors have all the powers set out in the provincial Meat Inspection Regulations.

2. Standards applied in provincial plants are those specified in provincial legislation. Several features that are common to both provincial and federal legislation are:

(i) the judgment of animal diseases and the disposition of animals;

(ii) sanitary requirements for the operation of an establishment; and

(iii) the humane treatment of food animals.

As well, many of the basic construction requirements relating to materials (smooth/impervious), lighting and ventilation are consistent between the provincial and federal systems.

3. Inspectors are required to be present at the establishment only during hours of slaughter. Inspections of processing areas are conducted on a random/as need basis, and are generally performed on a slaughter day.

It is important to note that meat products produced in provincially licensed meat plants cannot be:

(i) exported, either interprovincially or internationally; or

(ii) shipped to or received at a federally registered establishment (Meat Inspection Act, Canada).

Provincially licensed plants may otherwise ship their products anywhere in British Columbia.

http://www.cfia-acia.agr.ca/english/toce.shtml�

http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/10_349_2004�


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Chapter 2: Plant Construction and Equipment

2.1 Introduction This chapter should be used by inspectors and management of licensed establishments as a guide to plant construction, facilities, layout, and equipment. It is intended to provide broad principles and minimum standards that will facilitate the production of safe and wholesome meat products.

2.2 Layout and Design of a Plant A slaughterhouse should be designed to ensure the flow of operations from the live animal holding area through to shipping areas. Meat products should, therefore, proceed progressively through cleaner areas of the operation, without backtracking to areas where the product was previously handled.

Edible and inedible areas must be physically and operationally separate. Separation of raw and cooked products must be maintained throughout the plant.

In planning a plant, provisions for expansion should not disrupt the flow of operations or interfere with efficient processing.

2.3 Blueprints (Plans and Specifications)

Preparation and Contents

Where necessary, a competent architect, engineer, or other person experienced in slaughterhouse design should be employed to prepare drawings and specifications. Drawings must be to scale and include the following:

a) a plot plan showing the boundaries of the plant property; location of the plant in respect to other buildings or structures; streets; driveways and parking sites including drainage systems and surfacing materials (e.g. gravel, pavement etc.); railway lines; sewer lines; potable water sources (e.g. wells); gas and water mains; and power lines. The scale and the north point should be shown;

b) a floor plan of each level of the plant, showing the purpose for which each room is to be used, location of walls, partitions, windows, doors, posts, conveyor rails and all equipment on the floor or in an elevated position, (e.g. draw-off fans, refrigeration units), hose bibs, sanitizers and hand wash stations;

c) a floor plan showing location and size of floor drains, location and size of direct drains for pieces of equipment using large amounts of water; curbing, gutters and slope of floor towards drains and the hot and cold water outlets;

d) the exterior elevations of the building, showing doors, windows, and platforms;

e) a cross section of the plant showing ceiling heights;

f) a roof plan showing skylights, vents, drainage and other pertinent information;

g) a schedule of room "finishes" must be on or attached to the plans, including a schedule of door sizes, construction and type of door frame; lighting intensity for each room;

h) an equipment layout with accompanying "flow charts" of operations. The design and construction of the equipment must be shown and, where necessary, cross-sections provided to show method of construction and operation; and


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i) where the plans refer to alterations or changes within an existing plant, sufficient description should be made of the surrounding rooms as well as those above and below. Copies of plans of the existing layout and construction should be attached to explain the nature, extent, and effect of proposed changes.

2.4 General Construction Requirements Materials used to construct the plant should be strong, durable, and promote satisfactory maintenance inside and out. Masonry and steel construction have proven to be the most acceptable.

Suitability of Construction Materials

Floor, wall and ceiling materials, as well as coatings and joint sealants must be of an approved type. Generally they must form a durable smooth impervious surface which is readily cleanable.

A list of approved finishing materials can be found in Chapter 3 of the Meat Hygiene Manual, Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Water Supply

Hot and cold potable water, under adequate pressure and in sufficient quantities to operate the plant, must be provided throughout the plant. The water supply must comply with applicable health standards for potability. Water from a public water supply is usually acceptable. Private wells must be adequately protected to prevent contamination, and be accredited by the local health authority. Water potability certificates obtained by licensed establishments must confirm potability of water and ice according to provincial standards.

Samples from municipal supplies should be forwarded to a recognized municipal or provincial laboratory semi-annually. Private water supplies should be tested monthly or at a frequency deemed necessary by the inspector based on historical sampling records. When a water sample is found non-potable, action is to be taken in accordance with advice from the local Medical Health Officer. To ensure valid findings, samples should be collected using a sterile technique, forwarded to the laboratory without delay, and refrigerated, where necessary, to avoid deterioration.

If non-potable water is used for fire prevention or for condensers on refrigeration systems, it must be kept entirely separate from the potable water system, clearly identified, and never used where edible products are processed, handled, packaged or stored.

If automatic chlorinators are used in a licensed establishment, management must establish procedures to ensure quality control for water potability. Two fundamental controls include:

a) an automatic metering device for adding chlorine in the correct concentration. A warning device to indicate malfunction may be required;

b) at least twice daily, tests shall be made to determine free residual chlorine level, at a specific point following thorough mixing in the water system.

Records of residual chlorine tests must be maintained by the operator, and made available to inspection staff as required.

A reliable chlorine test kit must be provided in order that in-plant monitoring can be achieved.

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/reference/refere.shtml�


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Hand Washing Facilities, Drinking Fountains, Sanitizers and Hose Connections

Hot and cold-water hand washing facilities (remote-control operated are recommended) must be easily accessible to all processing and slaughtering areas. These facilities must be serviced with dispensable soap and paper towels.

Rust-resistant metal sanitizers, of appropriate size and number must be provided, so that knives and saws can be sanitized. Sanitizers must be equipped with an overflow, and except in the kill floor area, connected to a drain.

In poultry establishments, sanitizers are required at the following stations: trimming, neck cutting and giblet salvage.

To facilitate room and equipment clean up, an adequate number of hose connections must be provided throughout a licensed establishment. Hot water, of at least 82°C must be available at the point of discharge to sanitize equipment during slaughter, evisceration, and processing operations. For general clean-up operations, water may be kept at a lower temperature, provided satisfactory cleaning and sanitizing agents are used. Dial-type thermometers should be installed at hose outlets or at the source of hot water supply. If the temperature indicator is located at the source of hot water supply, then the distance to the outlet must be taken into consideration.

The use of long hoses should be avoided. Suitable racks or reels for hose storage should be in place.

Drains

An adequate number of drains must be provided in all areas of a licensed establishment. The number and location of drains is determined by the design and nature of the operations. All drain lines must be sloped, deep-seal trapped, properly vented to the outside air, and equipped with effective rodent screens. Drains must be constructed of a material approved by the Building Code.

Properly constructed valley drains are permitted if installed as an integral part of the floor. Properly sloped gutter or channel drains are also permitted if constructed of an acceptable material (metal or vitreous tile) and covered with removable sectional grated covers. The sections should not be longer than 120cm.

As a general rule, one drain inlet, 30cm x 30cm or equivalent, should be provided for each 40m2 of floor space. The number of drain inlets and their size must be increased in areas of high water usage to provide proper and constant removal of the fluid wastes. To prevent flooding of surrounding areas, direct drainage must be provided for equipment discharging a large volume of water. Where several 10cm drainage lines discharge into one trunk line, the trunk line must be proportionately larger in order to efficiently handle the fluids discharged into it.

Floors must slope uniformly to drain inlets, with no low spots, which could collect liquids. Toilet and urinal drain lines must be separate from plant drain lines to a point outside the plant. In critical areas, overhead drain lines should be avoided.

Note: All plumbing and drainage must comply with applicable local plumbing and building codes.

Sewage Disposal

Direct connection of plant effluent into a municipal system is preferred. Private means of disposing of plant effluent must comply with all municipal and provincial requirements. A letter from the provincial or local authority having jurisdiction stating that the proposed sewage system is acceptable will preferably accompany submissions.


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Disposal of Paunch and Intestinal Contents

Proper means for the emptying, transferring out of the building, collecting and removal from the premises must be provided in the inedible section of the plant to ensure that no objectionable condition occurs.

Catch Basins

All catch basins, grease traps, interceptors and other means of separating organic matter from plant effluent must be located in the inedible section of the plant or outside. These facilities and surrounding areas must be constructed in order to facilitate ease of maintenance and sanitizing.

Catch basins must be skimmed regularly to remove all fresh animal tissue. Such skimmings shall not be moved through an edible area. Suitable facilities must be provided to transfer and dispose of grease once it has been skimmed from the basins.

Lighting

All areas of the plant must be properly lighted. Generally a minimum intensity of not less than 200 lux is sufficient. Where special illumination is required for the proper conduct of work by plant employees and inspectors, an illumination intensity of at least 1,000 lux may be required. To prevent glare and provide the maximum illumination, special attention must be given to the amount and direction of lighting in inspection areas. Readings should be taken at a height of 1 m or at the work situation. The lighting intensity of beef coolers should be measured at the front shank level of carcasses in a full cooler.

Artificial light sources must not impart illumination that distorts the normal appearance of meat. Normal non-colour corrected lights are acceptable. Meat products must be protected from contamination resulting from the breakage or shattering of light sources or fixtures.

Ventilation

In planning and designing a plant's ventilation system, care and attention must be taken to separate departments, control air movement and eliminate undesirable conditions such as steam, excess moisture, odours, dust, dirt or variations in temperature.

Airflow systems should be designed to create a positive airflow from clean to soiled areas (i.e. processing to kill floor). Adequate means must exist to provide sufficient exchange of air in all parts of the licensed establishment, and to keep air fresh, free of odours, steam and vapour. All refrigerated rooms must be kept free of excessive moisture. In non-refrigerated rooms it is recommended to have at least five changes of air per hour. Fresh air intakes must be located in an area not prone to contamination sources such as odours, dust, or smoke. Air intakes must be equipped with effective filters, which prevent the entry of insects or dust. In refrigerated workrooms, mechanical ventilation must keep walls and ceilings free of condensation.

All equipment that produces heat, steam, vapour, smoke or odour must be properly vented. High-temperature edible and inedible rendering equipment, driers and evaporators must be equipped with condensers.

Walls and Ceilings

Walls and ceilings must be smooth, level, hard and consist of impervious material such as accepted prefabricated panels and, glazed tile, and free from pitting, indentations, cracks, crevices and ledges. All corners and junctions of walls and floors must be coved in kill floor, coolers, condemned and processing areas, and other areas subject to frequent cleaning and moisture. Ceilings should be at least 3.3m in


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height. Ceilings of rooms intended for livestock receiving, slaughtering and dressing should be at least 4.8m in height. All mortar joints must be smooth and flush. Scoring cement plaster walls should be discouraged. To promote light reflection and sanitation, wall and ceiling surfaces should be white or light-coloured. Whenever practical, materials that do not require painting should be used. Materials that are absorbent and difficult to keep clean must not be used. Examples of unacceptable materials include wood, plasterboard and porous acoustic-type boards. Walls should be provided with suitable sanitary-type bumpers or sloped curbs to protect them from damage by hand trucks or lifters.

Windowsills should be at least 1m from the floor to avoid damage on impact from chill tanks, lifters and hand trucks.

Ceilings of interlocking, rust-resisting metal sheeting, such as heavy gauge, heavy duty, galvanized steel, anodized aluminum or stainless steel are permitted if fastened to metal infrastructure by acceptable means. When galvanized metal is used, the zinc coating must be at least ASTM A525 grade G-90. Open joist construction of ceilings is permitted, provided joists are treated to prevent rusting and corrosion, spaced 90cm or more on centre, constructed so they do not collect dust, and can be readily cleaned and sanitized.

Floors

All workroom floors must be coved and constructed of hard, impervious material such as dense, acid-resisting, non-dusting and waterproof concrete and graded 1-2cm/m to the drains.

Freezer floors must be provided with adequate insulation to prevent frost penetration into the underlying soil.

Doorways and Doors

Doorways should be a minimum of 1.5m wide so that products transferred on rails, hand-trucks or lifters do not come in contact with them. Doors and doorjambs should be made of rust-resistant material and be self-closing. The juncture between the wall and the doorjamb must be sealed with a flexible sealing compound. All doors leading outside must be self-closing.

Stairs

All stairs in product-handling departments should be of impervious material with solid treads, closed risers and curbed sides of at least 5cm in height, measured at the front edge of the tread. Catwalks (or mezzanines) above processing areas should be of solid masonry or metal construction with raised edges.

Paint

Lime wash is permitted only in livestock pens and drive chutes. Work surfaces of equipment and meat product containers must not be painted. Paints containing fungicide, pesticide or other poisonous ingredients must be approved prior to use. To reduce the possibility of flaking or chipping, painting is permitted only where:

a) it is the only practical solution for rust-prevention of structural components;

b) it is the only practical solution for providing a smooth, easily-cleaned surface for walls and ceilings in existing buildings; and

c) it is used for an aesthetic effect in non-product areas.


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Screens and Insect Control

Effective screens should be placed on all windows, doorways and other openings to prevent flies, insects or rodents from entering the plant.

"Fly chaser" fans, ducts, or other similar devices are encouraged over the outside doorways of all shipping and receiving areas. Fly and insect control must also occur in the livestock section and plant surroundings.

Roadways

To prevent the collection of water or dust, roadways on the premises must be properly graded, dust-proofed, and drained.

Separation

No portion of an establishment may be used as living quarters unless it is permanently separated from the establishment by a wall, floor and ceiling. There must be no direct access from the living quarters to any part of the establishment.

A retail sales outlet may be operated at an establishment. The retail facility must be functionally separate from, and not allow public access through or into any other areas of the establishment.

2.5 Equipment Equipment should be of simple design, easily cleaned, and made of non-corrosive and rust-resistant material such as stainless steel. Softwood floor racks and pallets are permitted in freezers and dry storages.

The use of wood in meat production and handling areas is prohibited for purposes other than those mentioned. Metal, over wood, in the construction of walls may be considered if it can be demonstrated that moisture transfer can be excluded. Stainless steel curing vats are strongly recommended.

Equipment Construction and Design

Stainless steel used in meat packing plants should be of 300 or 18/8 series. Stainless steel, like ordinary steel, oxidizes but instead of a common rust, a thin, dense, chrome oxide film forms on the surface as an armour against corrosion attack. When this oxide film on stainless steel is removed, it reforms immediately by combining with oxygen. Stainless steel's usefulness depends on its corrosion resistance. Because nickel is not added to stainless steel of the 400 series, the resistance of oxidizing conditions is reduced. Therefore stainless steel should be of the 300 or 18/8 series.

New materials containing plastics, resins, fibreglass and latex must receive approval prior to installation and use. Equipment should be designed for ease of cleaning and inspection. To facilitate dismantling, quick opening devices that require simple or no tools should be provided. All welded equipment, including tables and bins, should have continuous smooth and even welded joints. Junctions and corners should be coved with a minimum radius of 0.6cm to facilitate cleaning.

Contamination by drippings from bearings, lubricants, gears, and motors must be prevented. Drip pans, if used, must be easily accessible for inspection and removable for cleaning.

When using stuffers and grinders, metal detectors should be provided to reduce the number of foreign particles in meat products and to protect the equipment.


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Pumps, piping and other conduits must be easily demountable and easily cleaned by means of dairy or sanitary-type fittings.

Rust-resistant metal chutes must be accessible for thorough and regular cleaning. Long chutes are discouraged, but if used, should be demountable for cleaning. Chutes leading from edible to inedible products departments should be hooded and vented.

Stationary equipment must be installed away from walls and ceilings to provide sufficient access for cleaning. Permanently mounted equipment should either be installed a sufficient distance away from the walls and floor to permit cleaning and inspection or be completely sealed to the walls or floor.

Please note the following:

a) copper is not acceptable for equipment which contacts edible meat products. Copper piping should not be used when ammonia refrigeration is utilized;

b) cadmium is not acceptable in the construction of equipment used for handling edible meat products;

c) lead shall not be used in the construction of equipment contacting edible meat products;

d) equipment with painted surfaces contacting meat products is not acceptable; and

e) the use of containers or equipment made of enamel ware or porcelain is not acceptable for any purpose in connection with the handling and processing of meat products.

Portable equipment used for collecting, holding and transferring condemned and other inedible material must be of industrial grade, non toxic plastic or rust-resistant metal, water-tight, covered, and distinctly and uniformly marked for identification.

Cleaning of Equipment

Hot and cold water must be available in all workrooms. Portable equipment should be cleaned in a designated room to minimize exposure of meat products to splash contamination. When stationary equipment is cleaned, meat products must either be removed from the area or protected from splash contamination.

The cleaning room must have adequate lighting, ventilation, drainage and an exhaust fan to remove steam vapours. High-pressure spray cleaning equipment should be installed. To prevent carryover to meat products, detergents and disinfectants must be completely removed from equipment. Inedible holding containers must be thoroughly cleaned in the inedible department before being returned to the edible department.

All knives, scabbards, steels, hooks, aprons and other tools must be stored on conveniently located rust-resistant racks or multiple scabbards, and not in clothes lockers.

Accepted Equipment, Field Trials and Check List for Field Trials

a) Accepted equipment

Equipment must be constructed of non-corrodible material, free of noxious or obnoxious elements, and must facilitate cleaning.

b) Field Trials

In the case of selected equipment, installations may be authorized in licensed establishments to obtain a field report under actual conditions. The inspector should document findings in regard to


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ease of cleaning, suitability of construction, and performance during an appropriate time interval, and forward it to the Regional Veterinarian for recommendations.

c) Check list for field trials

(1) construction and design;

(2) accessibility for cleaning;

(3) provision for dismantling;

(4) accepted lubricants and satisfactory lubricating points;

(5) interior corners;

(6) welding joints, bolts or other protuberances;

(7) free from cracks, recesses, ledges and similar irregularities; .

(8) self-draining surfaces;

(9) bearings (location with contamination hazard);

(10) pumps and pipelines;

(11) safety guards;

(12) external surfaces; and

(13) installation (location in proper sequence; spacing from walls, ceiling and floor).

2.6 Detailed Requirements for Sections, Rooms and Pens

Livestock Pens

Livestock pens, chutes and/or squeezes must be provided at all slaughtering establishments. All floors, alleyways and chutes must be paved, properly drained and scored to prevent slipping. Acceptable feed and water facilities must be provided where necessary in all holding pens and ample hose and water outlets for cleaning of all pens and runways must be provided. Chutes, ramps and inclines should be cleated or "stepped" and have a reasonable incline to prevent slipping, falling or injury.

As ante mortem inspection requires observation of animals in motion, space must be provided in the form of an alleyway, which can regulate their movement.

(1) The following outlines the minimum requirements in livestock yards:

(a) adequate drainage for each pen by individual inlets or valley-type drains along the alleyway or equivalent;

(b) water supply for watering animals and clean-up as required. Where necessary, management should supply water heaters to prevent the drinking water from freezing under extremely cold temperatures;

(c) separate, covered suspect and reactor pens must be provided. Adequate covering and protection must be provided in order to facilitate ante mortem inspection under extreme weather conditions;

(d) covered pens must be provided to ensure adequate protection of livestock received for slaughter;

(e) uncovered pens may be used to hold the overflow. The welfare of animals and the possibility of environmental pollution must be given careful consideration;

(f) adequate lighting should be provided with an intensity of at least 500 lux for the ante mortem inspection stations and suspect pens;


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(g) rust resistant metal pipe partitions and gates are preferred; dressed lumber is the minimum acceptable;

(h) sufficient ventilation is necessary to prevent accumulation of odours and condensation;

(i) a small, rust resistant, locked metal cabinet for supplies such as ear tags, pliers and ante mortem inspection cards must be provided for the exclusive use of the ante mortem inspectors;

(j) all livestock truck unloading and loading areas must drain to promote proper sanitary maintenance;

(k) properly drained and protected concrete or metal bins must be provided to hold manure unless removed immediately;

(l) protuberances such as nails and bolts, which may cause injury, must be avoided; and

(m) ante mortem facilities which provide protection against injury of inspection personnel must be provided;

(n) separate pens must be provided where mixing of species occurs at the same time.

(2) To meet the requirements for the humane slaughter of food animals, it is essential that:

(a) all ramps and inclines used for moving animals provide safe ascent, descent and good footing;

(b) holding pens for animals awaiting slaughter have adequate lighting, ventilation and space;

(c) suitable facilities be provided for the unloading and conveyance of crippled animals directly to the bleeding rail without dragging or undue manipulation (i.e. loader or trolley). Dragging animals is not an accepted practice for this purpose.

Animals which have died in trucks or railway cars enroute to the establishment, or at the establishment, as well as animals which have been condemned on ante mortem inspection, may be permitted entry only to the inedible section of the establishment and must never be conveyed to the slaughtering rooms. Suitable means, rooms and equipment must be provided in the inedible section for the receipt, skinning and disposal of such animals.

Pre-slaughter Holding Pens

Pre-slaughter holding pens should be constructed of acceptable masonry and metal construction with adequate lighting and ventilation. To prevent dust and odours from entering the stunning and bleeding areas, pre-slaughter holding pens must be completely separate from the stunning and bleeding areas. These pens must be constructed and drained to permit daily washing. Stunning boxes should be excluded from the slaughtering floor, except for the door opening, in order to reduce hazards by possible aerosol contamination.

Stunning and Bleeding Areas

Stunning and bleeding areas must be constructed to ensure the humane treatment of animals, and that the operations can be conducted and maintained in a sanitary manner. Stunning and bleeding operations must be separated from areas where beef or hog blood is saved for human consumption. Blood must be collected in a manner, which provides a minimum exposure to contamination. An approved, closed system is to be used with provision to maintain the identity of the blood until post-mortem inspection of the carcass has been completed. Accepted equipment should be used to centrifuge and/or chill the blood immediately in rooms separate from the killing floor or other areas that may be a source of contamination.


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Bleeding areas should be curbed and steeply graded to the blood and wash-up drains. The blood drain should be 15cm or more in diameter to prevent blockage due to clotting and sloped not less than 17cm per meter to the discharge point.

Slaughter and Dressing Rooms The following basic principles must be observed to facilitate proper sanitary operation and maintenance of slaughter and dressing rooms.

(1) Rooms should be of sufficient size and shape to provide ample space for all phases of slaughtering, dressing and inspection operations. Equipment and layout for slaughtering room inspection stations should facilitate accessibility by inspectors and be consolidated to reduce time loss and preclude inconvenience.

(2) When more than one species of animals is on the same floor, adequate segregation must be provided.

(3) Rail Heights and Configuration

Table 2.1 – Recommended Rail Heights

SPECIES

BLEEDING DRESSING

Minimum distance from top of rail to floor

Minimum distance from top of rail to floor

Cattle 3.7m 3.1m

Calves 3.7m 2.4m

(or above level of inspection platform)

Sheep and Goats 2.4m 2.0m

(or above level of inspection platform)

Swine 2.6m

(above sticker's platform) 3.1m

Horses 4.3m 3.4m

Note: Slight deviations from the above may be acceptable.

(4) A held rail must be provided for all carcasses requiring inspection or further trimming. A switch off rail, which leads directly to the inedible room, should be provided for condemned carcasses.

For hogs, the following are desirable:

(a) a hog splitting station located as close as possible to the evisceration stand; and

(b) the final veterinary post-mortem inspection station, including the held rail, should be located at a site immediately following the hog splitting station.

(5) Adequate spacing of carcasses must be provided to facilitate sanitary dressing. Beef carcasses should be spaced using rail stops of at least 1.5m on center.

(6) Adequate mechanical or operational measures must be incorporated to prevent the splashing and cross-contamination by carcass movement for both moving-type and gravity-flow dressing or bleeding rails.


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(7) All equipment should be rust-resistant metal or other accepted material. All equipment should have an acceptable design, sufficient capacity and have a satisfactory layout for all phases of the operation.

(8) Stationary or elevating type platforms should be constructed and located away from the dressing rail to avoid common contact of skinned portions of carcasses. A rust-resistant protective guard must be provided to prevent carcass contact with footwear.

(9) There must be sufficient, strategically located hot and cold water outlets for clean-up purposes, equipment sanitizing units and hand washing facilities.

(10) Suspended components of continuous conveyor systems which contact carcasses before inspection is completed, such as beef head hooks, must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized prior to each use.

(11) A dry landing area should be provided in front of the stunning box to receive stunned animals. The area must be separately drained and sufficiently removed from the bleeding area. Adequate measures must be taken to 'prevent the escape of improperly stunned animals.

(12) In the dressing of calves, hide-on, sufficient space and facilities must be provided for soaking, scrubbing and cleaning of calf carcasses. No openings other than the minimum necessary for bleeding may be made in the skin until the whole carcass has been completely cleaned.

(13) Suitable facilities and floor space must be provided for dehorning, removing and washing beef heads for inspection. When racks or conveyors are used for cattle head inspection, the heads should be spaced at a distance sufficient to prevent contact of one head with another. Adequate space must be provided for the inspector to perform the examination.

The identity of heads must be maintained until after inspection. There must be no drip contamination from one head to another. This is accomplished on the dressing floor and whole or unboned heads must not be transferred by chutes to other areas for boning. If transfer is necessary, properly constructed hanging racks, trucks or overhead rails must be provided to prevent contamination. Head meat and tongues are frequently exposed to contamination and every effort must be made to remove all such contamination and maintain all portions in a sanitary condition. Head meat and tongues must be chilled as quickly as possible. Adequate facilities should be provided for the inspection of hog heads and all measures necessary should be taken to prevent their contamination during transfer for boning.

(14) In the slaughter of swine, the bleeding rail should be of sufficient length to permit complete bleeding of hogs prior to entry into the scalding tank. No opening should be made into the skin other than the minimum required for sticking and gambrelling until all hair, scurf and dirt has been completely removed by thorough washing of the carcass. To prevent contamination of cleaned carcasses and dressing equipment, the scalding tank and the dehairing equipment should be separate from the remaining operations. The scalding tank must be metal and have sufficient capacity to promote thorough scalding or loosening of dirt and hair at the plant's maximum kill rate. The scalding tank should be equipped with overflow facilities to prevent contamination of water. Hair must be removed from beneath the dehairing machine and shaving rails regularly.

(15) Where viscera inspection trucks are used, adequate washing and sanitizing facilities must be provided. Viscera inspection trucks should be washed and sanitized as needed. Every establishment that uses a stationary inspection table instead of viscera inspection trucks should be equipped with adequate facilities for cleaning and sanitizing the stationary inspection table. A pan-type stationary inspection table with a minimum of two pans and equipped with a water immersion type sanitizer is adequate.


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(16) Prior to the final carcass washing station, a check-trim station, equipped with an adequate platform should be provided to facilitate the check trimming of the total carcass.

(17) Pressure spray-washing equipment should be used to remove blood and bone dust from check-trimmed carcasses.

(18) The slaughtering floor must be designed and equipped to provide for the sanitary separation and harvesting of edible offal. Adequate facilities must be provided for processing stomachs from bovines, ovines, caprines and hogs as well as intestines for the production of casings. It is important that the edible offal be removed to their respective chill rooms promptly.

(19) All cattle and calf hides removed from the carcasses on the dressing floor must be removed from the floor to properly constructed and hooded chutes or bins. Trimming, fleshing and grading of hides must not be done on the killing floor but in separate rooms designed for this purpose or in the hide-curing room.

Carcass Coolers

Carcasses must be promptly chilled and placed in adequately refrigerated and conveniently located rooms. Unchilled carcasses must not be placed with those that have already been chilled. To properly chill carcasses, the internal temperature (at the bone in the deep musculature) should be brought to 4°C, within a minimum period of time. In order to achieve proper cooling, chill coolers should be maintained at 2°C. Holding coolers must be maintained at 4°C.

A suitable area must be designated in a cooler for chilling and storing "held carcasses" and parts. This section should be segregated from the remainder of the cooler and sealed or locked. A sufficient length of side rail, equipped with lockable devices (i.e. lockable rail) may be sufficient for these purposes.

Table 2.2 – Recommended Cooler Rail Heights

Species Minimum height from top of rail

to floor

Maximum distance from top of rail to shackle contact point on

carcass

Minimum spacing from

walls, pillars, etc

Beef 3.1m 30cm 60cm

Calves 2.4m 30cm 60cm

Sheep & Lambs 2.0m 30cm 60cm

Swine (Head on)

2.7m 30cm 60cm

Swine (Head off)

2.4m 30cm 60cm

Horses 3.4m 38cm 60cm

Offal Coolers

When harvested for food, adequately refrigerated and constructed rooms must be provided to lower the internal temperature of offal to 4°C or lower as quickly as possible after evisceration. Equipment designed to promote rapid and thorough chilling must be used when handling offal.


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Freezers

Wall and floor construction must be of accepted, smooth, level, hard and impervious material. Floor and wall racks should be provided for proper air circulation. All sharp freezers should be refrigerated at temperatures of -30°C or lower and holding freezers at -18°C or lower. All freezer rooms used for the destruction of trichina must be equipped with locked thermographs and facilities.

Cutting and Boning Rooms

In addition to meeting all structural, equipment and operational requirements, it is essential that cutting and boning rooms be kept at a temperature of 10°C or lower. Otherwise, meat products can only be out of refrigeration for a period of 2 hours or less and an associated HAACP based safety protocol is required. An adequate number of strategically located knife sanitizers must be provided.

Curing Rooms

In curing rooms, a non-fluctuating temperature not exceeding 6°C is acceptable.

Processing Rooms

Lighting, ventilation, temperature control and freedom from steam and condensation is essential to the sanitary production of prepared meat products. A processing room, except those used for cooking, formulation or preparation of meat products prior to cooking, or handling relatively stable food products (e.g. dry mix or products for pizza manufacturing) should be maintained at a temperature of 10°C or lower. Otherwise, meat products can only be out of refrigeration for a period of 2 hours or less and an associated HAACP based safety protocol is required. Prior to filling, all cans and glass containers used for packing meat must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized in an inverted position using steam or hot water at 82°C. The water in which casings are soaked must be constantly changed.

Hand lavatories and equipment wash tanks that use stagnant water are prohibited. Rather, this equipment must be serviced with free flowing and continuously changing water or a spray system.

All meat production equipment must be dismantled and thoroughly cleaned daily. Inspection plates should be removed and disinfected inside. The plunger stuffers must be removed periodically for cleaning and changing the gasket. Piping or tubing used for the transfer of meat products must be of stainless steel, or equivalent, and equipped with easily removable fittings to promote daily cleaning.

Smokehouses

Equipment should be of a rust-resistant metal such as stainless steel with separate smoke generators providing smoke from which resins and tars have been eliminated. Each smokehouse must be individually vented so that no smoke escapes into the surrounding area. Smokehouses must be constructed, equipped and drained so that they can be regularly cleaned. It is essential that each smokehouse be equipped with an accurate recording thermometer.

Packaging, Shipping and Receiving Rooms

Rooms used for packaging, shipping and receiving fresh cured and perishable meat products should be kept at a constant temperature of 10°C or lower. Otherwise, meat products can only be out of refrigeration for a period of 2 hours or less and an associated HAACP based safety protocol is required. Proper sealing of doorways during loading will help to maintain this constant temperature.

Shipping areas or docks must be of sound construction, properly drained, and located so that edible and inedible shipping and receiving areas are physically and operationally separate from each other. Unless


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satisfactory dock seals are provided, a canopy or roof overhang must be provided at edible loading and unloading bays to protect against inclement weather conditions. Edible shipping and receiving areas and docks should be refrigerated or designed such that meat products pass directly through to either the truck or holding cooler. Meat products must be handled in a sanitary manner.

Dry Storage Rooms

These rooms must be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition at all times. Wall and floor racks and shelves are necessary to protect against dust, moisture and other undesirable conditions. Supplies such as wrapping materials, cartons, stockinet’s, plastic bags, cans, jars and pails used to package meat products can be a source of contamination. Therefore, storage rooms must be constructed, operated and maintained to keep these materials in a sanitary condition at all times. When storing supplies on permanent racks, a minimum space clearance of 30cm is recommended.

Except in the warehousing of packaging material, such as cartons which are ordered and delivered in large quantities, all packaging materials, containers and labels bearing the Meat Inspection Legend must be kept in a separate room on the premises known as a "bond room" with security maintained by management.

Hide Rooms

Hide rooms or storage areas must be in the inedible section, or other suitably constructed area of the plant, separate from all edible areas, with only minimum connection to the remainder of the plant. These rooms must be properly ventilated so that they do not affect the air quality entering other areas of the plant.

Receiving platforms, fleshing tables and shaking forms should be of suitable metal construction. Shipment must be by direct access to the inedible loading dock or to an area designed solely for this purpose and separate from edible areas. Hides must not pass through other storage areas.

Salt bins and facilities for curing hides should adjoin the hide room. All chutes and escalators leading to or from this area should be designed to prevent the escape of odour.

2.7 Guidelines for Poultry Slaughtering and Processing Establishments

General

In addition to the standard design and operational guidelines for an abattoir, additional consideration must be given in a poultry plant's layout to ensure that products progress to cleaner and cleaner areas. Special rooms or facilities separate from slaughtering and eviscerating areas should be provided for collecting and holding feathers and inedible offal. "Above or below the floor" channels or ducts, beginning directly at the point of evisceration or via the flow away trough to the inedible separating and disposal room, may be used for "fluming" the viscera and other inedible material. Regular removal of inedible materials from the establishment is important.

In the layout of a poultry slaughter and processing establishment, the sequence of rooms and operations are generally: live receiving, hanging, stunning, bleeding, scalding, plucking, singeing, washing, evisceration, inspection, trimming, washing, chilling, further processing (if not sold in carcass form), packaging, freezing (if not sold fresh) and shipping. Operations, such as boning, basting, cutting or packaging should be physically separated from the eviscerating operation to reduce contamination.

The movement of air must be up and out and restricted so as not to move with the flow of operations.


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The floor gradient and the number and size of drain inlets must be sufficient to prevent the accumulation of fluid. Channel drains with removable grated metal covers are acceptable. The establishment must have adequate refrigeration facilities for chilling and freezing poultry. When chilling, the use of stagnant non-circulating water in non-overflowing tanks is prohibited.

Inspection Stations

At inspection stations, a 2.4-meter hinged, warm-water flushed, stainless steel overlay should be provided for each inspector on the eviscerating line.

Ice Bins

Ice bins must be constructed of smooth, hard and impervious rust-resistant material such as smooth-hardened concrete, stainless steel, industrial grade non-toxic plastic or tile.

Goosenecks

The evisceration line should be equipped with enough warm water goosenecks to provide hand-washing facilities to all employees working along the line.

Removal of Feet Prior to Inspection

When poultry feet are removed prior to inspection, two initial carcass washers are required. One carcass washer is needed immediately following the defeathering process and the second, following the hock-cutting operation and transfer point. Sprays from both washers must be directed on carcass surface to wash below the hock and the hock surface. Water collected in the vent cavity must be removed prior to the vent being opened.

Transfer Facilities

Poultry transfer facilities should be designed to maintain contact surfaces visibly clean from traces of fat, blood, feathers, and fecal material. As a general principle carcasses must not be allowed to accumulate at any point. Under certain circumstances, such as pinning waterfowl, some accumulation may be unavoidable.

Flow Meter on Continuous Chilling Tanks

In continuous chilling systems, the volume of the initial water and ice in the tank and subsequent amounts added should be no less than:

2.00 litres per carcass weighing 2.5kg or less; 2.75 litres per carcass weighing 2.5kg - 6.5kg; and 3.50 litres per carcass weighing more than 6.5kg.

Final Inside-Outside Washer

In addition to the final outside washer, an inside carcass washer is required to remove blood and loose organic material within the cavity and promote drainage at the neck prior to chilling.

Pre-Chiller

The pre-chiller should be drained and refilled at mid-shift.


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2.8 Staff Rooms Staff rooms should be located to meet the needs of the plant, employees and plant hygiene. Employee washrooms should only be accessible from plant production areas through a hallway or vestibule. No direct access is permitted.

Washrooms

Washrooms must be constructed of smooth, hard, impervious materials such as glazed tile, steel, or towelled cement plaster with properly drained floors and of adequate size for the maximum number of employees.

Remote control or timed tap controls must be sufficient in number to meet the needs of the maximum number of employees. Shower facilities are recommended in slaughtering operations.

Dressing Rooms

Dressing rooms must be separate but adjoining to the washrooms and preferably have floor drains. Properly constructed walls and ceilings of hardboard or gypsum board are acceptable. Means of regular and thorough cleaning must be provided.

Lunch room

The construction requirements of a lunchroom are similar to those for dressing rooms. The provision of a lunchroom in establishments is mandatory where there are mid-morning and mid-afternoon breaks for employees. Eating and drinking (other than from a water fountain) are not permitted in workrooms, washrooms and dressing rooms.

2.9 Inspector's Office A private office must be provided for the use of the meat inspection staff in all slaughter establishments. In processing establishments, office facilities and facilities for the protection and storage of inspectors' equipment and supplies should be provided if necessary.

The inspectors' office should be located in the same general area as company offices and not in the operational area of the establishment. The minimum office space is generally 3m x 3.6m for one inspector and correspondingly increased for two inspectors. For three or more inspectors there should be a separate office for the Inspector-in-Charge and at least one common office for all other inspectors.

There should be adjoining wash and dressing room facilities. The washroom should be constructed of smooth, hard, impervious material.

There must be a minimum of 400 lux lighting and either natural or artificial ventilation to provide at least five (5) changes of air per hour. Management is responsible for furnishing the Inspectors' office and washrooms by providing the following:

a) a telephone;

b) at least one 4-section metal filing cabinet, 45.7cm wide and equipped with locks;

c) metal lockers or clothes racks for street clothes;

d) a lockable metal box, adequate for the storage of legend stamps;

e) desks and chairs;

f) supply cupboards for stationery, etc; and

g) separate cupboards for clean and used laundry


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Chapter 3: Sanitation

3.1 Introduction

Definitions (a) Clean free from all forms of contamination including disease-causing bacteria.

(b) Contaminate to make unfit for intended use by the introduction of unwholesome or undesirable elements.

(c) Hygiene conditions or practices conducive to health as related to cleanliness.

(d) Sanitize the process of reducing the level of micro-organisms present to a level deemed safe by the regulatory authority.

(e) Sterilize complete elimination of microbial viability by an approved means.

3.2 Food Safety Plan Food Safety Plans must be included in the plant’s operational procedures plan. These plans are sometimes referred to as a written HACCP Plan – Hazard Analyses Critical Control Point, which identify; critical food safety points in an operation, critical limits, the method to be followed to ensure adherence to the critical limits, and actions to be taken in the event that the critical limits are not adhered to. Documentation and following these procedures demonstrate that the operator is knowledgeable about the critical food safety controls in their operation, and that they are monitored and maintained on a daily basis. Details of how to develop a food safety plan in an abattoir can be viewed on the BC Centre for Disease Control web site: http://www.bccdc.ca, Food and Your Health, Meat, Slaughterhouses, and select the Meat Plant HACCP Guidelines from the right side of the screen.

3.3 Sanitation Program A written sanitation program must be included in a food plant's general maintenance and operations plan. These plans are sometimes called "Good Manufacturing Practices". In order to ensure that meat products are continuously produced under hygienic conditions the following is regarded as a fundamental operational requirement.

Plant management must develop and maintain a written record which details the plant's sanitation and maintenance program.

Inspectors will assist management in the development of the sanitation/maintenance program, and provide guidance where required in ensuring that the plant's programs will achieve minimum sanitation requirements.

Facilities and Equipment

A comprehensive sanitation program begins with the proper construction of all facilities and equipment. Sanitation is a routine program of cleaning and disinfecting to prevent, preclude and eradicate unwanted contaminants such as food residues, bacteria, rust, and dust.

Management's responsibility is to develop a cleaning and sanitizing program, which ensures the maintenance of the building and each piece of equipment. The inspection personnel's function is to confirm that management has effectively performed its role and to assist management where necessary in developing a quality control program.

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Both management personnel and inspection staff must be familiar with the breakdown and daily cleansing of equipment. Inspection personnel should be familiar with critical areas, critical equipment, and critical areas within the equipment.

Housekeeping Practices

Housekeeping activities such as garbage collection and disposal, janitorial service during operations, and the storage of equipment temporarily not in use, is an integral part of a sanitation program. Poor housekeeping practices can negate cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and therefore encourage the growth and spread of bacteria, molds, yeasts and pests. Contamination can be transferred through contact with employees, trucks, equipment and in the ambient air. A sanitation program must therefore include a high standard of housekeeping.

3.4 Management's Responsibilities Implicit in the issuance of a license to an establishment is a commitment by plant management to provide facilities and equipment which are adequately constructed, and maintained in a sanitary condition.

Plant management should appoint at least one person as being responsible for the sanitation program and provide them with adequate crew and facilities to effectively perform the required functions. Management is responsible for training the crew, as well as training all plant personnel as it pertains to sanitation

Plant management is responsible for developing cleaning schedules and methods that will assure an adequate level of performance.

Plant Management is also responsible for pre-operational inspections. Management must provide facilities and equipment that will foster the production of a clean and wholesome product. A thorough program in this area will reduce the need for, and frequency of, pre-operational inspections by inspection personnel and reduce delays in the starting of operations caused by unsanitary conditions.

3.5 Inspectors' Responsibilities Inspectors have a legal duty to ensure that plant operations comply with minimum sanitation standards. They are therefore responsible for monitoring plant management's sanitation program.

Actions that must be initiated by the inspector when plant and equipment sanitation is found to be unsatisfactory vary from a simple request for rectification of a deficiency to suspension of operations in a room or even an entire establishment. The action chosen must be based on a sound judgment that includes an assessment of the magnitude of a problem and the associated risk to the integrity of the product.

It is stressed that a primary objective of the inspection program is for inspectors and plant management to work cooperatively in establishing and monitoring the plant's quality control program. To this end inspectors will offer assistance to plant management in developing their sanitation program and establishing a satisfactory monitoring program.


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3.6 Control Mechanisms and Procedures Control mechanisms must be implemented whenever a need has been identified and justified, and must be applied in a uniform and consistent manner.

This manual does not contain all control mechanisms or procedures utilized in the monitoring of a plant's sanitation program. Those described within this manual assure an environment suitable to the processing of wholesome meat products. The degree of risk involved, the past history of compliance, and possible changes in operating procedures influence the frequency and severity of the application of control mechanisms and procedures.

Control mechanisms need not be limited to those historically developed in the field of meat hygiene. Developing new procedures that facilitate the monitoring of a sanitation program should be encouraged and be based on the following three questions:

(1) Is it necessary?

(2) Is it effective?

(3) Should it be modified?

A positive analysis and response to these three questions tends to assure the credibility of a monitoring program.

3.7 Potential Contamination Sources A knowledge and understanding of the total environment in which meat products are handled, keen observation and constant review of environmental influences is needed to control potential contamination sources.

Paint, Dust, Rust, Condensation and Disintegrating Insulating Material

Overhead contamination can fall into the product, equipment or packaging material. A sanitation program should require ongoing attention to peeling paint, dust, rust, condensation, and disintegrating insulating materials.

Metal Contaminants

Metal contaminants originate from numerous sources. Staples used for box forming operations, tag fasteners, skewers, wire brushes, and steel wool are sources of contamination and should not be used on meat products or on equipment that may contact edible products.

Other sources of metal contaminants include: friction of metal hooks on overhead rails, beads and pieces of slag from welding equipment, poorly welded equipment, broken and worn equipment, can openers and containers, metal hangers, loose strapping, and wires.

Metal detectors can be used to detect the presence of foreign material. The presence of metal in meat products calls for a careful review of handling practices from slaughter through shipping of the product. Every effort must be undertaken to establish the source of the problem and to rectify it.

Other Types of Contaminants

There are many other types of contaminants such as: broken glass, packaging paper, packaging film, and wood splinters. Minimizing the use of glass containers, adequate defrosting of meat blocks in order to preclude the retention of wrapping paper and plastic films, assuring that the internal surfaces of meat transport vehicles are intact and free of wood splinters will help to prevent contamination. Any evidence


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of contamination must be investigated in cooperation with the inspector in order to identify the source and eliminate the potential for it to reoccur in the future.

Cleaning agents, disinfectants and protective oils must be rinsed off and removed from all equipment surfaces prior to food contact.

Machinery and equipment lubricants must not contact edible products in any manner. Plant maintenance personnel must be made aware of their responsibility regarding placement of motors, potential spillage or misuse of lubricants.

Packing materials must be reviewed to ensure that they are protecting the product and not disintegrating or tearing and therefore becoming a contaminant.

3.8 Pre-Operational Inspection Plant management is responsible for pre-operational inspection of production areas. A complete and thorough cleaning and preoperational check must be performed before each shift commences. Sanitary standards must be met before commencing operations.

Clean product contact surfaces such as: table surfaces, equipment, saws, and the interior of equipment are important. Equipment must be dismantled before cleaning and inspected before being reassembled. Room surfaces such as floors, walls, ceilings and overhead fixtures must be maintained free of cracks, rust, dust and other extraneous material. The external and under surfaces of equipment, such as product trucks, emulsifiers, mixers, and employees.' equipment such as knives, steels, hooks, mesh gloves, and aprons, must be examined for cleanliness to prevent product contamination.

Inspectors monitor the effectiveness of management's sanitation program by also conducting pre-operational inspections of the premises, facilities and equipment. Inspectors also assure that control over environmental influences affecting meat and a meat product is being exercised.

3.9 Operational Inspection Adequate maintenance of sanitary conditions is also necessary when operations are in progress. Rapid production capability could result in cross contamination of products by equipment, practices or services.

Proteinaceous material and fat must not accumulate on equipment over the course of a shift. Adequate and correct temperature regulation is essential in order to slow down the reproduction rate of microorganisms.

Equipment such as sanitizers, hand washing facilities, and washrooms must be maintained on a continuous basis. Of critical importance are the work habits, dress and personal hygiene of plant employees. As well, removal of inedible products and trash must be done regularly during operations. Management is responsible for the continuous supervision of these important sanitation measures, and inspectors have a duty to ensure correction when minimum standards are not maintained.

Outside Premises

The location of a plant and the sanitation of its external premises greatly affect the sanitation within the premises. Implementation of good ground-keeping habits is required to prevent product contamination from objectionable odours, vermin, ash, dust, etc. Programs must be developed for the storage and removal of unwanted material and equipment. Garbage should be stored in suitable facilities. To prevent potential hazards from flies and bacteria, meat, bone scraps and other discarded materials must be properly stored prior to removal from the plant.


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Transportation of Finished Products

The vehicle transporting finished products acts as an interim storage facility from the plant to its destination and must adhere to construction, maintenance, sanitation and refrigeration standards.

Inspection personnel are empowered to detain or refuse entry of products that have been subjected to contamination during transportation. Management must ensure their vehicles are maintained in a satisfactory manner. In addition, management is expected to prevent shipment of their product in other vehicles which are not maintained in a sanitary manner.

Animal Transportation and Holding Pens

Vehicles and crates used to transport animals to slaughter play an important role in sanitation. All vehicles and crates must be cleaned and in sanitary condition. To prevent the harbouring of insects and rodents, vehicles and crates should be reasonably free of manure, straw and odour.

As a general principle, the cleaner an animal is upon reaching the kill floor, the better the chance of reducing the contamination levels on dressed carcasses. To this end, adequately lighted pens should be cleaned on a regular basis and disinfected after each day's use when used to isolate reactor and suspect animals. A cleaning and disinfecting program should be developed. For example, clean feed, water, and bedding must be maintained to provide good animal husbandry. The facility should be free of exposed nails, broken boards, floors, etc., that may injure animals.

Waste Disposal

Waste such as paper, boxes, string, etc. should be removed from the plant daily. Properly identified holding containers must be provided throughout the plant and must be removed, cleaned and replaced regularly to prevent overflow and spillage of containers.

Waste materials in livestock pens, such as manure and straw, should be collected and deposited in impervious containers on a hard surfaced slab for routine removal to prevent the spread of flies, vermin, and objectionable odours.

Disposal of Condemned and Other Inedible Meat Products

Inedible meat products must be separated from edible meat products. Marked containers or chutes must be used to move inedible products to their designated storage areas. Until they are used as animal food products or are subjected to a sterilization process, the identity of these products must be maintained at all times. These products must always move directly to their designated areas and never be moved through processing areas used for edible products. Equipment used for handling these products must be cleaned and disinfected frequently and any equipment returning into edible areas must also be cleaned. Storage areas must be scrupulously cleaned and sanitized.

Washrooms

Adequate washroom facilities promote hygienic practices and encourage proper sanitary work habits. Daily janitorial service is needed to maintain these facilities. Close attention must be paid to the size, lighting, ventilation, and provision of soap and paper towels.


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Sanitizers

Properly maintained and utilized sanitizers are an important part of any daily sanitation program and reduce the level of microorganisms present. They must be sufficient in number, located where required and operated at no less than 82°C with adequate water overflow. Management is responsible for assuring that they are maintained and functional prior to operation.

3.10 Personal Hygiene Management is responsible for ongoing personal hygiene educational programs and assuring that employees consistently meet requirements.

The following are important in all areas where edible products or ingredients are handled, prepared or stored and where equipment and utensils are washed.

Sanitary Practices

Chewing gum and tobacco in production areas is prohibited. With the exception of water from fountains in production areas, eating and drinking is confined to designated lunchroom areas.

Hands, including fingernails, must be cleaned after use of lavatory facilities. Scratching one's head, face or placing fingers in or around the mouth and nose is not acceptable. Treatment and appropriate bandaging of all cuts and sores must occur.

Coughing, sneezing and spitting are not acceptable practices. Plant management must not permit any person having or suspected of having a disease communicable through food, or an infected cut to be involved in the slaughtering or dressing of animals or in processing, packaging, marking, storing or shipping meat products or any activity by which an infection may be transmitted.

Working Apparel

Suitably washed and maintained work clothing must be worn. Outer garments such as smocks and aprons must be changed as often as necessary to protect products, and footwear should be appropriate for the work environment.

Accessories such as jewellery and buttons must not be worn in food processing areas. Exceptions are plain-band rings and pierced-earrings without sets. Identification badges must be attached so as to prevent them from falling into the product.

Protective gear such as wrist guards, aprons, steel-meshed gloves, etc. must be maintained clean. Cotton gloves should be changed at frequent intervals. If such protective gear is grossly contaminated during operation, (e.g. ruptured abscess during post-mortem operations) they must be cleaned and sanitized immediately.

Head and beard covers must be maintained in good condition, kept clean and worn by all persons working or entering areas where food products are exposed to prevent contamination of the product through falling hair. Equipment such as knives, steels, hooks, mesh-gloves, etc., should be stored in a central location near workstations. After operations, this equipment should be cleaned, sanitized and made available for pre-operational inspection. This equipment should not be stored in employees' lockers.


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3.11 Pest Control Pests must be prevented from entering the plant, and the conditions that attract them minimized. An integrated plan is required and includes sound construction, controls such as screens, good sanitation (particularly in outside areas) and preventive measures such as insecticides and rodent control stations.

Responsibility for Use

Plant management is responsible for assuring that only licensed pest control operators or designated trained employees, under adequate inspection control, prepare and use insecticides and/or rodenticides.

Insecticides

Insecticides may take the form of aerosols, sprays, powders, pellets, repellents or gases. Inspection staff must be kept aware of insecticide use and of any potential restrictions on its application or use. It is management's responsibility to assure that pesticides in use at the plant are approved for the intended use, and do not pose a risk to food products.

Rodenticides

Rodenticides may come in dry or liquid form and be used in various bait stations. These stations must be identified and management inform inspectors of their placement. These stations must be of the covered variety and adequately serviced and supervised.

Summary

Insecticides and rodenticides help to eradicate and control pests. Management and inspection staff must understand and appreciate the potential hazard to both food products and employees. Insecticides and rodenticides must be stored safely in a separate "non-edible" area of the plant. All food products must be safely covered or protected from contamination by the use or storage of pesticides.

3.12 Non-Meat Ingredients Management must ensure that all incoming non-meat ingredients, such as salt, spices, binders, etc., are of food grade quality and free of contaminants. Management is responsible for the proper storage of such ingredients and inspection staff shall supervise and monitor management's receipt, storage and utilization of these products.

To ensure freedom from extraneous material such as insect infestation, vermin contamination and foreign material, incoming ingredients must be examined. Contaminated products must be withheld from use and laboratory analysis of samples undertaken if necessary.

Storage of non-meat ingredients must be in a designated dry storage or spice room that is free of excessive moisture. These products are to be supported on racks or pallets and a high standard of housekeeping must be maintained in these areas. Non-food chemicals such as soaps, detergents, etc. may not be stored in these areas.

Opened containers must be resealed or covered to prevent contamination of uncovered ingredients. Opening containers such as bags, sacks, etc. should be done away from meat products to prevent contact with extraneous material such as string, sacking material, fibres or paper and dust.


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3.13 Material and Agents Management and inspection personnel are to be guided by Agriculture Canada's Meat Hygiene Division Reference Listing of Acceptable Materials and Agents. Plant management must demonstrate that all such materials and agents being used adhere to instructions on the label.

Management and inspection personnel should confirm that the product, when used, is effective and does not create unforeseen problems.

Control mechanisms must be instituted as follows:

a) management must keep the inspection staff advised as to the chemical compounds in use at the plant; and

b) management must maintain an up-to-date list of all chemicals used in the operation, such as hand soaps, cleaners, lubricants, pesticides, etc., with particular reference to those used in production areas or those likely to cause product contamination.


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Chapter 4: Inspection Procedures, Monitoring and Controls

4.1 Inspection Controls

Introduction

"Inspection controls" describe the areas and activities in the plant which must be closely monitored. It is not the intention to outline all areas of a plant, but rather to highlight the critical checkpoints, which must be observed daily to ensure that the wholesomeness of meat products is not compromised.

Construction and Maintenance

While detailed requirements for construction and maintenance are contained in Chapter 2 of this manual, it is essential that inspectors monitor how well the maintenance program is being implemented to avoid actual and potential contamination hazards. For instance, it is of little value to design detailed procedures for the sanitary dressing of carcasses if they are subject to contamination later from other sources.

All overhead structures and equipment must be free from dust, peeling paint, loose plaster, mold, grease, condensation, rust and other things that are a potential contamination hazard. The ceilings, walls and floors must be of a smooth impervious surface so that they can be easily cleaned. If these conditions are not being routinely met, inspection staff should take this matter up with plant management. Failure to change conditions in a reasonable period of time will require inspection staff to take such areas out of production until deficiencies are corrected.

Sanitation of Plant and Equipment

Maintenance of satisfactory sanitation standards in the plant and of equipment must be regularly monitored by inspectors before and during operations.

All sanitizers must be functional during operations, maintained at a temperature of at least 82°C and should be readily accessible. This applies to all sanitizers used to sanitize knives, evisceration tables and saws. All sanitizers must be equipped with an overflow and overflow water must be piped directly into a drain.

All hand wash facilities should be remote controlled and have hot and cold water. Soap, disposable towels and a container for used paper towels must be available except in certain locations on the kill floor (e.g. high benches) where it may not be necessary. Sanitizers and hand wash facilities must be directly connected to a drain in all areas except the kill floor.

A moving top evisceration table must come up clean without any build-up of fat or blood. If other equipment is used to hold the viscera, it must be sanitized after each carcass.

A temperature of 10°C or lower should be maintained in all processing rooms and shipping areas. Otherwise, meat products can only be out of refrigeration for a period of 2 hours or less and an associated HAACP based safety protocol is required.

Housekeeping should be carefully checked, particularly in freezers, washrooms, dry storages and maintenance areas.


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Meat Hygiene

Since production of clean, wholesome meat is the primary objective, particular attention should be paid to eliminating the following sources of contamination:

a) poor dressing procedures resulting in preventable contamination;

b) contact of dressed carcasses with an unsanitized surface;

c) animal food offal and human food offal not adequately separated when harvested on the kill floor or during subsequent handling/storage;

d) established procedures for the preparation of edible tripe should be closely supervised to ensure compliance;

e) held carcasses and carcasses with pathological lesions coming in contact with other carcasses;

f) animals held on ante mortem inspection slaughtered before animals having passed ante mortem inspection.

Integrity of Meat Products

The integrity of carcasses must be maintained throughout the processing operation to ensure end product safety. All environmental contamination sources must be eliminated. Only approved packaging material is permitted and control of all materials bearing the inspection legend must be maintained. Control over correct labelling procedures is necessary to prevent mislabelling. Inspectors must monitor vehicles carrying meat products in and out of establishments.

4.2 Preoperational Inspection

General

Daily preoperational inspections of every room and area in which animals are slaughtered, dressed, prepared for human consumption or animal food must be carried out. It is necessary to examine the production facilities, including all equipment, and to determine if cleanup and maintenance procedures are satisfactory to allow the production of meat products for human consumption or for animal food to commence.

Since plant management is responsible for all aspects of quality control, it is responsible for preoperational inspections within the establishment. Plant management should assign the preoperational inspection duties to responsible plant employees. Inspectors must regularly monitor the effectiveness of preoperational inspections, especially complex equipment and other critical meat contact areas. Any unsatisfactory clean up or lack of maintenance should be immediately brought to the attention of the plant manager to be corrected. Until sanitary conditions required under the Meat Inspection Regulation are provided, the slaughter and dressing of food animals and the processing of meat products must not be undertaken.

Guidelines for Preoperational Inspection

The production of wholesome meat products is contingent upon good housekeeping and high standards of sanitation. The cleanliness of product contact surfaces is critical. Clean work clothes and working equipment such as knives, scabbards, hooks, mesh gloves and aprons are also very important. Close attention must also be paid to temperatures of rooms, areas and sanitizers.


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The following may be used as a guide to perform a preoperational inspection:

a) Inspect all meat contact surfaces for cleanliness. Complex equipment must be inspected before it is assembled. Check that conveyer belts, pipelines used for conveying meat and saws have been satisfactorily cleaned. Inspect small tools (e.g. knives and hooks) and protective equipment (e.g. gloves and aprons). Use a flashlight when inspecting grinders, emulsifiers, stuffers and other complex equipment.

b) Since non-contact surfaces are also potential sources of contamination, equipment and facilities that do not come into contact with meat products such as the undersides of equipment, ceilings, walls, floors, overhead rails, drain covers, hand wash facilities, sanitizers and equipment frames should be inspected. Ensure that hand wash facilities are functional and supplied with soap, towels and waste towel containers. Potential sources of contamination located above meat products are most critical because of the possibility of contaminants falling on products.

c) Inspect equipment and facilities for state of maintenance. Any cracks, peeling paint, rust development, loss of galvanization, open seams and any other wear and tear can best be observed during the preoperational inspection when meat products are not present and equipment is not in motion. Preoperational inspection can spot potential problems, which can be programmed for repair or replacement before the problem becomes critical.

d) Check temperatures of production areas and sanitizers. Ventilation and air flow in production areas should be observed to ensure that air is not flowing from contaminated areas to cleaner areas (e.g. livestock holding areas to kill floor). There should be no condensation problems resulting from faulty ventilation, poor insulation or insufficient air movement. All mineral oil used to cover and protect equipment after clean up must be hosed off from all meat contact surfaces prior to the commencement of operations.

e) General state of housekeeping should be examined and action taken before a crisis situation develops.

Action to Be Taken When Unsatisfactory Conditions Are Found

Preoperational inspections should be directed towards maintaining conditions, which permit the production of wholesome meat products. Equipment and facilities coming into direct contact with meat must be clean and in a satisfactory state of repair. Unsatisfactory equipment and facilities must be re-cleaned or repaired before use. Depending on the extent of the clean up problem, one piece of equipment, one room or area, one department or the whole establishment may have to be withheld from operations. Corrective action may be delayed if clean up deficiencies and maintenance problems would not, in the opinion of the inspector, compromise the wholesomeness of meat products. In all cases of delay, corrective action should be programmed to prevent the development of a crisis situation. For further details in regard to sanitation see Chapter 3.

Preoperational inspection of equipment and facilities should be carried out by plant management on a daily basis, with meat contact surfaces receiving special attention. Past compliance records of the plant will dictate the frequency of monitoring preoperational inspections. Plants with a less than satisfactory record should be monitored more frequently.

Frequent contact between the Inspector in Charge and representatives of plant management is needed. Findings of preoperational inspections should be recorded by plant management and made available for inspectors to review. A program of maintenance should also be regularly submitted to the inspector and progress verified.


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4.3 Ante Mortem Inspection

Introduction and Purpose

An ante mortem inspection preceding slaughter is a mandatory requirement under the Meat Inspection Regulation. In order to obtain the maximum benefit, a properly conducted and thorough inspection is essential.

Ante mortem inspection serves the following purposes:

(a) identifies animals showing evidence of being affected with a disease or condition that could render the carcass unfit for human consumption;

(b) supplements post-mortem inspections and enables the veterinarian to carry out dispositions based on a better scientific basis;

(c) identifies animals which are suspected of being treated with antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents;

(d) identifies diseases or conditions in animals which may have been shipped with other members of the same flock or herd (Officers conducting the post-mortem inspection can be alerted to the possible existence of the same disease or condition in other members of the herd or flock);

(e) identifies heavily contaminated animals (this enables early action to be taken and anticipation of potential problems associated with this contamination in the slaughtering and dressing processes. This action could take the form of a reduction in line speed or the addition of personnel in appropriate areas, if deemed necessary).

Ante mortem inspection findings are important in influencing opinions and actions at a later stage of the operations. It is essential that there be a good system of communication for relaying information obtained at ante mortem inspection to the slaughter floor.

Facilities and Manpower Requirements

To enable adequate ante mortem inspection, manpower assistance must be provided to move and identify animals as required.

Humane Treatment

In addition to performing ante mortem inspection, staff in this area are responsible for ensuring that animals are handled in a humane manner at all times prior to slaughter.

Procedures

(a) Initial inspection

All animals (excluding rabbits and chickens) should be observed at rest and in motion. Both sides, head, and rear of each animal should be examined. Rabbits and chickens may be examined in crates and the droppings present in the crate should also be observed. During this initial phase of ante mortem inspection, all animals seen exhibiting evidence of disease or deviation from normal must be segregated and set aside for a detailed veterinary inspection. All identified reactors must be segregated at the time of arrival at the establishment.

Lots of animals, which pass initial ante mortem inspection, must be identified by a lot card or drive card, which should record the following information:

(i) the number of animals in the lot;


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(ii) the time and date of inspection;

(iii) when relevant, details of suspects (see (c)); and

(iv) the signature or initials of the inspector who performed the ante mortem inspection.

(b) Secondary inspection

All animals segregated during the initial inspection must have a detailed veterinary inspection and, if necessary, restrained. Based on the findings, the veterinarian will make one of the following dispositions:

(i) the animal must be set aside for rest and/or treatment prior to slaughter, and further ante mortem inspection, as appropriate;

(ii) the animal is permitted to proceed for normal slaughter;

(iii) the animal is deemed a suspect and must be set aside for separate slaughter, along with other suspects, preferably at the end of normal slaughter;

(iv) the animal must be deemed a suspect, but for humane reasons, must proceed for immediate slaughter; and

(v) the animal must be condemned.

(c) Animals deemed to be suspects

(i) Identified reactors Details of these animals, including the ear tag number, must be checked and the total number of animals verified. It is essential that personnel on the kill floor are alerted when reactors proceed for slaughter.

(ii) Other suspect animals must be identified as "held" by an ear tag or tattoo on ante mortem inspection. (Rabbit or poultry crates should be tagged.) An ante mortem examination report must be completed giving description, identification of animal, details of findings and owner's name and address.

(iii) It is imperative that all suspects be properly identified throughout the slaughter process. With the exception of those animals immediately slaughtered for humane reasons, suspects should be separately slaughtered, preferably at the end of the regular kill. This procedure minimizes disruptions to operations since adequate cleaning and disinfection is required in all cases where the slaughter of suspect animals may have caused contamination of the facility and equipment.

(d) Animals condemned on ante mortem inspection

All animals condemned on ante mortem inspection must be marked by a tag or other device showing the word "CONDEMNED". Full details (i.e. animal identification, owner's name and address and reason for condemnation) must be provided on the ante mortem examination report.

After the animals have been marked, they must be rendered unconscious in the yards or animal receiving room, and removed to the inedible section of the establishment for

(i) bleeding, cut-up and rendering, or

(ii) bleeding, cut-up, denaturing and shipping to an outside, approved inedible rendering plant.

The animals may be bled in the yards or live receiving room, provided there are adequate facilities (e.g. drain and washing) to allow sanitary procedures. All dead animals must be recorded and removed to the inedible section and treated in a similar manner. All animals referred to in this section must be transported directly to the inedible section and are not permitted to pass through the killing floor or other edible areas of the establishment.


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Cleaning and Disinfection

If deemed necessary by the veterinarian, slaughter floors, yards and driveways, which have been used to hold or move suspect or condemned animals, must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Guide to Handling Suspect Animals

In order to minimize potential human health hazards, herd health hazards, and kill floor hygiene problems the following factors should be considered when assessing/handling suspect animals:

(a) Potential of a reportable or exotic disease - e.g. rabies, swine vesicular disease.

(b) Human Health Significance - e.g. presence of Brucella or Tuberculosis Reactors (take appropriate steps when handling to minimize human exposure and risk).

(c) Animal Health Significance - e.g. CRD, IBR (obtain proper documentation; take samples as necessary for pathological examination; inform the owner to assist in decreasing future problems).

(d) Hygiene Significance - e.g. large abscesses (take appropriate action to minimize contamination during the slaughter process).

4.4 Humane Handling and Slaughtering of Food Animals

Introduction and Scope

Management must ensure that animals are treated humanely prior to slaughter and that the actual slaughter is carried out in an approved manner without inflicting any unnecessary pain.

Inspectors monitor:

(a) the humane shipping of food animals to slaughter plants;

(b) the humane handling of food animals in establishments prior to slaughter; and

(c) the humane stunning and slaughtering of food animals in establishments.

Responsibilities and Concerns

(a) Transportation companies

The persons or firms responsible for picking up food animals and transporting them to a slaughterhouse are fully responsible for the welfare of the animals from loading to unloading of the animals at the slaughterhouse.

(b) Operators of establishments

Operators of establishments are fully responsible for humane pre-slaughter handling and for humane stunning and slaughtering of food animals on their premises.

(c) Inspectors

Inspectors must ensure operators of establishments carry out operations in compliance with the applicable legislation. Inspectors have a legal responsibility to ensure that all animals are treated in a humane manner.


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Pre-Slaughter Accommodation and Handling of Animals at the Slaughterhouses

(a) Structural facilities

Unloading docks, ramps, driveways, holding pens and pre-slaughter pens must be constructed to prevent injuries to food animals during pre-slaughter receiving and holding. To provide good footing, floors should be slip resistant and not too steeply graded. Pre-slaughter holding facilities must have adequate artificial light, be covered and properly ventilated, and animals should be protected against extreme weather conditions to prevent frostbite and suffering from extreme heat.

All holding pens must be equipped to provide drinking water for animals and if animals are kept for more than 24 hours, facilities for feeding must also be provided. Gates should be provided to prevent animals from reversing direction. All pre-slaughter facilities must be properly maintained and free of protruding nails, bolts, sharp corners and anything else likely to injure or cause discomfort to an animal. Adequate facilities must be provided for handling crippled animals to prevent any undue suffering.

Pre-slaughter facilities in poultry and rabbit slaughter plants must be properly ventilated and provide shelter against inclement weather.

(b) Handling procedures

Food animals should be moved and handled during unloading and pre slaughter holding with a minimum of discomfort and excitement. Crippled animals, downers and sick animals must be segregated from normal ambulatory animals and dealt with expeditiously to prevent unnecessary suffering.

Facilities must be provided to ensure that crippled animals are transported to the kill floor without undue suffering. Veterinarians may give permission for severely crippled animals to be stunned in the yard prior to immediate transfer for slaughter.

Electric prods, canvas slappers and other approved devices employed in the movement of food animals must be kept to a minimum to avoid excitement of, and injury to, animals. Electrical prods should be regulated to have the lowest effective voltage and must not be applied to the perineal regions or escutcheon of an animal. Dogs must not be used to move food animals.

Stunning and Slaughter of Food Animals

(a) General considerations

Except for ritual slaughter, all food animals slaughtered in establishments must be stunned prior to slaughter. In ritual slaughter, properly restrained food animals may be slaughtered (bled) without stunning, provided the procedure is carried out by experienced ritual slaughter persons in a manner that results in quick, loss of consciousness and exsanguination.

With the exception of birds and rabbits, no food animals should be hoisted or shackled prior to being stunned. Stunned food animals must remain in a state of insensitiveness until death resulting from exsanguinations.

(b) Slaughter facilities and equipment

Chutes, knocking boxes, restraining devices and other facilities should be designed to provide good footing and prevent direction reversal and injury. Facilities and equipment must be suitable for handling food animals of the species and size slaughtered. Only approved stunning equipment and


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devices should be used. The stunning equipment should be maintained in good working condition to prevent malfunction and causing unnecessary pain to food animals.

Special restraining facilities are not required for the ritual slaughter of birds or rabbits since these food animals are slaughtered in a suspended position. Providing adequate restraining facilities for the ritual slaughter of all other species of food animals is mandatory. Plants not equipped with adequate restraining facilities are prohibited from carrying out ritual slaughters of food animals (except poultry and rabbits).

(c) Stunning methods

A number of different stunning methods have been approved and the choice of approved method is made by the operators of the establishments. Generally, proper functioning stunning devices and the skill of the operator of the equipment are more important than the particular method chosen by plant management. The following three stunning methods are approved.

(i) Electrical stunning - Although this method may be used for all animals it is most frequently used for stunning hogs, birds and rabbits.

(ii) Stunning Carbon Dioxide gas - This is only used for stunning hogs.

(iii) Mechanical - Mechanical methods which require more operator skill than any other method includes the captive bolt pistol or a device which gives the food animal a blow to the head. Stunning by mechanical means is most often used in slaughtering horses, cattle, calves, sheep and goats.

In all instances, bleeding the food animal should follow the stunning procedure as soon as possible. In no case should the bleeding be delayed resulting in the complete or partial regaining of consciousness of the previously stunned food animal.

(d) Personnel stunning and slaughtering food animals

Plant management is responsible for training and supervising personnel carrying out the stunning and slaughtering of food animals on their premises. Well-trained personnel and the skilful use of stunning equipment are paramount to the humane slaughtering of food animals.

Enforcement Actions by Inspectors

Enforcement actions by inspection staff may be required for delivery, pre-slaughter accommodation and handling, stunning and slaughtering of food animals.

(a) Delivery of food animals to slaughterhouses

Violations of transportation regulations such as large numbers of dead animals due to overcrowding, careless exposure to inclement weather or any other circumstance causing food animals to suffer must be reported to the Regional Veterinarian for further investigation. Veterinarians in charge will collect and maintain as much evidence as possible in these instances.

(b) Pre-slaughter accommodation and handling of food animals

Unsatisfactory conditions in animal holding facilities must be brought to the attention of plant management before they become critical. Requests to plant management must be documented, and areas in violation of requirements may be restricted from use until they are brought into compliance.


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Inhumane handling of food animals is considered a serious breach of the plant's responsibilities. Enforcement action, including temporarily halting stunning and slaughtering operations, must be taken if corrective action is lacking.

(c) Stunning and slaughter of food animals

Whenever inhumane treatment of food animals, due to the malfunction of stunning equipment or operator neglect, is observed by an inspector, stunning and slaughtering operations must be halted until corrective action has been taken.

4.5 Dressing Procedures

Dressing Procedures for Cattle

(a) Sticking and bleeding

The "dry" landing area where stunned animals are discharged from the knocking box must be kept clean. Bleeding must not occur in this area. Animals should be immediately hoisted and moved to a separate adjacent area for bleeding after stunning. Sufficient bleeding area space is needed to confine the blood. Post stunning heart action is best utilized immediately after stunning. Carcasses must be spaced from the bleeding area to the last point of inspection so that unskinned carcasses do not come into contact with skinned carcasses.

Blood saved for edible purposes must be protected from contamination, including by specified risk materials (SRM's). Since conditions which require condemnation of the carcass include the blood, edible blood must be identified to match it to it’s carcass of origin if necessary. Blood from several animals may be collected in one container; however, if any of those animals is later condemned the blood in that container must be condemned.

Edible blood harvesting must employ a closed harvesting system; blood draining directly to an open pail under the carcass is not acceptable. Generally, a closed pail connected to the carcass by a hollow knife of cannula is satisfactory for this purpose.

Blood clotting can be prevented by using approved anticoagulants. Alternatively, mechanical defribination is acceptable using suitable meat beaters (not with hands) which are washed and sanitized between uses.

(b) Head handling

After heads are skinned, they should be removed from carcasses immediately in a manner that prevents exposed surfaces from becoming contaminated. In the area where heads are removed from carcasses, a hand wash facility and an equipment sanitizer must be provided. The employee who removes heads should wash their hands and sanitize their knives to prevent contamination from one head to another.

Facilities must be provided to ensure that heads do not come in contact with one another until completion of inspection and disposition. The identity of heads must be preserved until final disposition of corresponding carcasses.

Facilities should be provided so that horns and any remaining skin can be removed. Head hooks must be sanitized with 82°C water after every use. Heads, including oral and nasal cavities, should be thoroughly washed. To avoid contamination from one head to another, equipment used for removing horns must be easy to clean and sanitize.


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The tongue should be dropped, and the tonsils removed, before the head is inspected. The tongue should be removed from the head, trimmed, washed free of all blood, and chilled rapidly.

The cheek meat should be trimmed free of salivary glands and mucous membranes, washed thoroughly and chilled as quickly as possible. Head meat may be harvested only after the carcass has passed the final inspection.

(c) Esophagus rodding and tying

To prevent carcass contamination, the esophagus should be rodded or separated from the surrounding tissues.

Rodding is required when abdominal viscera are removed separately from thoracic viscera. Rodding separates the esophagus from the trachea and lungs and permits its removal through the diaphragm and thoracic cavity without rupture during evisceration. The rod should be adequately sanitized between animals. To prevent carcass-viscera contamination with ruminant contents, the esophagus should be effectively tied before evisceration.

(d) Udder and penis removal

Lactating udders must be removed to prevent soiling carcasses, facilities and equipment. Any carcass contamination must be immediately trimmed. The penis must also be removed without contaminating the carcass with urine.

Contaminated facilities or equipment must be washed and sanitized. Supramammary lymph nodes must remain on the carcass until the inspection is completed.

(e) Hide removal

(i) Bed system

After removing the head, the carcass may be placed on a skinning bed. The carcass and head skin must be handled without neck tissue contamination. Exposed tissue must not contact the floor.

The feet must be removed before the carcass is skinned. They may be separated by one transverse cut through the hide and joint or by cutting the hide medially and laterally along the shank leaving a hide flap, and then separating the joint.

Except for sticking and starting skinning procedures, the skin should be cut from inside outward to prevent carcass contamination with hair and dirt. The hair side of the hide should be carefully rolled away from the carcass during skinning.

When the carcass is moved from the skinning bed, the exposed parts must not contact the floor, cradle or other fixed objects. The floor must be cleaned after each carcass by washing, and if contaminated, by sanitizing. Washing must not splash carcasses, products or equipment.

A sanitizer must be conveniently located to the skinning area.

Skinning should begin with the hind shanks after foot removal and proceed downward, reflecting the hide away from the carcass. There should be no common contact between the carcass and non-sanitized stationary surfaces.


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(f) Brisket opening

A clean cleaver or sanitized saw must be used to split the brisket. The brisket is opened to facilitate removal of the thoracic cavity organs. This can be done before or after complete hide removal. If done before, the hide on the midline must be reflected away. It is important not to puncture the viscera when sawing the brisket since it often results in carcass contamination.

(g) Bung (rectum) dropping

As a final part of the rumping procedure, the rectum must be dropped. The perineal skin should be reflected laterally leaving the sphincter of the anus intact. A clean knife must be used to cut around the rectum and into the pelvic cavity. Before evisceration, the rectum should be tied to the neck of the bladder to prevent urine and fecal leakage.

(h) Evisceration

Contaminants must be trimmed from the midline before opening the abdominal cavity. Opening the abdominal cavity must not result in carcass or viscera contamination.

The viscera should be placed in a clean, sanitized viscera truck or on a clean sanitized table. If the viscera are condemned because of pathology or contamination, the viscera truck must be sanitized with water of a minimum temperature of 82°C. Moving tables should be cleaned and continuously sanitized with 82°C water. Temperature gauges should be visible to the viscera inspector.

If carcasses are eviscerated on a moving top table, the gutter must wear clean white rubber boots and an apron. A separate pair of footwear must be worn when leaving the table. The eviscerating knife, boots and apron must be sanitized when contamination occurs.

To prevent cross-contamination on the kill floor, the carcass must not come in contact with stationary parts of the viscera table, equipment on the kill floor (e.g. high bench or retaining bars) or any other carcass prior to final carcass inspection.

Contents of the urinary bladder and the uterus must not contaminate the carcass, viscera or equipment. Contaminated carcasses must be trimmed, not washed.

There must be proper synchronization between carcass and viscera. Carcasses, viscera, head and blood identity (if blood is saved for edible purposes) must be maintained and pathological lesions should not be removed (unless permitted by an inspector) until post-mortem inspection is completed.

(i) Splitting

To prevent cross-contamination from the saw or cleaver to other surfaces, bruises, grubs, grubby tissue or contamination must be removed from the back of the carcass before splitting. The splitting saw and cleaver must always be sanitized after being contaminated or after splitting a held carcass.

(j) Trimming

All carcass trimming must be done in an area set aside for this purpose. Blood clots, bruised tissue and all contamination must be removed. All carcasses must be inspected for cleanliness before washing by a company employee. This operation should be closely monitored by the inspection staff.

(k) Carcass washing

After trimming and inspecting, all carcasses should be properly washed to remove blood and bone dust. Pinning the neck and shrouding may be done after completing trimming and washing of the carcass.


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Dressing Procedures for Swine

(a) Bleeding

Hogs must be rendered unconscious by an approved method and presented for bleeding immediately following stunning. The stick should be as small as possible and not in the shoulder. Blood, if saved for edible purposes, must be collected without contamination and identified with the carcass.

A condition found on postmortem examination requiring total carcass condemnation makes it necessary to locate and condemn not only the organs, but also the blood. Blood from several hogs may be collected in one container, however, if any one of those animals is later condemned, the blood from all animals in that container must be condemned.

Sufficient bleeding time must follow sticking to permit complete bleeding prior to hogs being placed in the scald tank. To prevent cross-contamination at the time of sticking, the sticking knife must be sanitized between each hog.

(b) Scalding

Water temperature and the length of time hogs remain in the scald tank must be sufficient to ensure that all bristles can be removed in later operations. A prolonged stay in the scald tank or higher than necessary temperature of scald water can result in the carcass cooking, skin breaking or contamination of body tissues. Only approved scald additives may be used.

(c) Dehairing, singeing, resin-dipping, polishing and shaving

The purpose of these operations is to remove all bristles prior to the carcass being washed the opened. It is imperative that all shaving, scraping or bristle removal be performed prior to incision. Any bristle removal necessary after the opening of the carcass will be done by skinning.

(d) Washing

Washing removes dirt, bristle and scurf from the carcass prior to incision. Between the time the carcass is first incised (except the incision for bleeding), and final approval, the carcass must not be washed.

(e) Head dropping or removal

The hog head can either be dropped or removed for its inspection ensuring that the mandibular-lymph nodes are exposed to facilitate inspection. Whether dropped mechanically or manually, the equipment used must be sanitized between each use. If heads and/or tongues are removed, their identity must be maintained. Transferring of heads from the carcass or viscera table to the head-boning station must not result in common contact or produce product contamination. Heads must not be transferred in chutes.

(f) Evisceration

The brisket knife or saw must be sanitized between use on each carcass. Contamination of the carcass or its viscera must be prevented. If the abdominal viscera are removed separately from the thoracic viscera and the eviscerator's knife becomes contaminated by contents of the esophagus or stomach, the knife must be sanitized before incising any other organ or tissue. Identity of carcass and viscera must always be maintained. If during evisceration, the carcass is contaminated by ingesta, fecal matter or pus, the contamination must not be removed (unless permitted by an inspector) until post-mortem inspection is completed.


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(g) Carcass splitting

The splitting saw must be sterilized after a held carcass is split or when the saw is contaminated by an abscess or any other condition.

(h) Carcass-trimming

Prior to final approval, all required carcass trimming must be done in an approved area under the supervision of inspection staff. Approved carcasses must be free of stick wounds, bruised tissues, pathological lesions, contaminants or blood clots. Edible products may only be removed after final post-mortem inspection has been completed and the carcass and its organs have been approved.

(i) Carcass washing

All approved carcasses must be washed before leaving the kill floor.

Dressing Procedure for Poultry

(a) Bleeding

Prior to scalding, adequate time must elapse following stunning and sticking to ensure proper bleeding. The rail distance required is dependent upon rail speed, but bleeding time should not be less than 90 seconds in any instance.

(b) Cleaning of poultry carcasses

All hair, feathers, pinfeathers, dirt and scurf must be completely removed, and the carcass thoroughly washed, prior to any incisions being made in the carcass (except those for bleeding purposes).

(c) Evisceration

Carcasses should be hung in the three-point suspension position. Broiler chickens and fowl may be hung in the two-point suspension position. The entire viscera must be exposed to allow for thorough visual examination and palpation.

Heads and necks must not drag over equipment on the evisceration line. All poultry carcasses must be eviscerated so that fecal contamination of any part of the carcass is prevented. A vacuum machine may be used to remove kidneys and lungs after the carcass has passed post-mortem inspection.

(d) Removal of oil glands, heads, crops, tracheas and feet

Oil glands, heads and feet may be removed from poultry carcasses either before or after evisceration and inspection. If removed before, carcasses must first be defeathered and thoroughly washed to prevent contamination of cut surfaces. When carcasses are presented for inspection with feet, all manure must be removed from feet. Crops and tracheas must be removed after evisceration and inspection.

Dressing Procedures for Calves

Calves (i.e. less than 165 kg with hide-on; less than 150 kg with hide off) should be dressed:

(1) with similar procedures as described for cattle, except that splitting is not required, or

(2) with the hide left attached for later removal ("cold skin" or "hide-on" carcasses). The hide must be thoroughly cleaned and excess water allowed to drain off prior to removal of head and feet, and


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subsequent evisceration. Carcasses with dirty skins, skins showing evidence of parasitic infestation, or pathologic lesions must be dressed as per (1) above.

Once inspection is complete, the interior surface of the thoracic and abdominal cavities of approved carcasses may be washed. Wherever possible, hide-on carcasses should not be placed in a cooler along with fully dressed carcasses of any species. Where separate coolers are not provided, a minimum of 2 meters separation from other dressed carcasses must be maintained. In addition, hide-on carcasses must be covered with an acceptable sheathing.

Dressing Procedures for Sheep, Lambs and Goats

Pelt removal from sheep, lamb and goat carcasses requires extensive hand-to-carcass contact. Cross contamination must not occur as a result of dirty hands, knives and pelts. Goats may be scalded and dehaired mechanically or by shaving and scraping.

Dressing Procedures for Horses

Where spraying before slaughter is practiced to control loose hair on the abdomen and legs, water must not be allowed to drip during skinning on the exposed carcass or parts.

Dressing Procedures for Domesticated Rabbits

Pelt removal from a rabbit carcass requires extensive hand-to-carcass contact. Cross-contamination must not occur as a result of dirty hands, knives or pelts.

Policy on Ethnic Dressing of Food Animals in Establishments

(1) Skins

Cattle, horses, sheep, bison, deer, reindeer, musk, oxen, elk, moose, domestic rabbits and goats (other than those scalded and dehaired) must have skins removed as part of the dressing operation. Lambs and kids may be dressed with the "skin on" provided that:

(a) the skins of live lambs or kids are clean, dry and free of disease;

(b) lambs or kids are dressed cleanly and any incidental contamination is removed in an approved manner;

(c) "skin on" lamb or kid carcasses are kept segregated from other dressed carcasses to prevent cross-contamination; a minimum distance of two meters from other dressed carcasses should be maintained if there is no separate cooler available to keep "skin on" lamb or kid carcasses (this distance applies to "hide on" calf carcasses as well); and

(d) "skin on" lamb or kid carcasses are individually wrapped for shipping.

(2) Heads

Heads may remain attached to the carcass provided they are completely skinned, clean and disease free on inspection lambs and kids may be dressed with the head unskinned provided the skin is clean and disease free.

(3) Heart, liver, lungs and kidneys

Provided they are clean, disease free and sufficiently exposed for inspection, the heart, liver, lungs and kidneys may be left attached to the carcass.


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(4) Head and feet on poultry carcasses:

(a) the feet must be clean, disease free and have epidermis and toenails removed;

(b) heads must be disease free and completely and tightly wrapped with water-resistant paper or plastic prior to chilling to prevent contamination; and

(c) head and feet on poultry carcasses should preferably be air-chilled but may be water-chilled if chilled separately, either at the end of slaughter operations, or the water is changed

(5) Head-on rabbit carcasses

(a) the head must be completely skinned and disease free on inspection;

(b) the carcass must be air-chilled, not water-chilled; and

(c) the head on the rabbit is wrapped with water-resistant paper or plastic prior to packaging to prevent contamination.

4.6 Post-Mortem Inspection and Disposition

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Cattle

Post-mortem inspection of cattle is based on the routine examination of heads and their lymph nodes, thoracic and abdominal viscera and their lymph nodes, and the exposed parts of the carcass. When diseases or conditions are found during routine examination, or when the carcass is that of an animal identified as a suspect on ante mortem inspection, a more detailed examination is made of the organs and the body including lymph nodes. Depending on the disease or abnormal condition found during the routine post-mortem examination, the carcass and its parts may be retained for a final more detailed veterinary examination.

Tags are to be used for identifying carcasses, portions or products that require further examination. These tags should be used to identify the carcass, edible blood, head and viscera.

When a diseased carcass, or its parts, is identified, they must remain under the inspector's supervision until they are disposed of in the prescribed manner. Diseased material must be condemned and handled to avoid contaminating meat that is prepared for food. It is not allowed to come in contact with equipment used in the preparation of meat products for edible purposes.

Condemned meat products must be identified with a condemned tag and disposed of as soon as possible. When a carcass is condemned, all its parts and organs must be condemned (e.g. blood, head and liver).

All post-mortem findings are to be recorded.

(a) Head inspection

The head must be examined before the carcass passes the final inspection station. All lymph nodes must be in situ and exposed for postmortem inspection. The inspection must not commence until the head is clean and presented in a satisfactory manner.

The inspector performs a visual examination including the eye and tongue to detect any contamination or abnormality on the outside surfaces. The inspector must check that all heads are properly identified to maintain carcass-head identity.

The tongue must be palpated and any local conditions, such as scars, sores and erosions, must be trimmed. Abscesses, actinobacillosis and other abnormal internal conditions are also detected by thorough palpation. To examine parasitic and other lesions, incisions are made through the centre


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of the internal pterygoid and external masseter muscles, extending to the muscles' attachment to the bone and parallel to the mandible.

The retropharyngeal, parotid, sub-maxillary and atlantal lymph nodes are exposed, examined visually and incised. When incising lymph nodes, several thin slices are necessary to lay tissues back with the knife blade so that cut surfaces can be observed. Hashing nodes by hacking or chopping is prohibited. The heads that have passed inspection must not be removed for processing until post-mortem examination of the carcass is completed.

(b) Thoracic and abdominal viscera inspection

The lungs must be visually inspected on all surfaces and properly palpated for chronic pneumonia, abscesses and tumours. The right and left bronchial, anterior and posterior mediastinal lymph nodes must be incised routinely for evidence of disease.

The liver should be visually inspected on all surfaces and the whole organ palpated. The portal lymph nodes must be incised. The main bile duct must be opened longitudinally and inspected for liver flukes.

The hearts should be visually examined, prepared and inspected by one of the following methods:

(i) The heart is incised by a longitudinal incision extending from its base to the apex through the wall of the left ventricle and the interventricular septum. The cut surfaces and the inner surfaces of the ventricles must be examined and incised by at least four incisions. The cut surfaces are primarily examined for parasitic lesions.

(ii) The heart is prepared for further inspection by severing its attachments and cutting through the interventricular septum and other tissues to evert the heart completely. The inspector will examine the interior surfaces and make four deep lengthwise incisions into the muscles of the septum and left ventricular wall. The cut surfaces are primarily examined for parasitic lesions.

The remainder of the abdominal viscera are examined by observing and incising the mesenteric lymph nodes located in the mesenteric fat along the lesser curvature of the intestines in the folds of the mesentery and consisting of a continuous chain of nodes from the abomasum to the cecum. The lymph nodes should be incised once in-the middle, parallel to the intestine.

The spleen and kidneys must be visually examined, palpated and incised if a complete examination is found to be necessary.

A visual examination of the oesophagus and trachea is needed. Whenever lesions suspicious of cysticercus infestation are found elsewhere in the dressed carcass, the oesophagus must be thoroughly examined.

The reticulum, rumen, omasum and abomasum must be visually examined and palpated. Abscesses caused by punctures are frequently found at the rumeno-reticular junction.

To ensure freedom from contamination, an examination of omental, mesenteric and any other fat being saved for edible purposes, must be completed.

There must be complete synchronization between the viscera and the carcass presentation for inspection.

Products, which are identified as animal food on postmortem examination, must be immediately removed and segregated from products approved for human consumption.


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(c) Carcass inspection

After the viscera have been removed and the carcass split, but before washing, the dressed carcass must be inspected both externally and internally.

Joints and outer muscular surfaces must be observed for lesions. Body cavities, diaphragm and its pillars, peritoneum, pleura, neck and kidneys must be inspected. When deviations from the normal are observed, a further inspection must be carried out. This further examination should include palpating and incising the applicable regional lymph nodes such as: prepectoral, prescapular, renal, superficial inguinal, supramammary, internal iliac, prefemoral, popliteal and sacral.

(d) Tuberculosis/Brucellosis

(i) Handling of reactors

There are certain procedures to be followed on receipt of a reactor at an establishment.

All reactors must be accompanied by a form and each animal should bear an ear tag. The number on the ear tag should correspond with the number on the form and the total number of reactors received should also correspond with the number recorded on the form. The truck used for delivering the reactors must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and a form must be issued before permission is granted for removing the truck from the plant premises.

Reactors must be put in an isolation pen, specifically used for such animals or suspects, and located to ensure the shortest possible route to the kill floor. This pen and alley should be cleaned and disinfected after each use or as weather permits. Ante mortem inspection must be performed while these animals are held in segregation.

(ii) Slaughter of reactors

All reactors must be slaughtered separately from the regular kill and the identity of each animal maintained throughout the dressing operation. Reactors should be slaughtered at the end of the day and all equipment, walls and floors washed and disinfected afterwards.

Slaughtering floors must have hot and cold-water hand washing facilities, soap and towels readily available to all persons engaged in handling reactors. To prevent infection, prompt and adequate first-aid treatment must be administered to even the smallest cut.

When skinning and opening the reactor the udder must not be incised so that workmen, meat products and tools are not contaminated. Uro-genital organs such as bladder, ovaries and uterus must also be removed intact without incising them. They should be transferred to watertight metal containers or chutes for direct delivery to the inedible rendering section. Thorough post-mortem inspection of carcasses and all organs must be conducted.

(iii) Specimen submission from non-reactor animals

All thoracic granuloma and thoracic and cervical tuberculosis-like lesions found on post-mortem inspection of cattle at slaughterhouses must undergo laboratory examination. Histopathology is conducted on these specimens and cultures are performed on all positive, acid-fast bacilli.

Where gross visible lesions are found in the mesenteric lymph nodes, it is not mandatory to submit specimens for laboratory diagnosis. If mesenteric lesions are found in conjunction with lesions in other locations of the body, specimens must be submitted for histopathological examination (fixed) and for bacteriological examination (frozen or in borate solution).


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(iv) Specimen submission from test-reactor animals

All test-reactor animals with gross visible lesions, irrespective of the location of the lesions, must have the field diagnosis confirmed by the specified Agriculture Canada Laboratory histopathologically, and by culture and typing if applicable.

Once infection with M. bovis or M. tuberculosis has been established in a herd, it is not necessary to submit further specimens from that herd while it is under quarantine. In this instance, the Animal Health field staff should mark on the license for slaughter AGR 1509.

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Hogs

(a) Head inspection

The head, when presented for inspection, may be attached or separated from the carcass. A visual examination is performed to detect abnormalities such as enlargements and distortions. Mandibular lymph nodes must be incised. When incising lymph nodes, several thin slices are essential to lay tissues back with the knife blade so that cut surfaces can be observed. Hashing nodes by hacking or chopping is prohibited. The tongue should be visually examined and palpation performed if necessary. Heads must be thoroughly cleaned and free from hair before the carcass is incised. Unclean heads must either be condemned or skinned on the kill floor.

(b) Viscera inspection

A routine inspection of viscera begins with a visual examination of the intestines, stomach and spleen. The mesenteric lymph nodes must be palpated and incised and observed if abnormalities are suspected. The lungs, liver and heart are visually observed and palpated. The left bronchial and the portal lymph nodes must be palpated and incised if abnormalities are suspected. The kidneys must be fully exposed prior to inspection so that they can be visually inspected and palpated.

If any abnormalities requiring further examination are found, the inspector must tag the carcasses with a held tag.

(c) Carcass rail inspection

Carcasses should be split prior to rail inspection, which consists of a careful external and internal examination of eviscerated carcasses. If deviations from the normal are found in the carcass during visual inspection, it must receive a closer examination. If the condition is extensive, the carcass must be tagged and railed out on the held-rail for final veterinary inspection.

Whenever a carcass is held due to a pathological condition which necessitates veterinary diagnosis, the viscera must also be held and adequately identified. During rail inspection those carcasses which have trimmable demerits are identified, trimmed and the trimmable demerits weighed at the final inspection station.

(d) Final rail inspection

All carcasses, which have been identified for further examination, must be removed from the main rail to the held-rail before reaching the final inspection station. There must be no contact between carcasses on the held-rail. All carcasses passing through the final inspection must be entirely satisfactory, since they will not receive further inspection, and will be stamped with the inspection legend. Condemned portions and carcasses must remain under inspection control until final disposal.


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(e) Special procedures

(i) Boars

Boars must be slaughtered at the beginning or end of the killing operation and checked for strong urine and sexual odour. If no odour is present, the carcass is approved and a letter "B" is stamped on the hams, bellies, loins and shoulders. If strong odour is present, the carcass and viscera are condemned. If further testing is necessary, the carcass is held on the held-rail of the cooler and heat-tested the next day. Heat tests may be conducted by boiling or frying representative samples of tissues or by applying heated irons in the scrotum, loin and jowl areas.

Another method of testing consists of putting two small pieces of dorsal fat and leaf lard, weighing not more than 50 g, into a plastic bag similar to those used for smoke meats. The sealed bags are placed in boiling water until the fat starts melting when the top of the bag is cut open and tested for odours.

Carcasses over 90 kg must be boned at the establishment and the cartons bear the word "Boar" in the product description (e.g. boneless boar shoulders).

(ii) Ridglings

Ridglings must be handled like boars and if approved, stamped at the same locations with a letter "R".

(f) Tuberculosis

The disposition of carcasses and parts of carcasses affected with tuberculosis is prescribed in the Meat Inspection Regulations.

Post-mortem Inspection of Poultry

When poultry carcasses are presented for post-mortem inspection they must be defeathered and cleaned. In addition, the carcasses must be hung in a manner so they may be easily rotated and lifted, and such that all external and internal surfaces, and organs may be inspected. The viscera must be left attached to the carcass in the vent area to allow visual and manual inspection of all organs and intestines. When performing post-mortem inspection, the inspector must visually inspect all viscera and the heart, liver and spleen must be palpated.

To allow inspection of the abdominal cavity for contamination, tumours, abscesses and any other abnormal condition, the internal organs should be moved to one side. The exterior of all birds must be visually examined for fractures, bruises, blisters and skin conditions. Unless removed from carcasses prior to evisceration, the heads of birds must also be examined. Any bird showing signs of pathological condition must be set aside for final veterinary inspection.

Plant management must provide one or more competent plant employees to carry out the following functions under the direct supervision of the inspection staff:

a) trimming or removing breast blisters, bruises, fractures, contamination and other undesirable or abnormal conditions;

b) removing carcasses which show signs of a pathological condition and hanging these carcasses on a held rail or rack for final veterinary inspection; and

c) correcting minor dressing errors.

The line stop-switch must be readily accessible to inspectors.


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To assure proper post-mortem inspection of poultry carcasses, the following presentation rates should not be exceeded:

a) chicken fryers and broilers: 1,300 per hour per inspector;

b) heavy chicken and fowl: 850 per hour per inspector;

c) turkey broilers: 900 per hour per inspector; and

d) heavy turkeys: 700 per hour per inspector.

In cases of high disease prevalence, the rail speed must be reduced to enable inspectors to carry out effective post-mortem inspections.

Carcasses contaminated with grease, gall, fecal material, contents of the crop or other noxious material are unwholesome and unfit for human food. Contaminated parts of the carcass must be removed and the remainder may be passed as wholesome, provided it does not retain odours or unsound characteristics. If it is not possible for a condition to be trimmed on the line, the whole carcass must be "held" in a designated area and trimmed by a company employee under the supervision of an inspector. If the contamination or condition is so generalized that trimming is impractical, the entire carcass must be condemned.

Carcasses contaminated with volatile oils, poisons, obnoxious gases, kerosene or any substance, which may permeate the tissues rendering them unwholesome, must be condemned. Washing the contamination from the exposed tissue other than the skin is not acceptable in lieu of trimming.

Birds placed in the scald tank before they are dead (improper sticking) become contaminated as scald water is inhaled. Whenever scald water is observed in air sacs, the affected carcasses must be condemned.

In the case of ducks, lungs must be completely removed on the evisceration line before the final wash and condemned. Oil glands, crops and tracheas are inedible products but may be used as mink or other animal food.

Poultry heads and feet removed from carcasses prior to inspection may be salvaged for mink food or for the preparation of canned and sterilized animal food in canneries approved by Agriculture Canada for that purpose. Poultry feet removed from approved carcasses may be harvested for edible purposes provided they are sound, wholesome and the epidermis and toenails are removed.

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Calves

The inspection of hide-on carcasses should include observation of the hide for contamination, parasitic condition or lesions and palpation of the back for warbles.

The inspection for cysticercus bovis (internal and external muscles of mastication, heart) may be omitted if the calves are less than six weeks old. All other post-mortem procedures and dispositions are identical to those of cattle.

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Sheep, Lambs and Goats

To determine the absence or presence of caseous lymphadenitis, body lymph nodes must be incised when palpation is inadequate. Incised nodes must remain attached to the carcass for final inspection.


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Carcasses and affected parts with caseous lymphadenitis must be dealt with as follows:

(a) the entire carcass must be condemned when the disease is extensive, not confined to the seat of primary infection and more than one body gland is affected or is associated with emaciation or secondary change;

(b) when the disease is confined to one body gland, the quarter in which the gland is located must be removed and condemned but the remainder of the carcass may be passed for food if it is healthy; and

(c) the carcass may be passed for food if the disease is slight, confined to the seat of primary infection and otherwise healthy.

All other procedures and dispositions are identical to those of cattle.

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Horses

The inspection of the head must include the guttural pouch. Careful examination must be made of the abdominal walls for encysted parasites, the neck region for fistulous conditions near the first two cervical vertebrae and the axillary and sub-scapular spaces of white and gray horses for melanosis. All other inspection procedures and dispositions are similar to those for cattle, except that an examination for C. bovis is unnecessary.

Post-mortem Inspection and Disposition of Domesticated Rabbits

Visual inspection of all internal organs and inner and outer surfaces of the carcass may be followed by palpation if necessary.

4.7 Offal Preparation (a) Brains

Brains may be prepared for human food from bovines, sheep, lambs, goats and swine provided they are free of bone splinters and other contaminants (e.g. bullet particles, hide or hair). Brains may not be prepared for human food or salvaged for animal food if lead or fragile bullets were used to stun food animals. Brains containing some skin or bone from stunning or containing blood clots may be used for animal food. Brains must be washed and chilled immediately after inspection and approval for human food.

(b) Hearts

Hearts may be prepared for human food from all food animals. Poultry hearts must have the base of the heart removed and hearts of red meat animals must be cut open to allow the blood clots to be completely removed.

After washing, hearts must be chilled and drained.

(c) Lungs

Lungs are not normally considered to be an edible product in Canada and their use as an ingredient in meat products constitutes adulteration. Under no circumstances are lungs permitted for use as an ingredient in food products. Only lungs from food animals free of pathological lesions and contamination may be prepared for sale as an ethnic product. When prepared for edible purposes, the trachea and main bronchi of the lungs must be split for inspection of parasitic infestation and ingesta.


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Lungs from animals, other than poultry, may be salvaged for animal food provided they are free of pathological lesions. Hog lungs, containing some scald water, may be salvaged for animal food. After inspection, lungs prepared for edible purposes or salvaged for animal food must be chilled before packaging.

(d) Kidneys

Kidneys from food animals, other than poultry, may be prepared as edible products provided they are free of pathological lesions. Kidneys must be deeply incised, soaked in water and washed before they are incorporated into a meat product. Kidneys must not be used to produce lard or tallow. Kidneys must be chilled before being packaged.

(e) Spleens

Spleens are not considered an edible product in Canada but may be salvaged for animal food provided they are free of pathological lesions. Spleens must be chilled prior to packaging.

(f) Thymus (Sweetbread)

Bovine thymus glands may be prepared for human food provided they are free .of pathological lesions. After inspection, thymus glands must be washed to remove blood and blood clots and chilled before packaging.

(g) Tripe

Rumen and reticulum of ruminants may be prepared for human food provided they are free of pathological lesions. After inspection, the rumen and reticulum must be separated from the esophagus and the omasum-abomasum. The contents must be removed and the raw tripe washed inside and out. Any contamination on the fat that cannot be removed by washing must be trimmed. The clean, raw tripe must be presented for inspection before chilling and packaging as raw tripe or before scalding, chilling and packaging as scalded tripe.

The preparation of tripe should be carried out in a room separate from the slaughter floor.

Omasa (pecks) may be prepared in a similar manner for edible purposes as tripe. Tripe and omasa prepared for animal food does not need to be scalded or trimmed after emptying or washed, however, a reasonable standard of cleanliness must be maintained.

(h) Hog stomachs

Hog stomachs may be prepared for human food provided they are free of pathological lesions. The separated hog stomachs must be opened, emptied and thoroughly washed. Hog stomachs must be scalded and the mucous lining must be completely removed before chilling and packaging.

Hog stomachs should be prepared in a room separate from the slaughter floor. Hog stomachs salvaged for animal food may be prepared unscalded.

(i) Casing preparation

Casings may be prepared from intestines, bladders and esophagi of cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats and hogs provided they are free of pathological lesions. Casings should be prepared in a room(s) separate from the slaughter floor.


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(j) Poultry giblets

Poultry giblets (heart, liver and gizzard) may be prepared for human food provided they are free of pathological lesions. It is essential that contamination of these organs be prevented during preparation and inspection since giblets seem to spoil faster than poultry carcasses.

Preparation of Giblets

Before washing and chilling, livers must be separated from the viscera and the gall bladder removed with releasing bile on edible product, before washing and chilling.

Hearts must have the pericardium and atria removed prior to washing and chilling and blood clots must be removed during washing.

Gizzards must be separated from the viscera, opened and the contents and lining removed before washing and chilling. Contaminated fat on the outside surface of the gizzards must be removed and the operation of automatic gizzard openers and cleaners must be closely supervised.

Giblets must be chilled immediately after they have been harvested on the evisceration line. Accumulation of giblets for later preparation is prohibited.

(k) Offal harvested for pharmaceutical use

Salvaging organs or parts of organs for pharmaceutical use in establishments may be permitted if it does not interfere with sanitary operations in the establishment. Whole fetuses or their organs may be allowed to be salvaged for pharmaceutical or research purposes.

4.8 Re-Inspection

Introduction

Re-inspection is an essential process. It is required to ensure that the integrity of meat products is maintained subsequent to ante and post-mortem inspection. Ongoing surveillance is primarily the plant management's responsibility and should be an integral part of any establishments quality control system. It is the inspector's responsibility to monitor the quality control system by making periodic re-inspections. Import shipments and returned products are two instances where re-inspection is primarily the responsibility of inspection staff.

Re-Inspection as a Monitoring Process

This type of Re-inspection should be conducted at all stages of operations, following final post-mortem inspection and approval of carcasses. The type of operations being conducted and the species involve will dictate the location of re-inspection and type of defects sought.

Re-Inspection of Returned Shipped Meat Products

Only inspected meat products may be accepted as returned shipped product. If any other type of meat product (i.e. non-inspected) is discovered, it must be condemned immediately.

4.9 Refrigeration and Related Activities

Introduction

Refrigeration, which includes both chilling and freezing, plays an integral role in producing and storing meat products. The primary purpose of refrigeration is to preserve meat products by slowing down the chemical and enzymatic changes, which occur in tissues after slaughter and, by slowing down or


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stopping the multiplication of microorganisms that might give rise to spoilage or food poisoning. Refrigeration of the environment in which meat products are handled produces and maintains lower temperatures in the product themselves, and depresses the rate of multiplication of microorganisms in the environment. Therefore, refrigeration has an important role to play in the field of sanitation.

A secondary purpose of refrigeration is to destroy parasites (e.g. trichinae) that may be present in certain meat products.

Condensation

When relatively warm, humid air strikes a cold surface, condensation occurs. It can be reduced by insulating cold surfaces and by reducing the flow of warm air into refrigerated areas. In rooms where condensation occurs, measures must be taken to protect meat products. Such protective measures include the use of drip pans and ducts, wiping or sponging surfaces and placing exposed product in areas where dripping condensation does not occur.

Refrigeration of Processing Areas (see Chapters 2 and 3)

Refrigeration of Meat Products (excluding rabbits and poultry)

The specifications for constructing coolers and freezers and their refrigeration capabilities are found in Chapter 2.

(a) Coolers

All coolers have a certain maximum capacity, which is dependent, not only on the refrigerating capability of the unit, but also on the provision of an adequate air circulation. Overcrowding reduces coolers' effectiveness because too much heat is generated from freshly slaughtered carcasses, which also interferes with air circulation. Monitoring internal temperatures of carcasses will confirm if a cooler is overcrowded.

Carcasses must be hung in coolers so that they do not contact the walls, doors or floor. Where hide-on veal carcasses are placed in coolers, contact, which might lead to cross contamination with hair, is prohibited. Hog carcasses and pork cuts must not be allowed to come into contact with carcasses or cuts derived from other species, and it is preferable that hog carcasses be kept on separate rails if separate pork coolers do not exist. All held carcasses must be placed on rails designated for that purpose. Packaged or unpackaged meat products must be stored so that they are clear of the drippings from carcasses.

Besides monitoring the position of carcasses, the inspector should examine dressing defects such as manure and hair contamination, which are more readily visible as the carcasses set. Lighting in coolers must be adequate for this examination. If the re-inspection of the sample of carcasses reveals only an odd, isolated minor degree of contamination, individual carcasses should be tagged for trimming. If however, a large number of carcasses is found unsatisfactory, all carcasses should be held pending trimming and steps should be taken to rectify improper dressing procedures on the kill floor.

Coolers must be regularly cleaned, preferably when empty, but if this is not practical, wash splash on the carcasses and other stored products must be prevented. Attention must be paid to rails, especially at junctions, for grease build-up, rusting and flaking paint. Coolers must be monitored for the presence of mould, which readily forms in high humidity areas where there is insufficient air circulation. Every effort must be made to reduce condensation by ensuring that doors are kept properly closed when not in use and that baffles at the rail opening are effective.

NOTE: Misters are approved for use in drip coolers for red meat only.


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(b) Freezers

The proper maintenance of blast or holding freezers must be routinely monitored. Although there is less risk of products being contaminated in freezers than in coolers, continuous monitoring for broken cartons or accidentally exposed product must be undertaken. Such product is at risk not only to contamination but also to freezer burn.

Good housekeeping in freezers is important. Ice build-up must not be tolerated and cartons should be stacked neatly. A record of product in storage must be maintained and product turnover ensured by plant management to prevent frozen product remaining in storage for extended periods of time.

Ice

Ice is extensively used in registered establishments, particularly in poultry operations. All ice-making and crushing equipment and storage facilities must be closely and carefully monitored for proper maintenance. Ice bins should be carefully checked when empty and ice should be frequently examined for the presence of foreign material. If ice is brought in from an outside source, transport vehicles must be monitored and all ice must be clean before its use in the establishment can be permitted.

Ice and water samples should be subjected to routine testing. If ice is brought in from an outside source, the water supply and ice of the manufacturing plant must be routinely sampled for potability.

Refrigeration of Poultry Meat Products

(a) Chilling carcasses and portions

Immediately following evisceration, all poultry carcasses and portions must be chilled to an internal temperature of 4°C or lower.

In chilling, ¾ of one percent of common salt may be added to the chilling ice provided it is written on the label of the finished product. The immediate package for carcasses or portions chilled must bear the statement: "Turkeys (chickens, etc) chilled in ice with salt added" or words of similar meaning.

Where continuous chillers are used:

(i) poultry carcasses should pass through a separate pre-chiller before entering the continuous chill system;

(ii) a thermometer should be placed at the warmest section of the pre-chiller tank and that the temperature at that point not exceed 18°C; and

(iii) a sufficient overflow of water be provided in the pre-chill to ensure the removal of extraneous material. In facilities under construction or modification, every effort should be made to install a counter flow system since tests show it is more effective in controlling the diffusion of salmonella. Cold air tunnels are also useful in this respect.

Where conventional tank chilling is used, care must be taken to ensure that:

(i) carcasses are adequately washed before being placed in a chill tank;

(ii) sufficient overflow of water is provided to ensure the removal of extraneous matter prior to final icing; and

(iii) poultry carcasses are not kept in the chilling water more than 24 hours. If kept in tanks more than 24 hours, packing in ice with continuous drainage is required.


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(b) Chilling of giblets

Giblets should be chilled to 4°C or lower as quickly as possible, and within two hours after evisceration.

(c) Measures to prevent excess moisture pick-up and retention in poultry include:

(i) exposing minimum flesh (small cuts, prevention of cutting or tearing skin between thighs and abdominal wall, complete trussing) ;

(ii) separating neck skin from necks or removing necks prior to washing and chilling carcasses to promote drainage;

(iii) draining chill tanks at least a half hour before unloading;

(iv) draining carcasses on drip line and manually draining subcutaneous water accumulations, as required;

(v) avoiding use of high-pressure washing or violent agitation during chilling;

(vi) preventing water accumulation on packaging tables;

(vii) chilling cut-up poultry in ice with continuous drainage (such holding periods should be kept to a minimum; carcasses should not be held in chill tanks for more than 24 hours without draining); and

(viii) carcasses which are kept in excess of 24 hours prior to packaging must be packed in ice.

(d) Freezing

(i) Blast freezing

Poultry carcasses and portions should be frozen to an internal temperature of minus 18°C or lower within 24 hours after freezing commences. Freezing should commence as soon as possible after packaging. Whenever outside freezing facilities are utilized, packaged poultry must be kept at a storage temperature of 2°C or lower until freezing commences. The length of time from commencement of chilling until placement in freezer should be no longer than 72 hours. Poultry must be adequately protected to prevent freezer burn during freezing and freezer storage.

(ii) Liquid immersion or spay freezing

Where liquid immersion or spray freezing is used, poultry must be packaged to prevent contact with the refrigerant. Poultry carcasses or portions contaminated with the refrigerant are considered adulterated and must be condemned except for carcasses where the contamination is slight and limited to surface areas. In such cases, a carcass may be salvaged provided the protective bag is immediately removed and the carcass decontaminated by:

Placing it in a tank of changing water and soaked to dilute the refrigerant. The carcass is removed, drained briefly and placed in a second tank of changing water for further dilution and scrubbed vigorously to remove all traces of contamination. The carcass is then rinsed in a third tank of changing water. If the inspector is satisfied that all traces of the refrigerant have been removed, the carcass can now be passed as fit for food. Inspectors in Charge should occasionally submit decontaminated carcasses for laboratory examination to determine the effectiveness of the removal of all refrigerant residues.

An approved colouring agent must be used in immersion refrigerants to make the trace-back of leaks easier.


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Only the following liquid immersion refrigerants have been approved:

• Brine (common salt)

• Calcium chloride

• Propylene glycol

Neither Sodium Chromate nor Dichromate is permitted in immersion freezers.

Refrigeration of Rabbit Meat Products

In most instances, the refrigeration methods used for rabbits are similar to those for poultry, although chilling may take place by suspending carcasses or product on racks. The refrigerating method should be monitored as applicable with reference to preceding sections of this chapter.

4.10 Anti-Parasitic Treatments (1) Cysticercosis

(a) General Information

Hog carcasses affected with tapeworm cysts (Cysticercus cellulosae) must be condemned.

Since bovine cysticercosis is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, 1990, the identity of the owner and the origin of the animal must be established and the Regional Director General notified. Cysts must be excised with surrounding tissue and forwarded to the nearest specified Agriculture Canada laboratory for confirmation of diagnosis. Samples are to be preserved in wet ice.

(b) Routine inspection for the presence of cysticercus

Each bovine or ovine carcass over six weeks old must be examined for cysticercus bovis or cysticercus ovis. Prior to inspection, the tongue must be detached from the head bones to allow a proper inspection of the internal muscles of mastication. These muscles must be incised to split the muscles in a plane parallel with the lower jawbone and examined. The masseter muscles must also be incised splitting the entire external layer between the outer and intermediate fascia.

The heart must be prepared and inspected by one of the following methods:

(i) A longitudinal incision must be made extending from base to apex through the wall of the left ventricle and the interventricular septum after which the cut surfaces and the inner surfaces of the ventricles must be examined. There must be at least four incisions made; or

(ii) After the external surface of the heart has been inspected, the attachments must be severed and the interventricular septum and other such tissues must be cut to evert the organ completely. The inspector must then examine the interior surface and make not more than four, deep, lengthwise incisions into the muscles of the septum and left ventricular wall. If the presence of cysts is suspected, more incisions must be made taking care the walls of the heart are not cut completely through.

(c) Special inspection if one or more cysts are found

If cysts are detected by routine examination, further examination must be carried out by a Veterinary Inspector and must include:


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(i) thoroughly slicing the heart, external and internal muscles of mastication, the muscular portion of the diaphragm including its pillars, the tongue, the esophagus and musculature exposed during dressing operations of the carcass;

(ii) removing the peritoneum of the carcass prior to inspecting the diaphragm; and

(iii) exposing additional portions of the carcass by making a transverse incision into each round and into each forelimb 8cm above the olecrannon.

(d) Condemnation

Carcasses and blood of cattle and sheep infested with cysticercus bovis must be condemned if:

(i) the meat is edematous or discoloured; or

(ii) the infestation is extensive. (Infestation is considered extensive where cysts are found in two of the sites during routine primary inspection of the heart, tongue, muscles of mastication, diaphragm and its pillars, esophagus and musculature that are exposed during dressing operations, and in at least two of the sites exposed by incisions into the rounds and forelimbs),

(e) Retention of slightly infested carcasses for treatment

Cattle and sheep carcasses must be deemed slightly infested if, on examination of the heart, the muscles of mastication, the diaphragm and its pillars, the tongue and the oesophagus and musculature exposed during dressing operation of a carcass, an inspector finds one or more lesion of cysticercus bovis but the infestation is found to be of a lesser degree than defined as extensive infection in (d)(ii).

(f) Disposition of slightly infested carcasses

Cattle and sheep carcasses showing a slight infestation may be passed as food if:

(i) the lesions of cysticercus bovis and cysticercus ovis and the surrounding tissues are removed and condemned;

(ii) the carcass of the meat derived from the carcass is held in a freezer under inspection control at a temperature not exceeding –10°C for not less than 10 days; or

(iii) the meat is heated throughout, under inspection control, to a temperature of at least 60°C.

(2) Trichinosis

Pork products, normally eaten without further cooking, must be subjected to one of the following procedures to ensure destruction of all infective trichinae.

(a) Heating

(i) Pork muscle or product containing pork muscle tissue must be heated to an internal temperature of at least 58°C.

(ii) Inspectors in Charge must keep a log of internal temperatures from representative samples of such products. This information is to be recorded and reported at the end of each month to the Manager, Meat Products.

(iii) Procedures must ensure that all products undergoing heat-treatment receive the minimum required of heat exposure. Temperature checks must be conducted at the centre of the largest pieces from the coldest spot of the vat or heating cabinet.


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(b) Freezing

(i) Pork muscle or products containing pork muscle tissue must be kept at a temperature and for a length of time as per the following schedule:

TABLE 4.1 - Freezing Procedures for Pork

DESCRIPTION TEMPERATURE DAYS

GROUP 1 Pork products with a maximum

thickness of 25cm -25°C 10 minimum

GROUP 2 Pork products with a maximum thickness between 25cm - 50cm

-25°C 20 minimum

The freezing time must be calculated from the time the temperature has reached and was maintained at –25°C or lower in the freezer:

(i) Insulating packaging material must be removed prior to commencing the freezing process.

(ii) Freezers used for the destruction of trichina must be kept locked by the Inspector in Charge to ensure there is no tampering of the product.

(iii) After completing the prescribed freezing, the product must be kept under close supervision by an inspector until it is prepared in finished form or until it is exported or transferred under Departmental control to another licensed establishment for use.

(c) Curing

(i) Pork muscle or products containing pork muscle tissue must be cured through an approved method. Proprietary methods may be approved in confidence and inspectors must not divulge information to unauthorized persons. Approved proprietary methods must be locked in the inspector's office of the plant using them. It is the responsibility of the Inspector in Charge to ensure that the conditions specified in the method are observed by plant management.

(ii) Acceptable curing methods which are not proprietary methods are summarized in Tables: 4 - 143, 145

(d) General requirements and information

All smokehouses, drying rooms and freezers used to destroy trichina in pork or pork products must be equipped with accurate automatic time-temperature recording devices.


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4-143 TABLE A – Sausages Processing & Guidelines Annex A

Method

Maximum diameter of

Meat Particles

Minimum % salt per weight

of sausage material mixed

at 2°C

Maximum Diameter of sausage at

time of stuffing

Minimum curing time at

2°C

Minimum Smoking

Minimum holding time in drying room at minimum 7°C TIME TEMP

1 2cm 3.5 3cm 20D

2 2cm 3.5 8cm 25D

3 2cm 3.5 10cm 40D

4 2cm 3.5 8cm 40H 27°C 16D

5 2cm 3.5 10cm 40H 27°C 31D

6 2cm 3.5 8cm 6D* 12H 52°C

7 2cm 3.5 10cm 6D 8H 7H

32°C 52°C

8 0.5cm 2.5 8cm 10D** 25D

9 2cm 3.5 *** 63D

D = days H = hours

* alternately sausage to be held in pickle curing medium, minimum strength of 50° salometer at not less than 7°C for 6 days

** shall be kept in a layer of 15 cm or less before stuffing - heating in water bath or soaking at 30°C for not more than 3H is optional

*** sausage may be coated after stuffing or during drying period with paraffin or other substance approved by the Director

4-145 TABLE B - Hams, Boneless Pork Butts and Boneless Pork Loins Processing & Guideines Annex B

Minimum % Salt to

Meat

Minimum Curing Time

at 2°C

Optional Washing or Soaking Water Temp 21°C Time

Minimum Smoking

Minimum Drying Time at

7°C TIME TEMP

Hams 1) 4 40D 15H* 10D 35°C

20D 2) 4**

6D per kg of ham weight

4H* 2D 27°C

Boneless Pork Butts

1) 4.5***

25D 15 min 30H 27°C

20D 2) 18D 35D

Boneless Pork Loins

5**** 25D 1H 8H 37°C

12D PLUS 4H 52°C

D = days H = hours

* one water change permitted

** pickling obligatory with 100% salometer strength 115 cc per ham

*** a small amount of pickle may be added during churning, also salt may be added during overhauling

**** alternately, pickle solution 80% salometer, 60 liter per 100 kg meat may be used or pickle solution 80% salometer, may be added to the salt cure


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Thermometers used by registered establishments must be frequently compared with Departmental thermometers to ensure accuracy. Time-temperature records and records of volume of treated pork products must be maintained on the plant premises.

Side bacon and pork jowls are not normally eaten in Canada without further cooking; and therefore, are exempt from the prescribed treatment when prepared for the Canadian market.

4.11 Processing and Handling Techniques

Introduction

It is important to indicate points of control an inspector should direct efforts towards when monitoring such operations. Inspectors must thoroughly familiarize themselves with all operations and processes that are being carried out in an establishment under their control. Inspectors should consult the literature in order to better understand the physical and chemical changes that may occur in meat products undergoing various forms of manipulation.

There are some general points of control that are common to many operations. Sanitation is important especially where complex pieces of equipment are utilized. The inspector must ensure that this equipment is adequately dismantled and cleaned and is receiving a careful preoperational inspection by management. Room temperatures are critical. Those rooms requiring lower temperatures must be strictly monitored and prompt corrective action taken when necessary.

Processing

Cooking, curing and smoking times, and the temperature achieved, should be monitored to ensure compliance with the submissions made at the time of label approval. Where steam is generated, it must be properly vented out of the area and not allowed to permeate into adjoining rooms.

Aging and Tenderizing

Aging of beef has traditionally been used to increase tenderness and flavour. It involves holding a carcass for 7-14 days under refrigeration. When carcasses are handled in this manner, attention must be paid to temperature and humidity to prevent mould.

To speed up the tenderization process, other methods have been developed which include:

(a) holding at room temperature under ultraviolet light and in an ozone atmosphere;

(b) treatment with enzymes (three enzymes are approved for use in Canada, e.g. papain, biomelain and ficin);

(c) electrical stimulation;

(d) holding muscles in traction during rigor mortis;

(e) use of fibre breakers or delicatizers;

(f) manufacture of flaked-formed meats; and

(g) curing.

Whenever an alternative or new method of tenderization is introduced, the inspector must verify that the method and the equipment used have been approved for use in a licensed establishment.


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Fermentation The inspector should be informed by management about the fermentation process and the bacterial culture used, to ensure that safe practices are being followed. Logs of temperatures, humidity and duration of treatment must be used and monitored. Surface moulds must not be permitted to contaminate other meat products.

Boning

A properly equipped and functioning check-trim station is essential prior to boning operations. Sanitizers must be maintained at operational temperatures. Moving belts or conveyers must be monitored for wear and tear. Plant employees must store their equipment (e.g. knives, steels, gloves and aprons) in the designated areas at break times and not on the meat.

The operation of the AQL system must be monitored and corrected as necessary. Attention should be given to packaging operations if carried out in the boning room. Procedures must prevent contact of exposed meat with the outside of cartons. The presence of blood or fat on the outside of cartons is a good indication that contact has occurred. Carton assembly is prohibited in the boning room. The stamping of cuts for legibility should be monitored.

Mechanical Deboning

Mechanical deboning requires good sanitary practices. Incoming products, such as bones and scraps, must be transported under sanitary conditions. It is essential that when packed, this product is rapidly refrigerated to reduce temperatures as fast as possible.

Comminuting

Particular attention must be paid to the raw material before comminuting. Frozen boneless meat must be free of packaging material such as plastic wraps. Meat products must be free of foreign material. The use of metal detectors is encouraged even though non-metallic foreign material is more difficult to detect. Therefore, some form of visual checking or screening should be used.

Curing

Curing not only preserves meat products but also enhances the colour, flavour and texture of meat products. Both dry and liquid cures may be used. In either case, attention must be paid to preparing the cures and protecting the product during the curing process. Since curing agents tend to be destructive to the physical environment, attention must be paid to the state of structural repair of both vats and rooms.

The use of restricted products such as nitrites or nitrates requires positive control over their storage and level of use at all times. The following guidelines govern the use of nitrites and nitrates in meat products in establishments:

Plant management is responsible for controlling nitrite and nitrate addition to meat products and must be monitored by the Inspector in Charge. Management must disclose the quantities of nitrite and nitrate salts being used in each formulation in order to provide assurance that the amount of these additives does not exceed permitted levels.


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Chapter 5: Inedible Meat Products

5.1 Introduction Inedible meat products include:

(a) those passed for animal food, which may or may not have been decharacterized;

(b) those which have been condemned; (Dead animals, animals condemned on ante mortem inspection and meat products condemned on post-mortem inspection or on re-inspection);

(c) those which are not edible (Hides, hair and feathers of animals); and

(d) those which are not customarily eaten by Canadians (this group of inedible meat products is difficult to define because several of the meat products which fell into this group only a few years ago are now harvested for human consumption provided they are prepared in a sanitary manner and found wholesome on inspection. Chicken feet, hog stomachs and pork blood are typical examples). Some meat products, which are not customarily eaten by Canadians, are lungs, spleens, intestines and sexual organs.

In addition, inedible meat and waste products (e.g. animal manure, paunch contents and intestinal contents) must be disposed of in a sanitary manner.

Plant management is responsible for the disposal of condemned meat products in an approved manner. Inspectors are responsible for ensuring that management is carrying out its responsibility as prescribed in the Meat Inspection Regulations.

5.2 Facilities Handling and Disposing Inedible Meat Products in an Establishment

Every establishment must provide adequate facilities for collecting inedible meat products. In general, slaughter establishments must dispose of more inedible meat products than processing establishments. Slaughter plants must also dispose of manure, paunch contents and intestinal contents. Although all inedible meat products must be removed from the carcass during dressing and inspection, special attention must be paid to handling and disposal of condemned meat products. Condemned meat products must remain under strict inspectional control until rendered sterile or otherwise disposed of by an approved method.

Conditions for Disposal of Inedible Meat Products

(a) Structural facilities and operational requirements

All blueprints for establishments, including those for facilities, required for collecting, storing and disposing inedible meat products must be approved. An establishment should be designed so that, starting from the slaughter of food animals, inedible waste products and inedible meat products is progressively removed from the carcass. As inedible products are being separated from the animal carcass, they must be moved to the inedible section of the plant. There must be no reversal in direction of the flow of inedible meat products. The only exception that may be permitted is the freezing, storing and shipping of fully packaged and marked meat products approved for animal food.

Sanitation must be maintained throughout the inedible section of the plant and an effective insect and rodent control program must be in place. The program should be similar to the program in effect in the edible section of the establishment.


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When an employee working in the inedible section of the plant is required to work in the edible section, the employee must change all protective clothing and thoroughly wash their hands before commencing work in the edible section of the plant. Within the inedible section, the raw material handling area must be separate from the section where the sterilized material is handled.

Air must not flow from the inedible section to the edible section of the plant. An effective odour control system must be provided in the inedible section of the establishment.

(b) Separation and disposal of inedible meat products

For the purpose of disposal, there are three types of inedible meat products:

(i) condemned meat products;

(ii) inedible meat products for animal food; and

(iii) inedible meat products which have neither been condemned nor prepared for animal food.

(i) Condemned meat products

Condemned meat products include carcasses and portions of carcasses that have been condemned on post-mortem inspection or on re-inspection, and animals condemned on ante mortem inspection. As well, they include carcasses of animals that died enroute to the establishment and carcasses of animals that died in a yard of livestock holding pen on the premises of a slaughter establishment.

Condemned meat products must remain under strict control from the time of condemnation until they are rendered sterile or otherwise disposed of in an approved manner. A separate room or area must be provided for skinning dead animals and their preparation for rendering. Skinning, evisceration and preparation of animals condemned on ante mortem inspection, or found dead, must not take place on the killing floor. They must be directly transferred from the livestock yards or pens to the inedible section of the slaughter establishment.

Collecting and transporting condemned carcasses and portions of carcasses from the killing floor and processing areas must be done in a sanitary manner to prevent any contact of condemned meat products with carcasses being dressed or approved meat products. Equipment that has come into contact with condemned meat products must be cleaned and sanitized before being reused. Plant personnel and inspectors handling condemned meat products must wash their hands and clean and sanitize their clothing as required.

Containers used for condemned meat products must be distinctly marked "CCOONNDDEEMMNNEEDD" in a colour different from that, which is used for edible meat products.

In addition to sanitary considerations, it is essential that condemned material be maintained under rigid inspectional control until the final disposition is completed and the material is rendered innocuous. Control measures should ensure that condemned material be:

1) maintained under direct inspectional surveillance;

2) adequately slashed and denatured with an approved denaturant;

3) stored in an approved room or container specified for condemned products;

4) processed by other methods approved by the inspector.

(ii) Inedible meat products for animal food

Red meat and poultry slaughter establishments may harvest or salvage certain inedible meat products for animal food on their premises.


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Plant management must provide adequate facilities for the separating, chilling, packing, marking, storing and decharacterizing animal food as required.

In red meat slaughter establishments, organs and portions that are not customarily eaten by Canadians (e.g. spleens, lungs and udders) may be harvested for animal food without decharacterization. Organs and portions such as livers with dry adhesions, telangiectatic lesions, or discoloration, and livers infected with parasites not transmissible to carnivorous animals or humans, or livers after removal of a single, well encapsulated abscess, animal brains containing some hair or bone from the mechanical stunning process, and unscalded beef tripe or unscalded hog stomach may be salvaged for animal food.

These organs or portions must be decharacterized with charcoal or another approved agent. Decharacterization is required to distinguish organs and portions prepared for animal food from those prepared and approved for human consumption. Decharacterization must be carried out in a location where edible meat products are not exposed to contamination during the procedure.

Chilling, packing and marking inedible meat products for animal food must be carried out in rooms or areas where meat products for human consumption are not handled.

Animal food products in fully marked containers may be frozen and stored in freezers used for freezing and storing packaged, fully marked meat products for human consumption. Meat products for animal food may also be shipped from the edible shipping area. Freezing, storing and shipping these fully packaged and marked animal foods must only be allowed if they are kept separate from meat products approved for human consumption and the sanitation standards are not compromised.

In poultry slaughter establishments, heads, feet and viscera of approved poultry carcasses may be harvested for animal food purposes. Poultry heads and feet removed from carcasses prior to inspection may be salvaged as feed for fur-bearing animals or for producing pet food in the canned and sterilized form.

Collecting, packaging and marking poultry heads must be done in a sanitary manner without creating a contamination problem in the establishment. In most instances, inedible poultry offal is removed from the plant premises, often without chilling. Inedible products harvested or salvaged for animal food must be handled physically and operationally separate from edible products.

Inedible poultry offal must not be shipped from the edible shipping areas. Decharacterization of inedible poultry offal is not required. Containers of inedible products used for animal food must be labelled "Inedible - For Animal Food Only".

(iii) Inedible meat products, which have neither been condemned nor harvested or salvaged for animal food

Collecting and disposing of inedible meat products in this category must be carried out in a sanitary manner. Orderly handling is important. These products can be a source of contamination if handled improperly. This type of inedible meat product must be transported via the shortest possible route to the inedible section of the establishment for rendering. Plant management must prevent unnecessary accumulation of these products in the edible section of the plant.


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(c) Disposing inedible waste products

Disposal of manure, paunch and viscera contents must be done in a sanitized manner and must not create sanitary problems on the premises. Inedible waste products must not be stored in the vicinity of the establishment.

5.3 Shipping Condemned Meat Products (a) Facilities and preparation of condemned meat products for shipment

Structural facility requirements are outlined in Chapter 2. General construction requirements for establishments apply also for condemned meat product holding rooms and shipping areas. Hot and cold water hand wash facilities must be provided.

Collecting condemned meat products in bulk containers or metal drums is acceptable since bulk containers require less maintenance and are more hygienic.

Before shipping, all condemned meat products must be slashed or ground and denatured with an approved denaturant. The denaturant must be evenly distributed to ensure that all condemned meat products are denatured. Condemned meat products must be kept under close supervision until denaturing is complete.

Containers must be cleaned regularly and must not be returned from the condemned room to an edible area for collecting condemned meat products until satisfactorily cleaned. Containers must be impervious, in good repair, easy to clean and legibly marked with letters not less than 10 cm in height with the word “CCOONNDDEEMMNNEEDD”.

(b) Frequency of shipment of condemned meat products

Unless daily pick-up service of condemned meat products is provided, refrigeration is required in the room where the condemned meat products are stored.

(c) Containers for shipment

Bulk containers or barrels used for shipping condemned and denatured meat products must be impervious, in good repair and clean when returned.

(d) Sanitation

Daily clean up of the condemned product holding room must be carried out. Whenever unsanitary conditions develop (e.g. product spill), management must arrange for an immediate cleanup. A regular insect and rodent control program must be implemented in the condemned product holding room.

(e) Other inedible meat products

Management may store other inedible meat products in the same room in which condemned meat products are stored for shipment. In such cases, all inedible meat products stored in this room must be treated as condemned meat products. The Inspector in Charge may use some discretion concerning the denaturing of inedible meat products that, by their nature, do not lend themselves to misuse.

Any inedible meat products harvested or salvaged for animal food, including meat products for fur-bearing animals, must be stored in separate rooms from condemned meat products.


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5.4 Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) For the purposes of this section:

Cattle means animals of the species Bos taurus or Bos indicus; but does not include other ruminants such as bison, muskoxen, yak or water buffalo.

Specified Risk Materials (SRM) mean the skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of cattle aged 30 months or older, and the distal ileum of cattle of all ages.

Note: The brain, trigeminal ganglia, eyes, tonsils, spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia are designated as SRM because, in Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) infected cattle, these tissues contain the BSE agent and may transmit the disease. The skull is designated as well because of the high probability of it becoming contaminated at the time of stunning and during manipulation of the other tissues if their separate removal was permitted.

Summary

Operators of establishments must:

• take the appropriate measures to identify cattle aged 30 months or older and remove from these carcasses the skull including the brain, trigeminal ganglia and eyes, the tonsils, the spinal cord and the vertebral column including the dorsal root ganglia;

• remove the small intestine from cattle of all ages; and

• treat these materials referred to as Specified Risk Materials (SRM), as inedible meat products.

Operators are responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of control programs (including HACCP plans where appropriate) that address all components of this Specified Risk Material (SRM) removal policy.

Cattle and Carcass Identification

Operators slaughtering cattle of mixed age should make every effort to slaughter cattle aged 30 months or older together.

Ear tags (e.g. the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA official tags) shall be attached, after their insertion into a plastic bag, to the fore shank of the carcass following hide removal. Alternative procedures that assure, with equal confidence, maintenance of the identity of the carcass and all its parts until their final disposition is known, may be approved by the veterinarian in charge.

(a) Dentition verification, age determination and carcass identification

The operator shall examine the incisor teeth of each carcass during post-mortem at or before the head inspector station. Plant personnel examining the teeth must be able to recognize permanent incisor teeth and be knowledgeable of this policy.

For the purposes of this guideline, cattle are considered to be aged 30 months or older when they have more than two permanent incisor teeth erupted (i.e. the first pair of permanent incisors and at least one tooth from the second pair of permanent incisors). See Appendix A for diagrams of bovine incisor teeth.

When a carcass has been identified as being derived from an animal aged 30 months or older, it must be marked in a way that will permit easy identification of the head and the carcass sides (and quarters as needed) up to the point where all Specified Risk Materials (SRM) are removed.

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Operators may be able to reduce or eliminate the need for certain requirements under this part if this does not affect the outcome of the policy. For example, an operator may decide to treat all slaughtered cattle as being derived from animals aged 30 months or older. In such a case, Specified Risk Materials (SRM) would be removed from all carcasses regardless of their age. There would therefore be no need to mark the head and the carcass sides (unless the removal of the vertebral column is performed in another establishment).

An inspector will monitor the accuracy of the operator's examination of incisor teeth, aging and carcass identification during the inspection of the head. Their focus with respect to the age determination will be on carcasses that are judged by the operator to be under 30 months of age.

Stunning, Dressing and SRM Removal

(a) Stunning

The use of a penetrating percussion device, which injects air into the cranial cavity, is not permitted and the use of pithing rods is prohibited.

Any externalized brain tissue must be collected and treated as SRM (e.g. contaminated hide from the head). Special care must be taken not to cross contaminate meat products with brain tissue.

(b) Head separation and removal of skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia, eyes and tonsils

The skull including the brain, trigeminal ganglia, eyes and tonsils of cattle aged 30 months or older are SRM and must be disposed of as inedible products. Separating the head from the carcass risks spread of spinal cord to adjacent tissue. The removal of the head must be achieved without contamination of the carcass or other meat products with SRM (i.e. spinal cord, brain) or other contaminants.

Separate knives must be provided for exclusive use in severing the spinal cords of cattle aged 30 months or older. These knives, as well as steels, must be identified by a colour coding or other visual system. Standard washing and sanitizing procedures apply.

As soon as the inspection of the head is completed and the tongue and cheek meat have been harvested, the remainder of the head should be placed without delay in an inedible container of suitable dimensions to prevent subsequent contact between the SRM head and any meat products.

(c) Tongue and cheek meat

Harvesting of tongue and cheek meat shall be carried out as soon as possible after the head has been removed. The tongue and cheek meat should be well washed after their removal, using a controlled wash, which will not cause cross-contamination.

(d) Removal of the distal ileum

In order to ensure complete removal of the distal ileum, the entire small intestine of all cattle regardless of their age must be removed and disposed of as inedible product. Best practice is to dispatch the small intestinal contents with the small intestine.

(e) Carcass splitting

The saw should separate the vertebral column in midline to facilitate removal of the spinal cord. Water used in an automatic rinse system for the saw must be controlled and ducted away from carcasses and edible offal. The water-exhaust effluent should be adequately trapped. The trap should be emptied, cleaned and renewed as and when necessary. All filtrate should be treated as SRM and should be emptied into an inedible container.


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(f) Removal of spinal cord

The spinal cord of cattle aged 30 months or older is a SRM and must be removed in its entirety, on the kill floor before the final carcass wash, and disposed of as inedible product. Lifting the cord out of the vertebral canal can be achieved using a knife. Other specialized tools can be used, but chain link gloves are not suitable due to the increased risk of gross cross-contamination.

Separate knives or other tools must be provided for exclusive use in removing and handling spinal cords of cattle aged 30 months or older. These knives/tools, as well as steels, must be identified by a colour coding or other visual system. Standard washing and sanitizing procedures apply.

Note: The spinal cord of cattle less than 30 months of age is not designated as a SRM but, nevertheless, must still be completely removed from all split carcasses on the kill floor before the final carcass wash. In the case of carcasses that are split after chilling (i.e. hide-on veal carcasses), the spinal cord must be removed during boning/cutting operations. This is required to prevent incorporation of spinal cord tissue into any meat products, ensuring compliance with established meat product standards and simplifying verification measures.

(g) Verification of complete removal of spinal cord

Remnants of spinal cord may be present at the final inspection. This is potentially the most important control point. The operator must make a thorough check of every carcass to ensure that no remnants of spinal cord are present before the carcass is marked with the meat inspection legend. This check must be performed for each carcass side. When any spinal cord remnant is discovered, the carcass must be retained for immediate rework by the operator.

(h) Removal of the dorsal root ganglia

In order to ensure complete removal of the dorsal root ganglia, the vertebral column of cattle aged 30 months or older, excluding the vertebrae of the tail, the transverse processes of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, and the wings of the sacrum, must be removed and disposed of as inedible product. This will most likely be done in the cut-up/boning room using normal boning procedures. In the case of establishments that do not have a boning facility, the removal of the vertebral column can be performed in another provincially licensed meat plant or a federally inspected establishment. Slaughter establishments that do not remove the SRM vertebral column on site will have to implement an identification system and shipping controls satisfactory to the veterinarian in charge. The controls should include notification of the inspector in charge of the receiving establishment where the removal of the vertebral column will take place regarding the number of carcasses or quarters to be expected. The receiving establishment must have a verifiable control system in place which will demonstrate to the satisfaction of the inspector in charge that all parts of the vertebral column are removed and appropriately disposed.

Note: The vertebral column of cattle aged 30 months or older cannot be used as raw material in the preparation of mechanically separated meat or finely textured meat.

(i) Verification by the operator of SRM removal and rework

The operator must verify the complete removal of all SRM. Any carcass or part that is found to be harboring fragments of SRM (e.g. spinal cord) must be retained by the operator for rework and subsequent presentation for further examination by the operator. The operator should have a system which allows retention and rework of carcasses harboring residual SRM to occur successfully and without gross SRM cross contamination to meat products. The operator must be able to demonstrate control of the system at all times.


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SRM Handling and Disposition

This section describes effective separation of SRM from the carcass, provisions for storage of SRM and hygienic standards associated with floor waste and inedible containers. Because of structural differences between establishments, procedures for separating and isolating the various SRM may vary. Generally, separation of SRM should occur as soon as possible and care should be taken to avoid cross contamination of meat products and the establishment environment by SRM.

(a) Handling of SRM within the establishment

SRM should be separated from carcasses at the earliest opportunity during the dressing process. SRM should be placed in inedible containers without delay and regularly moved to the inedible products area. This must include all SRM separated from the carcass, SRM from the floor and gross SRM debris. Basic principles of hygiene must be observed at all times.

(b) Floor waste

Areas where SRM are removed or handled should be regularly attended to by cleaners. Systems for containing gross debris and operational cleaning of these areas is important. SRM shoveled from the floor and any SRM debris from channels and drain covers/traps should be deposited into an inedible container. Use of squeegees is recommended. Drain covers and traps should be lifted and all matter collected from these sources shall be deposited into an inedible container, at least at the end of each working day.

(c) SRM containers

It is important that all SRM and debris are contained within inedible containers. Containers that leak shall not be used until they are repaired.

(d) Cleaning of SRM containers

All equipment and containers used in the handling of SRM must be routinely cleaned and sanitized. Inedible containers must at all times be acceptably clean. If inedible containers are being returned by a rendering company in an unclean state, they shall not be used until they are cleaned and sanitized. Cleaning of inedible containers should not occur where there are meat products in the vicinity. The cleaning and sanitizing of inedible containers should be an integral part of the cleaning schedule of the premises, and verified during the pre-operational inspection.

SRM Controls

The operator is responsible for the development, implementation, and maintenance of documented control programs that address all the components of this section policy including age determination and carcass identification. The control programs must ensure compliance with the relevant provisions of national legislation with respect to the control and disposition of bovine SRM and inedible material, including dead stock (dead on arrival) material. Operators who have implemented a HACCP system are expected to modify it accordingly.

All appropriate staff, including supervisors and managers, should have broad and current knowledge of the potential risk of BSE to the human population as well as the risk to the national cattle herd. The operator and all staff should have demonstrable knowledge of the establishment's SRM control programs and be able to demonstrate with accurate records that the SRM controls they have put in place have been implemented in practice, resulting in full compliance with the regulations and policy requirements.

Inspectors must be able to demonstrate their thorough familiarity with the SRM control programs established by the operator and to verify full compliance with relevant regulations and this guideline through the completion of relevant MCAP tasks and other inspection records as required.


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APPENDIX A - Cattle Dentition Figure 1 - Permanent Teeth Lingual Aspect - Ox 5 years


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APPENDIX A - Cattle Dentition

Figure 2 - Permanent Teeth Lingual Aspect - Ox 2½ years


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APPENDIX A - Cattle Dentition

Figure 3 - Permanent Teeth Lingual Aspect - Ox


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APPENDIX B - Cattle Vertebral Column Figure 1 - Ruminant & Sacrum


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APPENDIX B - Cattle Vertebral Column

Figure 2 - Fourth Lumbar Vertebra of Ox - Caudal View


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APPENDIX B - Cattle Vertebral Column

Figure 3 - Sacrum of Ox - Ventral and Dorsal Views


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Chapter 6: Shipping and Receiving

6.1 Responsibility of Management The management of an establishment is responsible for providing and maintaining adequate facilities for shipping and receiving meat products.

Management must also maintain records concerning the receipt and shipment of meat products and make these records available to the inspector upon request. The records must contain the following minimum information:

(a) date;

(b) description of product;

(c) weight;

(d) place of shipment (origin and destination);

(e) manufacturing code (date of manufacturing); and

(f) data concerning quality control and sampling at time of shipment (receipt).

6.2 Inspector's Responsibility The inspector monitors the quality control methods used by the company to ensure that the products shipped and received meet standards.

6.3 Meat Products Received at an Establishment For various reasons, meat products are returned to an establishment. This practice is permissible under the following conditions:

(a) A specific location must be provided and clearly designated for receiving the product. This location must be as close as possible to the receiving dock.

(b) The inspector must be notified of the arrival of the returned products and their origin.

(c) The products must be re-inspected by an inspector to determine the final disposition (i.e. approval or condemnation).

(d) Condemned products must be transferred to the inedible section of the establishment as soon as possible.

Returned products cannot be reworked or incorporated in the formulation of other meat products without the inspector's consent.

6.4 Shipment of Meat Products from Establishments Including Approved Storages

Means of transport must comply with the following conditions:

(a) meat products must not be transported in the same vehicles used for transporting live animals, insecticides or other hazardous chemicals;

(b) meat products must not be transported in the same vehicles as other goods which may adversely affect the meat product;

(c) meat products must not be placed in any vehicle which is not clean at the time of loading and, if necessary, the vehicle must be disinfected to the satisfaction of the inspector;


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(d) all internal finishes must be of corrosion-resistant material and in a good state of repair so as not to affect the organoleptic character of fresh meat products or otherwise render them unwholesome. They must be smooth, impervious and easy to clean and disinfect. Joints and doors must be sealed to prevent the entry of contamination (e.g. road dust). Painted wooden walls are unacceptable. If packaged products are well protected, some deviation from the above construction requirements may be permitted; and

(e) the design of the vehicle and equipment must ensure that the product's required temperature is maintained throughout the whole period of transport.

(f) refrigeration is required where the length of transport will result in an unacceptable rise in temperature, and potentially affect the safety of the products. As a general guideline, a maximum of 2 hours without refrigeration is considered acceptable.

Suspended meat sides, quarters and primal cuts destined for establishments or for customers may be delivered unwrapped if hung with equipment designed to prevent contamination. There must be sufficient clearance between beef carcasses or sides and the floor with consideration given to the stretching factor during transport.

Excessive swinging during transport must be avoided. Unsuspended sides, quarters or primal cuts such as beef chunks, briskets and ribs must be handled so that contamination is prevented. Good quality paper bags, stockinet’s or approved paper material may be used.

Unwrapped meat cuts (e.g. hams, pork shoulders, bellies, shanks, beef cuts) must not come in contact with the vehicle's floor. If not packed in a container they must be shipped on clean racks, dollies, plastic pallets, vinyl carpets or other approved material. The use of paper as a floor covering is prohibited.

Fresh meat products must be transported under refrigeration unless outside temperatures are below freezing, the period of transport is less than two hours or the product is protected against an undue rise in temperature. A rise in temperature of chilled or frozen meat products during transportation must be avoided. When shipping fresh and frozen meat products together, products must arrive in satisfactory condition.

Where an inspector identifies that accidental thawing has taken place and the condition of the meat has changed, the inspector must examine the meat to verify its wholesomeness.

Hog carcasses may be shipped without being pre-chilled to 4°C provided they are:

(a) shipped within 2 hours of slaughter

(b) delivered directly to a cold storage facility either at a wholesale or retail premises within 2 hours of shipment.


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Chapter 7: Marking and Labeling of Meat Products A fundamental principle of a meat inspection program is the identification of approved meat products. Carcasses or portions bearing the inspection legend stamp or an approved label are, at the time of marking, sound, healthy, fit for food and the products manufactured under sanitary conditions.

Marking and labeling establish the integrity of inspected meat products. Management is responsible for protecting all approved products as well as ensuring that only inspected meat is shipped from or allowed to enter their establishment.

7.1 Legislation In addition to the labeling requirements under the Meat Inspection Regulation, other enactments may be applicable to packaged meat products. Plant management is encouraged to ensure labels conform to all labeling requirements. Legislation, which may be applicable, includes:

• Food Products Standards Act (Provincial);

• Food and Drugs Act (Canada); and

• Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (Canada).

7.2 Inspection Legend Stamp An impression of the inspection legend is stamped on each quarter of an approved carcass. If carcasses are cut in the establishment, the stamp is placed on each primal cut.

7.3 Labels Products, which are not suitable to be marked with the inspection legend stamp because of size or packaging, must be identified with permanently affixed labels containing the name and address of the establishment, a description of the contents and the weight.

7.4 Meat Product Entering an Establishment Management is responsible for ensuring that only approved meat products enter an establishment. Approved products would include:

(i) carcasses or products which bear the provincial or federal meat inspection legend stamp;

(ii) packaged products bearing permanently affixed labels which identify the name and address of the establishment or a description of the products and the weight;

(iii) labelling to verify shipment from a Class C establishment; and

(iv) products from an exporter approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (i.e. approved international export product).

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http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/F-27�

http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-38�

Abattoirs Code of Good Practice - British Columbia

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