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Additional poultry and rabbit dressing, evisceration floor procedures

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Introduction

This document must be read together with Dressing procedures and Preparation of edible parts and Mechanical, electrical, gas stunning, slaughter methods and monitoring signs of unconsciousness or consciousness.

This document describes procedures to meet the regulatory requirements to "eviscerate" and Section 145 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and Standards to identify a meat product as edible.

1. Poultry specific dressing procedures

1.1 Bleeding

Bleeding time should be at least 90 seconds to permit complete bleedingFootnote 1.

1.2 Defeathering and washing

After feathers, hairs, dirt, scurf are removed from the carcass, it must be thoroughly washed prior to any further incision being made.

In order to reduce the attachment of Salmonella and other bacteria to the skin, spray washing of carcasses should occur within 15 seconds after:

Sprays at both washing stations should be of sufficient volume and pressure, to completely remove visible foreign material from the surface of the carcass including the hocks and any exposed surfaces as a result of bleeding or decapitation.

1.3 Removal of oil glands, heads and feet

Oil glands, heads and feet may be removed from poultry carcasses, either before or after evisceration.

Oil glands, heads and feet removed before evisceration may only be removed after carcasses have been defeathered and thoroughly washed.

If feet are presented with the carcass for post mortem inspection or examination, they should be free of visible contamination (for example manure).

The licence holder may apply for an alternate location provided it has been validated as per "Protocol for piloting new technology and procedures for poultry slaughter".

1.4 Evisceration

Poultry carcasses will be eviscerated with respect to the following:

1.5 Application of water during evisceration procedures to prevent bacterial attachment

License holder with evisceration equipment designed to completely detach the viscera, may spray the cavity and the viscera with water provided that:

Licence holders with equipment which does not fully separate the viscera from the carcass are not permitted to shower carcasses or viscera unless the equipment first passes a test under the Protocol for piloting new technology and procedures for poultry slaughter .

1.6 Process controls

Poultry slaughter and evisceration process control is a control used at a point or a step that contributes to the effectiveness of the related CCP(s) or post mortem inspection activities.

All process controls are developed by the licence holder except the Presentation Standards implemented in the establishments under Traditional Inspection system. This is developed and implemented by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as it performs on-line inspection.

Details are explained in guidance document titled "Post-Mortem Examination Program" and "Traditional Inspection Program".

1.7 Removal of condemned poultry legs

The licence holder must present the written control program to the veterinarian with supervisory authority to ensure that all condemned legs are removed prior to cut-up, boning, packaging or shipping.

For establishments operating under Post-mortem examination program, identified legs will not be counted as a defect under the CDS. If knife cuts are used as identification, these cuts will be:

Legs with pathological conditions must be removed prior to water immersion chillers.

1.8 Poultry off-line and on-line reprocessing and reconditioning procedures

Procedures for off-line and on-line reprocessing are published in a separate guidance document. Please refer to appropriate guidance document

2. Rabbit specific dressing procedures

2.1 Bleeding

Bleeding time should be at least 90 seconds to permit complete bleeding.

2.2 Dressing

Dressing will be performed without causing contamination by loose hair.

Carcass contamination from dirty hands, knives, hair during pelt removal and pelts must be avoided.

2.3 Evisceration

Rabbit carcasses will be eviscerated with respect to the following:

3. Additional evisceration floor procedures

3.1 Salvaging

Operators may elect to handle carcasses accidentally contaminated with gastrointestinal contents by salvaging the non-contaminated portions at either salvage and/or reprocessing station.

Salvage procedures may be conducted provided the following requirements are met:

3.2 Procedures for preparation of head and feet for edible purposes in poultry and rabbits

Procedures for preparation of head and feet will be published in a separate guidance document. Please refer to appropriate guidance document.

Additional Information

  1. Controls on contamination
  2. Dressing procedures and Preparation of edible parts
  3. Mechanical, electrical, gas stunning, slaughter methods and monitoring signs of unconsciousness or consciousness
  4. Poultry Pathogen Reduction Program
  5. Protocol for piloting new technology and procedures for poultry slaughter
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