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Poultry chilling and water retention

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1.0 Purpose

The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Inspection Staff on chilling of poultry carcasses and control of water retention in poultry products.

This document is intended to be used in conjunction with other guidance documents as referenced in Section 3.0 since it is limited to information not included in these documents.

The guidance outlined below should be used when verifying compliance with regulatory requirements related to chilling and water retention.

2.0 Authorities

The inspection powers, control actions and enforcement actions authorized by the above legislation are identified and explained in the Operational guideline – Food regulatory response guidelines.

3.0 Reference documents

4.0 Definitions

Unless specified below, definitions are located in either the:

5.0 Acronyms

CVS
Compliance Verification System
HACCP
Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
LONO
Letter of no objection
SPC
Statistical Process Control
VIC
Veterinarian with supervisory authority

6.0 Operational guideline

6.1 Water chilling

Reference: Poultry and rabbit meat refrigeration, chilling, and freezing procedures

6.1.1 Chemical addition to chill tanks

Products recognized by Health Canada as suitable for use in food production can be used, according to label directions, in chill tanks. Please refer to the reference material: Reference Listing of Accepted Construction Materials, Packaging Materials and Non-Food Chemical Products Database.

The CFIA currently requires that processing aids, not included in the above database, be the subject of a "Letter of No Objection" (LONO) before they are used. If a license holder (or the manufacturer of a product) would like a product recognized for a particular use, an application must be made for a LONO to the Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Canada.

6.1.2 Chilling time/temperature requirements

As part of a CFIA recognized Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, the following may be implemented provided the process is initially validated according to a protocol accepted by the Veterinarian with supervisory authority (VIC):

6.2 Regulatory requirements water retention

There is no provision in the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) for raw, single-ingredient meat products (e.g., chicken) to retain water as the result of post-evisceration processing in excess of naturally occurring moisture except as provided for dressed poultry carcasses (and therefore by extension, parts from dressed carcasses). Refer to: Canadian Standards of Identity: Volume 7 Meat Products Table 1 Maximum Weight Increase of Dressed Poultry Carcasses.

The CFIA has kept its water retention requirements in harmony with the US Final Rule: Retained Water in Raw Meat and Poultry Products USA Federal Register Volume 66, Number 6 and FSIS Directive 6700.1 Retained Water in Raw Meat and Poultry Products (73 kb).

Operators are to write and validate a retained water control protocol for water which is absorbed and retained as a result of post-evisceration contact with water, for all raw single-ingredient poultry products including dressed carcasses, parts of dressed carcasses including detached necks and salvaged portions.

Operators may submit a proposed alternative Statistical Process Control (SPC) program to the VIC if they chose not to use the program in the TR.

The operator may establish or change a plant specific retained water control program at any time provided it results in the production of a product in compliance with the SFCR, the written procedure is amended and validated, and the new proposed protocol is approved by the VIC.

Reference: Poultry water retention control program.

6.2.1 CVS Task 1.3.29 – Retained water control program (Poultry)

Use CVS Task 1.3.29 (internal access only - RDIMS 3124847) to verify compliance with the water retention control program. This task must be conducted at the specified frequency outlined in CVS, but should also be conducted, in part, whenever there is a concern about the water retention of single ingredient products. If a problem is revealed with the water retention program the VIC should be notified.

Reference: Poultry water retention control program.

6.2.2 CVS Task 1.3.33 – Retained water control program implementation (Poultry)

Use CVS Task 1.3.33 (internal access only - RDIMS 3124847) to verify compliance with the required monitoring of the water retention control program. Enough records should be reviewed to ascertain compliance with the monitoring program. This task should be completed at the prescribed frequency identified in CVS or whenever there is a concern about compliance with the water retention program. If a problem is revealed with the water retention program the VIC should be notified.

Reference: Poultry water retention control program.

6.3 CVS Task 1.3.24 – Design and implementation of Crust and Liquid Freezing of poultry carcasses written program

Use CVS Task 1.3.24 (internal access only - RDIMS 3124847) to verify compliance with the accelerated freezing processes. This task must be completed upon implementation of a crust freezing/liquid freezing program, or when changes are made to the program (i.e. new class of poultry).

Inspection staff are to verify the implementation and ongoing application of this protocol (interpretive guidance is under development).

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