Food > Meat and Poultry Products > Manual of Procedures > Chapter 4  

Chapter 4 - Inspection procedures, dispositions, monitoring and controls

4.8 Preparation of offal and other detached portions for edible purposes, for animal food, for pharmaceutical or research use

As a basic principle, all edible offal must be chilled or frozen as soon as possible and should not be permitted to remain in unrefrigerated areas for extended periods of time.

(a) Beef feet

Beef feet may be harvested for human food provided the following conditions are met:

1. The identity of the feet harvested is maintained until the corresponding dressed carcass is approved. If feet from several carcasses are collected in one container, and one of the carcasses is condemned, all the feet collected in that particular container shall be condemned.
2. Only feet from approved carcasses may be harvested for human consumption;
3. Approved feet are scalded and cleaned;
4. Hoofs are removed from feet;
5. The proximal end of the foot, which has been contaminated during the scalding and cleaning process, is resected to remove the contaminated portion.

N.B.approved feet may be sent under appropriate controls from one registered slaughter establishment to another registered establishment for scalding, cleaning and further preparation as an edible meat product.

(b) Tongues

Tongues shall be trimmed and washed free of all blood, etc., prior to refrigeration. Beef tongues may be stamped, used for processing or shipped in accordance with Sections 94, 114, or 115 of the Meat Inspection Regulations, 1990.

(c) Brains

Brains may be prepared for human food, provided they are free of bone splinters and other contaminants (bullet particles, hide, hair, etc.) Brains from animals stunned by a penetrating percussion pistol may be used for human consumption if adequately trimmed.

Brains shall be washed and refrigerated without delay after inspection and approval for human food.

Brains containing some skin or bone from stunning, or containing blood clots, maybe salvaged for animal food.

Brains may not be prepared for human food or salvaged for animal food if lead or fragile bullets are used to stun food animals.

(d) Thymus (Sweetbread)

Thymus glands, from bovines, may be prepared for human food, provided they are free of pathological lesions. After inspection, thymus glands (sweetbreads) shall be washed to remove blood and blood clots, and chilled before packaging, or packed and frozen.

(e) Hearts

Hearts may be prepared for human food from all food animals. Hearts of red meat animals shall be cut open to permit the complete removal of all blood clots. (See 4.6 for inspection of hearts).

Hearts shall be trimmed as follows:

1. The aorta and other major blood vessels are to be removed to within 2 cm of their origin.
2. The atria do not need to be routinely trimmed, except to accommodate removal of the major blood vessels and, if applicable, the os cordis (heart bone) - see below.

Prior to beef hearts being comminuted, it is required to remove the os cordis. The removal, if not accomplished at the slaughtering establishment, must be carried out in a suitable facility in the processing establishment. It should be noted that the term "boneless beef" may only be used in association with beef hearts, from which the os cordis has been removed.

After washing, hearts shall be drained and refrigerated. Beef hearts may be stamped, used for processing or shipped in accordance with Sections 94, 114, or 115 of Regulations.

(f) Livers

Horse livers are not approved as edible due to their high cadmium content.

Livers from all other food animals may be prepared for human food. The livers are prepared by removing the gall bladder. (N.B. If the livers are intended for export, most countries require that the portal lymph nodes are left attached to the livers.) Any small areas of dry adhesions, parasitic scars, etc. shall be trimmed.

Livers more severely affected with these or other conditions (see 4.7) may be salvaged for animal food.

Livers may be chilled by immersion in cold running water or by air chilling in a cooler. In the latter case, the livers are hung on racks or placed in trays. Alternatively, livers may be packed and frozen.

Edible livers derived from red meat food animals may be stamped, used for processing or shipped in accordance with Sections 94, 114, 115 of Regulations.

(g) Lungs

The use of lungs as an ingredient in meat products constitutes adulteration. Nevertheless, the salvage of lungs for human consumption may be permitted in registered establishments for export and for domestic consumption. Only lungs which are found free of pathological lesions and contamination may be prepared for export or for domestic sale. The trachea and main bronchi of lungs shall be split prior to inspection for parasitic infestation and presence of ingesta.

After inspection, lungs prepared for edible purposes or salvaged for animal food shall be chilled before packaging, or packed and frozen.

(h) Spleens

The use of spleens as an ingredient in meat products constitutes adulteration. Nevertheless, the salvage of spleens for human consumption may be permitted in registered establishments for export and for domestic sale. Only spleens which are found free of pathological lesions and contamination may be prepared for export or sold domestically.

(i) Tripe, Omasa and Abomasa

These may be prepared for human food, provided they are free of pathological lesions. Their preparation will vary from plant to plant; however, the following basic steps shall be followed: After inspection, the contents are to be removed and the raw product washed inside and out. Any contamination on the fat which cannot be removed by washing shall be trimmed. The rinsed product shall then be examined by a responsible plant employee, prior to further handling, i.e. chilling and packing in the case of raw product, or scalding in the case of other product. The inspector is responsible to monitor the efficiency of the controls put into place by the operator.

The following steps must be followed when automated equipment is used:

• The organs shall be opened and contents removed. In the case of the omasa this can be accomplished by shaking, (preferably with an automated shaker to remove heavier contents).
• The product shall be rinsed in accepted equipment to remove particulate material. For rinsing a continuous flow of water is required and the rinse water must be visually clean at the exit end before the product is removed. This stage is for rinsing only and does not scald or chemically change the product.
• Visual inspection of approximately the square root number of pieces by a responsible plant employee after rinsing is required. If ingesta are still present, the rinse cycle must be adjusted accordingly and the product must be subjected to further rinsing until found satisfactory. The inspection by plant employees shall be monitored by inspectors.
• The clean product is then placed in accepted equipment for the second stage of scalding or scalding and bleaching.
• After scalding or scalding and bleaching, all product shall be rinsed thoroughly in potable water.
• Final product must be visually clean, without abrasions, tears or any other abnormalities.
• There is no requirement to reach a certain final pH. However, it must be stressed that proper rinsing times and the proper usage of scalding and/or bleaching agents are essential for the production of an acceptable product.

Any registered establishment wishing to produce edible tripe omasa or abomasa using automated equipment must submit, in advance, to the Chief, Plants and Equipment of the Meat and Poultry Division, the details of their process, including length of time, water temperatures, chemicals used, type of equipment and quality control procedures. The operator is responsible for quality control and the inspector's function is limited to monitoring the packer's quality control.

The preparation of this material should, as far as plant facilities permit, be carried out in a room separate from the slaughter floor. Tripe, omasa and abomasa prepared for export shall meet the requirements of the importing country. Raw, unscalded product may be exported as edible meat product, if this is satisfactory to the importing country.

Product prepared for animal food need not be scalded, and trimming after emptying and washing is not required. However, a reasonable standard of cleanliness of such products shall be maintained.

(j) Hog stomachs

Hog stomachs may be prepared for human food, provided they are free of pathological lesions. The separated hog stomachs shall be opened, emptied and thoroughly washed. Hog stomachs shall be scalded and the mucous lining shall be completely removed before being used as an ingredient in a prepared meat product.

Hog stomachs prepared for export as an edible product may be shipped unscalded, if this is acceptable to the importing country.

Hog stomachs salvaged for animal food may be prepared unscalded.

The preparation of hog stomachs should, as far as plant facilities permit, be carried out in a room separate from the slaughter floor.

(k) Casing preparation

Casings may be prepared from intestines, bladders and esophagi of cattle, calves, sheep, lambs, goats and hogs, provided these portions are free of pathological lesions.

The preparation of casings should, as far as plant facilities permit, be carried out in a room or rooms separate from the slaughter floor.

Details of casing preparation (separation, cleaning, sliming, washing, testing, salting, etc.), should be reviewed in textbooks on meat hygiene. (See also section 15 of the Meat Inspection Regulations 1990.)

(l) Kidneys

Horse kidneys are not approved as edible due to their high cadmium content.

Kidneys from food animals other than poultry and horses may be prepared as an edible product, provided they are free of pathological lesions. Kidneys shall be chilled before packaging or packed and frozen. Kidneys shall be deeply incised and soaked in water and washed, before they are incorporated into a meat product. Kidneys shall not be used in the production of lard or tallow.

(m) Fatty tissues

The sanitary collection of clean fatty tissue from approved dressed carcasses and approved detached portions shall be carried out as speedily as possible. Fatty tissues should be refrigerated or rendered immediately after collection if intended for edible purposes. Fat trimmings harvested from carcasses prior to approval cannot be considered edible. Fatty tissues intended for the production of partially defatted tissue shall not contain bone, and in the case of partially defatted pork fatty tissue, skin.

(n) Beef, calf and horse tails

Any incidental contamination of skinned tails must be removed by trimming prior to washing to remove blood and loose tissue particles. In slaughter establishments where tails are harvested prior to final approval of the dressed carcass and detached portions, the identity of tails must be maintained until final disposition of the carcass. Approved tails shall be either placed in containers or hung on racks for refrigeration.

(o) Poultry feet or paws

See chapter 19

(p) Poultry giblets

See chapter 19

(q) Ova from fowl

See chapter 19

(r) Fetuses and organs for pharmaceutical or research purposes

The salvage of organs for pharmaceutical use may be permitted if such salvage does not interfere with sanitary operations in the establishment. Whole fetuses or their organs may also be allowed to be salvaged for pharmaceutical or research purposes.

It is not permitted to salvage organs when they, or the carcasses from which they originate, have been condemned because of a zoonotic condition, e.g. septicemia, peritonitis. Similarly, it is not permitted to salvage organs or it is not permitted to salvage these organs or parts when they, or the carcasses from which they originate, have been condemned because of a zoonotic condition, e.g. septicemia, peritonitis. Similarly, it is not permitted to salvage organs originating from animals licensed to slaughter because of a zoonotic condition on the farm of origin, e.g. Brucellosis, Rabies.

(s) Heads destined for retail sale

Heads may be salvaged and sent for eventual retail sale. Heads should be skinned or shaved as appropriate and must be visibly clean. Any head showing an obvious nasal discharge shall not be permitted to be saved for retail sale.

4.9 Reinspection

4.9.1 Introduction

Reinspection is an essential procedure, required to ensure that the integrity of meat products is maintained subsequent to ante and postmortem inspection. Ongoing surveillance is the responsibility of the operator and must be an integral part of any establishment's quality control program. It is the inspector's responsibility to monitor the quality control program by making periodic reinspections, but under no circumstances, should this monitoring be permitted to become a substitute for the quality control program.

However, import shipments are primarily the responsibility of the inspection staff.

4.9.2 Reinspection as a monitoring process

This type of reinspection should be conducted at all stages of operations, following final postmortem inspection and approval of carcasses. The locations where this reinspection is performed and also the type of defects which will be looked for, will obviously vary considerably with the type of operations being conducted and the type of meat product involved. For this reason, specific reinspection procedures will be discussed elsewhere in the manual, under the appropriate sections. e.g. refer to Annex F at the end of this chapter for the reinspection of lots of fresh and frozen red meat and poultry carcasses and parts.

4.9.3 Reinspection of imported meat products (See 10.3)

4.9.4 Reinspection of returned meat products

Only federally-inspected meat products may be accepted as returned product and should any other type of unidentifiable meat product be discovered, it must be immediately condemned or removed from the premises.

The operator must have a written policy for returned products and maintain a log of all returned products. Product disposition must be indicated. The inspector should initial the log when he/she inspects returned products.

The inspection consists of an organoleptic examination. In the event that a frozen product is returned and there is suspicion of spoilage, it is recommended that a small sample be thawed and examined since early spoilage may be difficult to detect in the frozen state.

Two categories of returned products may be encountered at the receiving establishment:

(a) Returned products, exported out of Canada

Reinspection of this type of product should be performed, whatever the reason for refusal by the importing country, before a disposition is made.

If the shipment has been refused due to problems with labelling or documentation, reinspection should be performed on a square root sample to ensure that the product has not deteriorated during transportation.

In those instances where the product has been refused entry to another country by reason of an unsatisfactory condition, (e.g. spoilage, contamination, pathological conditions, improper processing, damaged or rusted cans, etc.), the returned shipment should be reinspected in its entirety or until sufficient product has been examined, to determine that there is no alternative but total condemnation of the shipment. If condemned, the product must not leave the establishment at which the reinspection is performed until sterilized or denatured prior to treatment, as per section 14 of the Regulations.

Shipments refused entry and returned because of the detection of residues should be dealt with as indicated in Chapter 5.

(b) Returned product not exported out of Canada

In general, the same criteria should be applied to this type of product as those described in (a) above, where applicable.

(c) Returned Turkey Carcasses in the Event of an Actual or Perceived Malicious Product Tampering

See chapter 19

(d) All returned product

Depending upon the findings, reconditioning, reworking and repackaging of returned product is permitted, subject to the normal safeguards in respect of human health. It should be stressed that care should be taken to prevent possible cross-contamination from returned products to other meat products and for this reason, provision must be made for designated areas in the establishment where returned products may be stored, prior to reinspection.

The reinspection should only be performed in an area of the establishment which provides adequate facilities, and permits proper cleaning and disinfection.

A report of the findings during reinspection and on the subsequent disposition of returned meat products should be made in all cases where product has been exported out of Canada, and in those cases where it is considered justified (e.g. by reason of quantity), even though the product has only entered the Canadian market.