[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 9, Volume 2]

[Revised as of January 1, 2007]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 9CFR354.230]



[Page 404-405]

 

                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS

 

     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 

                               AGRICULTURE

 

PART 354_VOLUNTARY INSPECTION OF RABBITS AND EDIBLE PRODUCTS THEREOF

--Table of Contents

 

Sec. 354.230  Equipment and utensils.



    Equipment and utensils used for the preparation, processing, or 

other handling of any product in the plant shall be suitable for the 

purpose intended and shall be of such material and construction as will 

facilitate their thorough cleaning and insure cleanliness in the 

preparation and handling of products.

    (a) Live rabbit holding pens shall be so constructed as to allow 

satisfactory ante-mortem examination and to permit proper cleaning.

    (b) Metal refuse containers shall be provided, and such containers 

shall be kept covered.

    (c) Insofar as it is practical, equipment and utensils shall be made 

of metal or other impervious material. Trucks and receptacles used for 

handling inedible products shall be of similar construction and shall be 

conspicuously and distinctly marked and shall not be used for handling 

any edible products.

    (d) Chilling vats or tanks used for chilling ready-to-cook rabbits 

shall be made of metal or other hard-surfaced impervious material.

    (e) Where grading bins are used for ready-to-cook rabbits, they 

shall be of sufficient number and capacity to handle the grading 

adequately without the use of makeshift bins and all ready-to-cook 

rabbits shall be kept off the floor. Grading bins may be made of metal 

or enameled wood and shall be constructed and maintained in such a 

manner as to allow easy and thorough cleaning. All replacements of such 

bins shall, however, be of metal.

    (f) Except as otherwise provided herein, all equipment and utensils 

used in the killing, skinning, eviscerating, chilling, and packing rooms 

shall be of metal or other impervious material and constructed so as to 

permit proper and complete cleaning.

    (g) Conveyors: (1) Conveyors used in the preparation of ready-to-

cook rabbits shall be of metal or other acceptable material and of such 

construction as to permit thorough and ready cleaning and easy 

identification of viscera with its carcass.

    (2) Overhead conveyors shall be so constructed and maintained that 

they do not allow grease, oil, or dirt to accumulate on the drop chain 

or shackle, which shall be of noncorrosive metal.

    (3) Nonmetallic belt-type conveyors used in moving edible products 

shall be of water-proof composition.

    (h) Inspection, eviscerating, and cutting tables shall be made of 

metal and have coved corners and be so constructed and placed to permit 

thorough cleaning.

    (i) In plants where no conveyors are used, each carcass shall be 

eviscerated in an individual metal tray of seamless construction.

    (j) Water spray washing equipment shall be used for washing 

carcasses inside and out.

    (k) Watertight metal receptacles shall be used for entrails and 

other waste resulting from preparation of ready-to-cook rabbits.

    (l) Watertight trucks and receptacles for holding or handling 

diseased carcasses and diseased parts of carcasses shall be so 

constructed as to be readily and thoroughly cleaned; such trucks and 

receptacles shall be marked in a conspicuous manner with the word 

``condemned'' in letters not less than 2 inches high and, when required 

by the inspector in charge, shall be equipped with facilities for 

locking and sealing.

    (m) Freezing rooms should be adequately equipped to freeze ready-to-

cook rabbits solid in less than 48 hours. Ready-to-cook rabbits should 

be frozen at temperatures of -10 [deg]F. to -40 [deg]F. and should be 

stored at 0 [deg]F. or below, with the temperature maintained as 

constant as possible. Freezing room should be equipped with floor racks 

or pallets and fans to insure air circulation.

    (n) Cooling racks should be made of metal and be readily accessible 

for



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thorough washing and cleaning. All replacements of cooling racks shall 

be made of metal.

    (o) Trucks and receptacles in which carcasses or parts thereof are 

held for further inspection shall be in such number and such location as 

the needs of the inspection in the plant may require. They shall be 

equipped for locking by means of lock and key and the key shall not 

leave the custody of the inspector in charge of the plant. Such trucks 

and receptacles shall be marked conspicuously with the word ``retained'' 

in letters not less than 2 inches high.