Section 1262 - Poultry Meat Food Products for CanningOnly inspected and passed products may be canned in an official establishment, and such products shall be processed and handled in compliance with the following requirements:
(a) Immediate containers (whether of metal, glass or other material) shall be cleaned thoroughly by washing in an inverted position with running water of a temperature of at least 180 degrees F., or by other means acceptable to the Department, immediately prior to filling with products; and precautions shall be taken to avoid any subsequent spoilage of the inner surfaces of such containers.(b) Only perfect closure is acceptable for hermetically sealed containers; and heat processing of the products in such containers shall follow immediately after closing. (1) Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, such products shall be so processed at such temperature and for such period of time as will insure preservation of the products under usual conditions of storage and transportation.(2) Immediately after closing, and again after the containers have cooled sufficiently for handling after heat processing, careful examination shall be made by competent establishment employees of all containers to ascertain whether such containers are perfectly sealed. The products in such containers as are defectively closed or sealed shall, as promptly as practicable, be filled into other containers, hermetically sealed, and heat processed unless the containers are promptly placed in a cooler at a temperature not exceeding 36 degrees F. under conditions that will promptly and effectively chill them. Such chilled containers of products shall be opened and the contents removed and reprocessed immediately after removal from the cooler: Provided, that if such containers remained in the cooler for a period of 24 hours or longer, the contents shall be inspected by an inspector prior to the reprocessing thereof. Failure to comply with the provisions of this subsection shall subject the products to condemnation.
(c) After heat processing, and after the containers have cooled sufficiently for handling, the containers shall be examined by competent establishment employees and shall not be passed unless showing the external characteristics of sound containers, that is,there is no bulging or slack or loose tin.(d) After heat processing, any containers of products showing characteristics of short vacuum or over-stuffed containers shall, when an inspector deems it necessary in order to determine whether spoilage of the product has taken place, be incubated under the supervision of an inspector, after which the containers shall be opened and sound products passed for food and spoiled products condemned.(e) Products may, when authorized by the Department, and under such conditions as the Department may prescribe and approve, be canned without steam-pressure cooking, and such products, if frozen, shall be labeled "keep frozen," and if they are not frozen, they shall be labeled "perishable, keep under refrigeration."(f) Each lot of canned products shall be identified, during the handling preparatory to heat processing, by tagging the baskets, cases, or containers with a tag which will change color on going through the heat processing, or by other effective means which will positively prevent failure to heat process.(g) All canned products, excepting those in glass, shall be plainly and permanently marked, by code or otherwise on the containers, with the identity of the contents and date of canning. If the marking is by code, its meaning shall be on record in the files of the inspector.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 3, § 1262
1. Renumbering of former article 22 to article 21, amendment of section and new NOTE filed 3-19-2009; operative 4-18-2009 (Register 2009, No. 12). Note: Authority cited: Sections 407, 24561, 24562, 24681 and 24991, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 24651, 24652, 24653, 24654, 24655, 24656, 24657, 24658, 24659, 24660 and 24661, Food and Agricultural Code.
1. Renumbering of former article 22 to article 21, amendment of section and new Note filed 3-19-2009; operative 4-18-2009 (Register 2009, No. 12).