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

CHAPTER 4 - ANNEX E
Presentation Standards for Traditional Poultry Slaughter

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

2. Test Description

3. Hang-Back of Carcasses

4. Carcass Presentation, Description of Errors

4.1 Outside Carcass Errors

4.2 Inside Carcass Errors

4.3 Line Speed Error. Counted after completion of station checks

5. Aggregate Results and Actions Required

6. Traditional Inspection System Presentation Log

1) INTRODUCTION

Carcasses presented for postmortem inspection shall be hung in such a way so as to facilitate the examination of the external surfaces, the internal cavity, the internal organs and the viscera. The viscera shall be completely removed from the body cavity in such a manner as to permit palpation and visual inspection of the organs and intestines. The viscera shall be either left attached (traditional evisceration) or synchronized (new evisceration technology) to the poultry carcass for inspection. When the carcasses are eviscerated such that the viscera are still attached to the carcass, the viscera shall consistently be presented hanging down either the left or the right side of all the carcasses as instructed by the VIC.

Consistent postmortem presentation is a must in order to ensure optimal inspection efficiency. This standard is intended for establishments that slaughter all classes of poultry under the traditional inspection system.

This standard is provided to assist the traditional operator in applying and maintaining reasonable and achievable standards for presentation . It provides an objective means of monitoring and assessing the acceptability of carcass presentation for inspection. It will also provide a tool to create more uniform presentation nationwide.

The importance of good, consistent postmortem presentation cannot be over-stressed when one appreciates ergonomic considerations applied to inspection procedures. Without consistent acceptable postmortem presentation, the inspector will not be able to carry out the inspection responsibilities at optimum line speed. Process control is an industry responsibility and no one else can do it better. This standard provides the ground rules for demonstrating the industry’s process control at presentation.

While testing of these standards is designed for the inspection team, the standards may also be used by the operator as a guide to develop quality control for presentation.

The operator is responsible for providing consistently adequate presentation of carcasses for inspection.

The operator must:

(i) Train and assign plant employees in the proper presentation of carcasses for inspection.

(ii) Provide a rack to place carcasses for examination during presentation checks.

(iii) Provide lighting with a minimum of 2000 lux (200 foot candles) of shadow free lighting measured at the carcass cavity with a minimum colour rendering index of 85* to facilitate inspection.

* This requirement may be met by deluxe cool white type of fluorescent lighting.

(iv) Provide adequate space for the presenter and for the performance of presentation testing. (Three feet is recommended for presentation testing.)

The inspection staff monitor presentation compliance by performing presentation tests and take appropriate action when the presentation standards are not met. The inspectors must:

(i) Carry out the test required to assess the presentation of carcasses for inspection.

(ii) Communicate test results and any requirement for corrective measures to appropriate plant personnel.

It should be understood that the presentation standard does not require a specific number of plant employee presenters. Instead it establishes a standard of consistent presentation which must be met.

Each eviscerating line must be monitored for presentation effectiveness. Ten carcass checks are used to measure this effectiveness. The check consists of two separate 10 carcass observations, one for outside errors and the second for inside errors. Each error has been measured for its effect on the inspection process and assigned a weight factor. The total of the weighted errors on both inside and outside observation provides the measure of presentation acceptability. These ten carcasses must be taken at consistent intervals, ie. Every 5^th, 3^rd etc.

In order no to choose the first carcass of your sample, and introduce a bias, you have to visually select a carcass on the line, count 5 carcasses and then examine the following carcass: the first one of your subgroup. Then, continue according to you sampling plan ( each 3^rd or 5^th carcass).

The offline observation for outside errors will be made first. This observation must be made at each inspection station. It will be made with the person conducting the test standing off line, behind and between the presenter and the inspector.

There is a second method of doing the off line test. When the system is first introduced, the carcass should be physically removed from the line and placed on a rack. This is to demonstrate to plant employees the errors that have been observed. Once the Veterinarian in Charge (VIC) is satisfied that the presentation standards are well understood, errors can be observed on line.

The outside of 10 carcasses per station will be checked for any of the listed outside errors. Each error observed will be recorded on form CFIA/ACIA 3817. Then at the same station, but with the person doing the test standing on line between the presenter and the inspector, 10 additional carcasses will be observed for listed inside errors. Each error will then be recorded on form CFIA/ACIA 3817.

The last part of all checks is the line speed check. The outside and inside errors are converted to a weighted score, and added to any line speed error to determine the total nonconformance for each inspection station.

The frequency of presentation checks on each eviscerating line should be based on the operator’s ability to control its presentation. Twice per 8 hour shift is a suggested frequency; this can be reduced with growing confidence in the operational compliance. The frequency can also be increased with loss of confidence. The minimum frequency rate for any station should be once per 8 hour shift.

3) HANG-BACK OF CARCASSES:

The following categories of carcasses will be signaled for hang-back by the inspector and be hung back by the inspector’s helper. They shall be controlled by the operator as part of the establishment’s written HACCP system which specifies how the operator shall assure that hung-back carcasses are handled promptly and hygienically. No error will be recorded on a presentation check for:

- not opened - Carcass arrives at the inspection station with no opening cut made in the carcass.

- not drawn - Carcass arrives at the inspection station with opening cut made but with viscera insufficiently drawn to permit inspection.

- two legs out of shackle - Carcass arrives at inspection station hung by neck or wing.

Hung-back carcasses can cause process problems that, if not addressed, may result in unwholesome product being produced. Hung-back carcasses shall not be allowed to accumulate on the rack and shall be identified and separated from carcasses hung back on the rack for the salvage of portions. The dressing errors shall be corrected as quickly as possible and the carcass returned to the evisceration line to prevent product deterioration.

4) CARCASS PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION OF ERRORS

4.1 Outside Carcass Errors (Observe 10 carcasses off the line at each inspection station)

a) front or side - weight of 11

Carcasses arriving with other than the back toward the inspector require inspector to turn the carcass prior to inspection.

b) hung by 1 leg - weight of 9

Carcasses arriving with both legs not properly suspended in the shackle require inspector to reposition carcass prior to inspection or modify inspection technique.

c) carcasses swinging - weight of 6

Carcasses arriving with sufficient swinging motion to interfere with the inspection process. Excessive swing is defined as movement at 30 degrees or more to the chain and away from the inspector. Increases time needed to grasp carcass and destroys natural inspection rhythm.

d) viscera not uniform - weight of 8

Carcasses arriving with viscera on the opposite side of normal presentation or in the middle of the abdominal opening. This interferes with the viscera observation. Can obscure the back of the carcass and upset inspector rhythm.

e) contaminated viscera - weight of 6

Carcasses arriving with contaminated viscera, which may affect postmortem inspection effectiveness or efficiency. This is usually faecal or bile contamination and requires the inspector to wash his/her hands and signal the helper.

f) viscera below wing - weight of 12

Carcasses arriving with the heart and/or the liver (and/or the spleen in the case of birds over 8 weeks) below the wing breast joint. Causes loss of inspection rhythm due to necessity to locate, collect all portions and reposition viscera for inspection.

g) viscera not free - weight of 10

Carcasses arriving with viscera not adequately separated from the abdominal fat pad and suspended alongside the carcass. Necessitates separation by the inspector in order to inspect viscera and properly view abdominal cavity. If only a cross strip of fat is present, it will be considered that the viscera are free.

h) viscera in shackle - weight of 8

Carcasses arriving with visceral organs hung in shackle.

i) out of sequence - weight of 15

Carcasses arriving on guide bar out of sequence for the inspection station due to kick-out malfunction or missing the kick-out. It necessitates inspection of an extra carcass.

j) no viscera - weight of 20

Carcasses arriving without viscera. Requires a search and some subsequent action. Those carcasses arriving with a single or two organs i.e. heart and/or liver (and/or the spleen in the case of birds over 8 weeks) missing will be scored with a weight of 5.

4.2 Inside Carcass Errors (Observe 10 carcasses off the line at each inspection station)

a) membrane - weight of 2

Carcasses arriving with inside cavity obstructed by air sac membranes from viscera to cavity. Requires inspector to rupture sacs in order to see into thoracic cavity.

b) opening cut - weight of 1

Carcasses arriving with inside cavity obstructed by inadequate opening cut. This includes cross strips of skin, the anus or cloaca still in the carcass or any other obstacle to appropriate inspection located in the area of the opening cut. It has been found that a cut made within 2 cm (3cm for turkey) to the point of the keel is an adequate opening.

c) not reflected - weight of 2

Carcasses arriving with the viscera not reflecting the appropriate abdominal flap. Requires inspector to open flap to inside abdominal cavity.

d) parts inside - weight of 1

Carcasses arriving with one or more of the visceral organs left in the cavity. Requires more time to inspect the inside of the carcass.

* For Fowl hearts only, corrective action and retesting will not be required if there are three or more occurrences of "Parts Inside".

e) contamination inside - weight of 6

Carcasses arriving with contamination occurring on the inside surfaces of the carcass. Requires inspector to wash hands and communicate with helper.

f) mutilation -weight of 2

Carcasses arriving with internal mutilation caused by the vent or evisceration equipment, which may affect inspection efficiency.

4.3 Line Speed Error. Counted after completion of station checks

Line speed exceeding current maximum for their production capability during a specific period of time. Each carcass per minute exceeding the current maximum equals one error. Three such errors will require corrective action and retest within 10 minutes.

5) AGGREGATE RESULTS AND ACTIONS REQUIRED.

Suggested actions for failure to meet the presentation standards area: required retest to verify previous sample within 10 minutes and/or required line speed reduction until presentation control is demonstrated. Which action is taken is determined by the total nonconformance weight of the two 10 carcass checks and the maximum number of the same individual presentation error on a check.

If any test result has a total nonconformance weight of 40 or more, immediate line speed reduction action must be taken. Line speed reduction are based on 10 % of the carcasses per minute from the current line speed at the time of the check. A 10 % line speed reduction is required to allow adequate process correction. If the line speed at the time of the check is 96 cpm and a line speed reduction is required, then the minimum reduction is 10 cpm. A retest of reduced line speed after speed reduction is required within 10 minutes. The increment used for the line speed increase is equivalent to the increment used for line speed reduction. In our example, the decreased line speed of 86 is restores to 96 when the presentation standards have been met.

If any 10-carcass total nonconformance weight is 25 through 39, the operator is required to take immediate corrective action before a retest of the affected station is done within 10 minutes.

If any retest is 25 or more, the line speed must be reduced 10 %. The station is checked again within 10 minutes after line reduction action to measure presentation acceptance level at the reduced speed. Another important observation that must be made after each check and retest is the number of identical errors on the same test. If any check of a 10-carcass test shows 3 or more of the same presentation error*, the operator must take immediate corrective action before a retest within 10 minutes. If any retest results in 3 or more of the same error or a total nonconformance weight of 25 or more, the line speed must be reduced 10 %. The retest of the station must then be started as soon as possible and no more than 10 minutes after the line speed reduction.

Line speed reductions of 10 % continue on each retest until a total of 24 or less and 2 or less of any one error is achieved or the third line speed reduction in a row for presentation has taken place. When three consecutive line speed reductions for presentation nonconformance on one line do not result in acceptable presentation on that line, the VIC must evaluate the presentation problem. The VIC will determine the effect the presentation problem is having on postmortem inspection and operational sanitation. Presentation guidelines were established based on optimal line speeds. Acceptable presentation at less than 70 % of optimum line speed will be determined by the VIC. Line speeds will be allowed to increase 10 % up to the maximum allowed only after presentation control is satisfactory (24 or less and 2 or less incidences of the same error) has been demonstrated. When line speeds are increased by allowed increments, process control must again be demonstrated for this station at the higher line speed, as soon as possible and not more than 10 minutes after each increase.

Because of shift to shift and day to day differences in plant staffing and supervision, the presentation results of each shift and each production day will be independent of all other presentation results. There will be a new presentation form and a new start for each station, each shift and each production day.