Reference No.: C9.13.01.01 Receiving carcasses and meat products

Element: Receiving carcasses and meat products
Factor: Transport vehicles and containers
Area: Transportation standards
Component: Food safety
Revision date: March 1, 2009
Last version: Not applicable

Authoritative source:

Food safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 31/05 s. 132

  1. The operator of a meat plant shall ensure that carcasses, meat products and ingredients are received at the plant in a manner that protects them from physical damage.

Rationale:

It is essential that when carcasses and quarters and other meat products are transported they are protected against contamination. To achieve this, the container in which they are transported must be clean and free of contaminants of any type. The doors of the container must be tightly sealed and free of any cracks or holes, which are difficult to clean and provide a harbourage for micro-organisms. When carcasses and quarters are shipped, rails should be provided in the transport vehicle to allow them to be hung without contact with floors and walls and to protect meat from physical damage. It is essential that containers and vehicles be effectively cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination and that handling procedures during loading avoid contamination. Transport containers and vehicles should be included in the sanitation program of the plant. Temperature during shipping must be controlled between 2-4 degrees Celsius to reduce microbial growth.

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

(C9.13.01.01.01) carcasses and other meat products are received in clean and sanitary containers or vehicles.

(C9.13.01.01.02) carcasses and other meat products are received and handled at the plant in a manner that protects them from physical damage.

(C9.13.01.01.03) containers and vehicles used to transport carcasses and other meat products are included in the plant’s sanitation program.

Reference No.: C9.13.02.02 Transport containers and shipping

Element: Transport containers and shipping
Factor: Transport containers and shipping
Area: Transportation standards
Component: Food safety
Revision date: July 1, 2019
Last version: January 1, 2014

Authoritative source:

Food safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 31/05 s. 133, 134 (1)5. 5.1. 6. 7., (2)(a)(c)(d)

  1. (1) The operator of a meat plant shall ensure that carcasses and meat products are shipped from the plant in a manner that protects them from physical damage.

    (2) The operator of a meat plant shall ensure that no carcass or meat product is shipped from the plant unless it is protected against deterioration and contamination.

    (3) Before a carcass or a part of a carcass is shipped from a meat plant, the operator of the meat plant shall ensure that the internal temperature of the warmest part of the carcass or of a part of the carcass is 4 degrees Celsius or less, unless the inspector has directed otherwise in accordance with subsections 83 (8), (9) or (10).
  2. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the operator of a meat plant shall ensure that no carcasses, meat products and ingredients are received at the plant and no carcasses and meat products are shipped from the plant unless the operator inspects the transport container in which they are transported to or from the plant, as the case may be, and the container meets the following requirements:
    1. If it transports refrigerated carcasses, meat products or ingredients, it is equipped to maintain the carcasses, meat products or ingredients at an internal temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less.
      • 5.1 If it transports frozen carcasses, meat products or ingredients, it is equipped to maintain the carcasses, meat products or ingredients in a frozen state.
      • 5.2 If it transports carcasses, parts of carcasses or meat products that have been subject to a religious observance exemption from cooling and temperature requirements under subsection 83 (10), it must be equipped to cool the carcasses, parts of carcasses or meat products to an internal temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less.
    2. It is equipped to prevent the accidental freezing of carcasses, meat products and ingredients if there is a risk of freezing and if freezing could adversely affect the carcasses, meat products or ingredients.
    3. It is not being used for transporting animals, inedible materials, refuse, control products as defined in section 2 of the Pest Control Products Act (Canada), being chapter P-9 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, pest control products as defined in subsection 2 (1) of the Pest Control Products Act (Canada), being chapter 28 of the Statutes of Canada, 2002, or anything else that might contaminate a carcass, meat product or ingredient.

    (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to,

    1. meat products that are transported to a meat plant in a transport container for processing for use or consumption by an individual or the individual’s family if the container contains no other meat products during the time that they are transported to the plant;
    1. meat products that an individual has purchased at a meat plant and ships from the plant in a transport container for the use or consumption of the individual or that of the individual’s immediate family if the container contains no other meat products during the time that they are shipped from the plant; or
    2. meat products that are,
      1. derived from a food animal or meat product that has been brought to a meat plant for slaughter or processing for an individual, and
      2. shipped from the plant in a transport container for the use or consumption of the individual or the individual’s immediate family if the container, during the time that they are shipped from the plant, contains no meat products, other than meat products for the use or consumption of the individual or the individual’s immediate family.

Rationale:

Carcasses, meat products and ingredients must be protected from contamination during shipping. Contamination is the unintended presence of harmful substances (physical or chemical) or biological (micro-organisms). Transport containers must be suitable for the material being transported, and be clean and free of contaminants. Transport vehicles must not be used for transporting animals, inedible materials, refuse or pest control products or anything else that might contaminate carcasses, meat products or ingredients. Operators are required to inspect the transport containers used to transport carcasses, meat products and ingredients that are being received and the containers used to ship carcasses and parts of carcasses from the plant. Before shipping, the internal temperature of the warmest part of the carcass must be 4 degrees Celsius or less, unless the inspector has directed otherwise in writing. (See MPG C9.08.16.04 for details on an inspector’s authority to permit carcasses or parts of carcasses to be exempt from cooling requirements in specific circumstances.) Carcasses, parts of carcasses, meat products and ingredients must be kept at appropriate temperatures during shipping to prevent microbial growth and deterioration. Transport containers used for transporting refrigerated or frozen carcasses or meat products must be capable of maintaining the temperature of carcasses or meat products at 4 degrees Celsius or lower or in a frozen state, respectively. An exemption to the transport requirements exists for meat products being transported by an individual for use or consumption by the individual or the individual’s family.

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

(C9.13.02.02.01) removed

(C9.13.02.02.02) removed

(C9.13.02.02.03) carcasses and meat products are shipped from the plant in a manner that protects them from physical damage, deterioration and contamination.

(C9.13.02.02.04) carcasses, parts of a carcasses are monitored prior to shipping to ensure the internal temperature of the warmest part is 4 degrees Celsius or less, unless the inspector has directed otherwise in accordance with subsections 83 (8), (9) or (10).

(C9.13.02.02.05) transport containers used for transporting refrigerated carcasses, meat products or ingredients are equipped to maintain the temperature of carcasses, meat products or ingredients at 4 degrees Celsius or less, except for products being transported by an individual for use or consumption by the individual or the individual’s family.

(C9.13.02.02.06) transport containers used for transporting frozen carcasses, meat products or ingredients are equipped to maintain the carcasses, meat products or ingredients in a frozen state except for products being transported by an individual for use or consumption by the individual or the individual’s family.

(C9.13.02.02.07) transport vehicles are not being used for transporting animals, inedible materials, refuse or pest control products or anything else that might contaminate carcasses, meat products or ingredients.

Reference No.: C9.13.03.01 Condition of transport containers

Element: Condition of transport containers
Factor: Standards for transport containers
Area: Transportation standards
Component: Food safety
Revision date: March 1, 2009
Last version: Not applicable

Authoritative source:

Food safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 31/05 s. 134 (1)1. 2. 3. 4.

  1. (1) Subject to subsection (2), the operator of a meat plant shall ensure that no carcasses, meat products and ingredients are received at the plant and no carcasses and meat products are shipped from the plant unless the operator inspects the transport container in which they are transported to or from the plant, as the case may be, and the container meets the following requirements:
    1. It is clean, free of contamination and suitable for its intended use.
    2. It is constructed of material that is free from any constituents likely to contaminate carcasses, meat products or ingredients.
    3. It has inside surfaces that are hard, smooth, is impervious to moisture and in good repair.
    4. It is capable of protecting a carcass, meat product, ingredient and any container for a carcass, meat product or ingredient against contamination.

Rationale:

Transportation represents an important link in the chain of meat production. Construction, maintenance, sanitation and refrigeration standards must be adequate and adhere as closely as reasonably possible to the standards required of the plant. All internal finishes must be in a good state of repair and made of corrosion-resistant material which does not affect fresh meat products or otherwise render them unwholesome. They must be smooth, impervious and easy to clean and disinfect. It is essential that when meat products are transported they are protected against contamination. The container must be clean, and free of any contaminants of any type. Rails should be provided in the transport vehicle to allow carcasses to be hung without contact with floors and walls if carcasses are being shipped. It must also have properly spaced overhead rails if carcasses, sides or quarters are transported without further protection. It is essential that containers and vehicles be effectively cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination and that handling procedures during loading avoid contamination. Transport containers and vehicles should be included in the sanitation program of the plant.

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

(C9.13.03.01.01) materials used for the interior lining of meat product transport vehicles are smooth, impervious, washable and installed in an acceptable manner.

(C9.13.03.01.02) only acceptable transport vehicles or containers are used to transport meat products.