Food > Meat and Poultry Products > Manual of Procedures > Chapter 8  

Chapter 8 - Shipping and Receiving

8.1 Responsibility

8.1.1 Operator

The operator of a registered establishment has full responsibility for providing and maintaining space for the shipment and receipt of meat products meeting the standards established by sections 28 and 30 of the Meat Inspection Regulations.

The operator must also maintain records concerning the receipt and shipment of meat products and make these records available to the inspector at his request. The records must contain the following minimum information of products shipped or received:

1. date;
2. description of product;
3. weight;
4. place of shipment (origin, destination); and, if applicable:
5. manufacturing code (date of manufacturing);
6. data concerning quality control and sampling at time of shipment (receipt).

8.1.2 Inspector

The inspector must monitor the quality control methods used by the operator to ensure that the products shipped and received meet standards. To this end he must also perform the necessary sampling. Specific responsibilities, such as certification, will be dealt with in the appropriate sections.

8.2 Shipment and receipt of unmarked/unstamped meat products

Unstamped meat products mean that meat products do not bear the meat inspection legend directly (stamped or applied by means of a sealed bag or breast tagged) but are packaged in fully labelled shipping containers. This implies that the shipping containers are bearing all the mandatory information, including the meat inspection legend (see sections 7.6 and 7.21.1, Chapter 7).

Unmarked meat products mean that meat products do not bear the meat inspection legend directly and that they are packaged in non-labelled or partially labelled shipping containers. This implies that the shipping containers are bearing part of, or none of the mandatory information, including the meat inspection legend (see sections 7.6 and 7.21.1, Chapter 7).

N.B. Therefore, meat products not bearing the meat inspection legend directly, that are packaged in shipping containers bearing the meat inspection legend alone or the meat inspection legend along with only part of the other mandatory information, are considered unmarked meat products.

8.2.1 Receipt of Unstamped Meat Products in Unmarked or Fully Marked Shipping Containers

In accordance with section 44 of the Meat Inspection Regulations, an operator shall ensure that no meat product be admitted to a registered establishment without evidence that the meat product:

1. was inspected in another registered establishment in accordance with the Meat Inspection Regulations;
2. is a meat product referred to in paragraph 3(3)(e) of the Meat Inspection Regulations; or
3. was imported into Canada in accordance with the Meat Inspection Regulations.

Inspectors should consider the following as sufficient evidence of inspection when a meat product that is not stamped arrives at a registered establishment under the following conditions:

1. in a vehicle or combo bin that is sealed with a government seal, a warning sign (CFIA 1436) placed on the vehicle and the shipment accompanied by a declaration from the operator or a person designated by the operator (CFIA 1452) giving assurance that the meat product has been inspected in accordance with the Meat Inspection Act and Regulations;
2. in fully marked cartons closed with a tape bearing the meat inspection legend. The seal provided by the tape must be such that the container cannot be opened without breaking the seal. (Some polypropylene tape has not been found satisfactory for this purpose on product held under freezer conditions). This procedure is not satisfactory for the sealing of waxed cartons;
3. in fully marked cartons (non-waxed or waxed) to which a strap has been applied that bears in a permanent manner, the company name;
4. in fully marked combo bins with a long enough liner that is sealed with a company seal bearing the company name. The company seal may be a plastic strap or a metallic seal, and must be non-removable without breaking the seal or tearing the liner. Alternatively, a government seal may be used, accompanied by the documentation required in option a);
5. in fully marked reusable containers and waxed cartons closed with a company seal bearing the company name and establishment number. Such a company seal must make it very difficult to open such waxed carton or returnable container without breaking the seal;
6. in a sealed liner that bears the meat inspection legend. (Meat inspection legend may be printed on that liner, glued to the liner or in the form of an insert);
7. in fully marked containers closed by a pressure sensitive tamper evident label that doubles as a seal (see section 7.4.2. Chapter 7). This label sticker shall display either the meat inspection legend or a complete label;
8. in fully marked containers shrink wrapped with a stick-on meat inspection legend or a complete label on the outside of the shrink wrap.

Returns and shipments received from another registered establishment that are not stamped or handled in accordance with the above listed methods shall not be allowed entry into a registered establishment by the operator.

N.B. In the case of receipt of an unmarked prepared meat product in a registered establishment the ingredient listing must accompany the prepared meat product.

8.2.2 Shipment of Unmarked Meat Products

Unmarked meat products may only be shipped from a Canadian registered establishment or its foreign equivalent to Canadian registered establishments or may be exported, in either a vehicle or bulk container sealed with an official seal and under certificate. Forms CFIA 1452 and CFIA 1436 must be used in Canada. In the case of an imported shipment, please refer to section 10.3 of the manual.

Shipments of unmarked meat products for export may be certified only after it has been established that the labelling or lack thereof is acceptable to the importing country. (See chapter 11 for more details.)

8.2.2(1)

Unmarked meat product may be sent from one registered establishment to another for further processing, packaging, labelling or in order to complete operations for purposes of marketing (quick freezing or cutting in the case of poultry, and cutting, smoking, etc. in the case of red meats).

Unmarked poultry carcasses may also be shipped from one registered establishment to another for grading and/or packaging.

Re-labelling or re-grading of poultry carcasses received from a registered establishment, where the products have been individually marked and graded, will not be permitted except in the case of product detained for improper grading, dressing or preparation, e.g. improper drainage, leakers, etc. Re-labelling is permitted if the product is further processed.

Re-labelling or re-grading of imported poultry carcasses, whether individually or bulk packaged, shall not be allowed unless they are further processed.

8.2.2(2)

Before shipment from the establishment of origin, the vehicle carrying these unmarked meats must be sealed under the authority of an inspector from the Food Production and Inspection Branch, using seals supplied by the Department.

A form CFIA 1452 must accompany the shipment and copies must be distributed, as indicated. The description should be as complete as possible and indicate the number of containers. In the case of a prepared meat product, an ingredient listing shall be provided.

The seals may be removed only with the consent of an inspector (at the establishment receiving the shipment), and the third copy of form CFIA 1452, including the description, should be checked against the products received.

Form CFIA 1436 must be affixed close to the seals on the vehicle.

In the case of a small shipment, this may be accommodated by placing the shipment in the front of the vehicle and sealing it off by an adequate partition, in order to prevent any unauthorized product handling, using seals supplied by the Department. Combo bins may also be sealed with official seals.

Water shall be drained from containers but meat products may be packed in ice. Open containers such as tanks and vats shall be adequately covered with a sheet of polyethylene to prevent contamination during transportation and handling. It is recommended that the polyethylene film be secured around the rim of the tank. The vats or tanks should also be numbered.

Unmarked meat products shall not be sent to a retail store or an unregistered establishment.

The inspector shall complete a report on all receipts of shipments of meat products that do not completely comply with these requirements, using form CFIA 1449.

8.3 Restricted Shipping and Receipt

The shipment and receipt of meat products may take place outside scheduled work shifts and without the physical presence of the inspector, under the following conditions:

(a) the shipment of meat products must have been assembled while inspection service was provided;

(b) meats or meat products must have been duly packaged and marked; and

(c) the inspector must be satisfied that the above-mentioned conditions are met. The inspector may be requested to check from time to time that the conditions are met.

8.4 Animal food and other inedible material (see Chapter 6)

8.5 Meat products returned to a registered establishment (returns)

For various reasons meat products that have already been shipped are sometimes returned to a registered establishment. This practice is permissible under the following conditions:

(a) a specific location is provided and clearly designated for the receipt of these products. This location must also be as close as possible to the receiving dock;

(b) the inspector should be notified of the arrival of the returned products and their origin;

(c) the products intended to be used in edible meat products shall be inspected by an inspector. The inspector will determine the final disposal, that is, approval or condemnation (see Chapter IV, section 8); and

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

At no time shall returned products be reworked or incorporated in the formulation of other meat products without the inspector's consent.

8.6 Shipment of meat products from registered establishments

In regions where provincial legislation concerning transportation of meat products is more stringent than ours, inspectors are requested to cooperate and ensure that these regulations are observed. It must be clearly understood that compliance with any provincial or municipal requirement is the responsibility of the operator or the importer.

Products shall be adequately protected against contamination and deterioration when shipped from a registered establishment. Unwaxed cardboard containers shall not be shipped in transport containers where they may become wet.

Transport vehicles used to ship meat products must be properly cleaned and sanitized (where applicable) and of suitable design, to prevent microbial, physical and chemical contamination of the meat product.

Unless shipped as unmarked meat product, the product shall be labelled in accordance with sections 94 and 109 of the regulations.

To fulfill and demonstrate the above obligations, the operator shall have written a program for transport carrier pre-loading inspection, cleaning and sanitizing (where applicable) of transport vehicles and written procedures in place to ensure the maintenance of product integrity during transport which includes packaging and loading procedures and carrier refrigeration verifications along with appropriate controls and records.

8.6.1

The means of transport shall comply with the following conditions:

(a) meat products shall not be carried in the same vehicles which are used for conveying live animals, controlled products as defined in the Pest Control Products Act or other substances that might adulterate the meat product. When carriers are used to transport food products, after non-food items have been carried (eg: multiple use), specific cleaning, sanitizing, and carrier inspection procedures are carried out and documented. Records of previous cargos and/or cleaning certificates are available for these multiple use carriers;

(b) meat products shall not be carried in the same vehicles as other goods in a manner which may adversely affect the meat;

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

(d) all internal finishes shall be in a good state of repair and made of corrosion-resistant material which cannot 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 so as to prevent the entry of dust and other sources of contamination. Painted wooden walls are unacceptable. In the case of well-protected packaged products, some deviation from the above construction requirements may be permitted; and

(e) The design of the vehicle and equipment shall be such that the required product's temperature and condition can be maintained throughout the whole period of transport.

8.6.2

Suspended sides, quarters and primal cuts destined for establishments or for other customers may be delivered unwrapped if hung with equipment designed to preclude contamination. Special care must be taken, in cases of hung beef carcasses or sides to assure sufficient clearance between the product and the floor, taking into consideration the stretching factor during transport.

Product shall be hung in such a way as to prevent excessive swinging during transport. Unsuspended sides, quarters or primal cuts such as beef chucks, briskets and ribs, must be handled in such a manner as to prevent their contamination. They may be protected using good quality paper bags, stockinettes and/or paper or any other accepted material. If shipped unwrapped, the requirements of 8.6.3 would apply.

8.6.3

Unwrapped meat cuts, i.e. hams, pork shoulders, bellies, shanks, beef cuts, etc., must not come in contact with the floor of the vehicle. If not packed in a container, they must be shipped on clean racks, dollies, plastic pallets, vinyl carpets or on such other material accepted for this purpose. Use of paper as a floor covering is unacceptable.

8.6.4 Temperature of transport vehicles and of meat products shipped from federally registered establishments

The temperature of the transport vehicle/container will be such that the product temperature requirements set out in 8.6.4 (a) or (b), as applicable, are met.

(a) Temperature of meat products shipped to retail customer or to a non-federally registered establishment:

All meat products (including red meat and poultry; carcasses, fresh products, processed products and edible offal) which are shipped to a retailer or to a non-federally-registered establishment must be shipped in a manner which ensures that product temperature corresponds with the mandatory storage instructions placed on the label, i.e.,

(i) Product labeled "Keep refrigerated" - product temperature is maintained at 4°C or less (warmest spot) without being frozen;

(ii) Product labeled "Keep frozen" - product is maintained in a frozen state.

Notes:

1. Carcasses cannot be shipped if their internal temperature (warmest part) exceeds 4°C.

2. When product labelled "Keep Frozen" is stored in a registered establishment, the freezer in which it is placed must comply with section 2.8.7.

(b) Temperature of meat products shipped between federally registered establishments:

(i) Poultry meat: Refer to section 4.10.1(6).

(ii) Red meat, red meat products (including red meat edible offal):

Federally registered establishments are increasingly specialized (e.g., separate slaughter plants/boning plants) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has received requests to permit the shipping of certain specific types of meat products (i.e., carcasses, primal cuts, sub-primal cuts, trim and edible offal) between federally registered establishments before the meat products have been fully chilled (to 4°C or less) or frozen (to 0°C or less).

The CFIA will only accept this practice to take place when all of the following conditions are met :

• the product is covered by a cooling performance standard [see section 4.10.1(4) (a) and (b)] and is complying with the applicable standard.

Note: For edible offal, pending the publication of a cooling performance standard, operators who wish to ship product above 4°C are to contact the Program Network Director (Animal) for the Area.

• the operators present a written document to the Program Network Director (Animal) for the Area in which they outline the respective responsibilities of each of the establishments involved in the cooling of the product. The agreement shall be endorsed by a representative of each of the establishments and shall be revised whenever a change in procedures or responsibilities takes place and at least once annually;

• the establishment which ships the meat products has features in place within a HACCP system which is eligible for CFIA recognition under the Food Safety Enhancement Program (FSEP) and which control the following (see notes below):

• refrigeration of product prior to loading;
• temperature of meat products at the time of load-out;
• product temperature during shipping; and
• time between transport vehicle/container loading and unloading.

• the establishment which receives the meat products has features in place within a HACCP system which is eligible for CFIA recognition under the FSEP and which control the following:

• temperature of products when unloaded;
• temperature of products during further chilling (until the product has reached a temperature of 4°C.)

Notes:

1. The establishment’s HACCP system will determine where to place the appropriate control points for hazards related to chilling of product and shipping of non-fully chilled product between establishments. The establishment’s hazard assessment, critical control points determination, validation and ongoing verification processes will need to include real-time data collected during actual shipping and which reflects worst-case conditions. This will need to include physical data (for example, temperature curves), microbiological data (for example, total plate counts, generic E. coli swab results, etc.) and other data (for example, Total Fatty Acids for products used in edible rendering).

2. If an establishment ships non-fully chilled product to more than one establishment, the controls will need to be validated and verified for each of the receiving establishments.

3. Generic E. coli testing which is done on carcasses shipped before 12 hours, must be done at each of the establishments which receive the carcasses. These results will need to also be provided to the abattoir of origin.

• in the case of registered storages which receive a non-fully refrigerated product for blast freezing, sufficient CFIA inspection resources to provide required additional inspection activities.

8.6.5

In every instance where an inspector identifies that accidental thawing has taken place and the condition of the meat has changed, he shall examine the meat to verify its wholesomeness.

8.6.6

Hog heads may be shipped in common containers such as combo bins under the following conditions:

i) they have been allowed to drip, and

ii) they are being held at a temperature of 4^oC or less.

8.7 Shipment of mechanically separated meat (M.S.M.) from one Registered Establishment to another for incorporation into a prepared meat product

M.S.M. may be shipped from one registered establishment to another in the refrigerated, refrigerated and cured or frozen state. The operator is responsible to implement proper controls over the conditions under which the product is handled to ensure its wholesomeness.

Refrigerated M.S.M. (cured or non-cured) should be maintained at temperatures close to 0^oC and should be closely monitored from production to utilization.

Cured M.S.M. must be identified as such:

cured mechanically separated followed by the name of the species of meat.

Note: When cured refrigerated M.S.M. is used, the operator must recalculate the nitrite input of the formulation to account for the nitrite contribution from the M.S.M. For this purpose, it is assumed that the maximum 200 ppm of nitrite salt has been added.

8.8 Shipping, receiving and transport of hide-on veal carcasses

Hide-on veal carcasses may be received from another registered establishment or imported. They may only be shipped to an other registered establishment or exported. Veal carcasses must be skinned prior to shipment to another destination.

During the loading, transportation and unloading of hide-on calf carcasses, measures must be taken to prevent contact between the exposed surfaces of carcasses and the hides of adjoining carcasses.

8.9 Receiving of meat products in registered establishments

8.9.1 Examination of incoming meat products

All shipments of meat products received in a registered establishment for further processing, packaging or labelling shall be sampled and examined by the operator for compliance with provisions of the Meat Inspection Act and Regulations. It shall include an examination of:

(i) transport vehicle - maintenance, refrigeration, arrangement of product within;

(ii) packaging, labelling, marking and stamping;

(iii) product - the operator must have written specifications for incoming meat products to prevent biological, physical or chemical hazards. A responsible employee monitors and controls incoming meat products for adherence to these specifications which should include product temperature, appearance, odour, microbiological specifications (if required). Records of inspection results are to be kept for each lot. When meat products are found not to meet specifications the manufacturer investigates, records the cause, the appropriate corrective action on the product and the preventative measures taken.

Shipments identified as not meeting departmental requirements must be reported to the inspector who will decide on the disposition of the meat product.

The inspector shall monitor on a random basis incoming meat products. Sampling plans and criteria for compliance to be used are those used at present for the imported meat products. (See chapter 10 sections 10.4.4 (10.4.6, 10.4.7)

Because of the potential severe consequences linked to the presence of E. coli O157:H7 in raw beef, all operators of meat registered establishments handling raw beef are required to reassess their HACCP system if they are FSEP recognized or to implement HACCP-based process controls to clearly indicate that E. coli O157:H7 is a likely hazard associated with raw beef. The Operators are also to implement pathogen reduction step(s) to manage the risk, if not already in place, to validate their HACCP system or HACCP-based process controls using as per established guidelines (see Annex O of  Chapter 4) and to implement verification procedures. Inspection personnel will review the establishment reassessment and take appropriate regulatory measures if procedures are found incomplete or ineffective.

8.9.2 Policy on reporting on vehicles or products received in unsatisfactory condition; use and distribution of the CFIA 1449

CFIA 1449 is to be used as a tool in control of shipping and receiving of meat products in registered establishments. Integral parts of this control are the disposition of the meat product received in less than satisfactory condition and the action taken by the establishment of origin of the product to prevent reoccurrence of the situation.

The CFIA 1449 is to be issued by the inspector when:

1. the inspector determines that a shipment of a meat product reported to him by the operator as a result of the operator's examination of the shipment is not meeting departmental requirements; or
2. when the inspector identifies a shipment of meat product not meeting departmental requirements during the random monitoring of incoming meat product.

The distribution of the CFIA 1449 is indicated on the form. The establishment of origin of the unsatisfactory shipment receives copies 1 and 2 of the issued CFIA 1449. Based on the reason for issue of the CFIA 1449 the operator and the inspector at the plant of origin must take action to prevent reoccurrence of the unsatisfactory situation. Operator's action plan to address the problem should be in writing and inspectors may have to increase their monitoring of shipments as part of the action taken. Fully completed copy 2 of the CFIA 1449 is then forwarded to Meat and Poultry Products Division in Ottawa.

8.9.3 Disposition of unsatisfactory shipments

An unsatisfactory shipment may be reworked in the receiving establishment or may be returned to the establishment of origin or another registered establishment, under an inspector's control, and be reworked there. Should the condition of the meat product have deteriorated beyond salvaging or constitute a health hazard, the product must be condemned.

8.10 Examination of incoming non-meat food products (ingredients)

The manufacturer has written specifications for all ingredients to prevent biological, physical or chemical hazards in food. Incoming lots are evaluated as frequently as required to ensure adherence to established specifications. In addition, for those ingredients that may impact on the safety of the end product (eg: spices applied on ready-to-eat products after cooking or fermentation, gelatin used as a glazing, etc.), each incoming lot is sampled according to a predetermined plan and analyzed for adherence to specifications or the manufacturer obtains a certificate of analysis for each lot (code). When certificates of analysis are used, to ensure their accuracy, random samples are checked at appropriate frequencies. Records of inspection results are kept for each lot evaluated. When non-meat food products are found not to meet specifications the manufacturer investigates, records the cause, the appropriate corrective action on the product and the preventative measures taken.

8.11 Examination of incoming non-food products which may come in direct contact with food (eg: packaging materials, gases used in packaging, cleaning chemicals, wood chips for smoke generation).

The manufacturer has written specifications for incoming non-food products to prevent biological, physical, or chemical hazards in the food. (For example; specifications for packaging materials may be that they are protected from contamination, clean, not damaged, approved for direct food contact, etc.; specifications for cleaning chemicals may be that they are listed in Part B of the Manual of Procedures). Incoming lots are evaluated as frequently as required to ensure adherence to established specifications and that materials are free from defects. Records of inspection results are kept for each lot evaluated. When materials are found not to meet specifications the manufacturer investigates, records the cause, the appropriate corrective action on the product and the preventative measures taken.