Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 17, September 10, 2024
3.1. Licensed poultry processors must comply
with the Colorado Department of Agriculture Animal Health Division "Live Bird
Market Rule" codified at
8 CCR
1201-20 pertaining to biosecurity measures which are
required to protect the Colorado poultry industry.
3.2. Poultry processing licensees must comply
with all of the requirements in these Rules.
3.3. Exempt poultry producers must comply
with Part 7 and 8.
3.4. Exempt
poultry producers cannot process another poultry producer's birds.
3.5. Licensed poultry processors cannot
process another poultry producer's birds.
3.6. A licensee must follow the appropriate
steps in regards to slaughtering; defeathering; dressing; carcass chilling;
fabricating (if applicable); wrapping; and refrigeration or freezing of wrapped
product.
3.7. Inedible offal must
be collected, denatured and disposed of according to sanitary practices in
compliance with Part 10.
3.8.
Slaughtering, scalding and defeathering operations must be conducted within a
separate room in the poultry processing facility or in a poultry slaughter area
as defined in Part 1.12.
3.9.
Unless such poultry is frozen immediately, all poultry slaughtered and dressed
in the facility must be chilled immediately after processing so that the
internal temperature of the poultry carcasses and major portions is reduced to
40°f or below within the following times:
3.9.1. Four (4) hours of processing if the
poultry carcass and major portions weigh under 4 lbs.;
3.9.2. Six (6) hours of processing if the
poultry carcass and major portions weigh between 4 and 8 lbs.; and
3.9.3. Eight (8) hours of processing if the
poultry carcass and major portions weigh over 8 lbs.
3.10. Giblets remaining with the carcass
after evisceration are subject to the same time and temperature requirements as
the carcass from which they were removed as described in Part 3.9. Giblets not
remaining with the carcass from which they were removed must be cooled within
two hours of being removed from the inedible viscera.
3.11. Poultry Chilling:
3.11.1. Each poultry slaughter facility must
ensure that all poultry carcasses, parts, and giblets are chilled immediately
after slaughter operations so that there is no outgrowth of
pathogens.
3.11.2. Previously
chilled poultry carcasses and major portions must be kept chilled so that there
is no outgrowth of pathogens.
3.11.3. After the product has been chilled,
the poultry processing facility must prevent the outgrowth of pathogens on the
product for as long as the product remains at the facility, or within their
control (if they are providing transportation to the buyer).
3.11.4. The facility must develop, implement,
and maintain written procedures for chilling that address, at a minimum, the
prevention of pathogen outgrowth.
3.11.5. Once chilled, poultry packaged and
shipped must be stored at 40 °F or less.
3.12. Chilling System:
3.12.1. Poultry chilling equipment must be
constructed and operated in a manner to ensure compliance with Part
3.9.
3.12.2. Only potable water and
ice produced from potable water may be used for ice and water chilling. Water
and ice used for chilling may be reused. The ice must be handled and stored in
a sanitary manner.
3.13.
Methods of Chilling:
3.13.1. Water bath
chilling:
3.13.1.1. All water cooling baths
must be of appropriate size and capacity for the species and quantity being
processed.
3.13.2. Air
chilling:
3.13.2.1. Air chilling is the method
of chilling raw poultry carcasses and parts predominately with air. An
antimicrobial intervention may be applied with water at the beginning of the
chilling process, provided that the use does not result in any net pick-up of
water or moisture during the chilling process. The initial antimicrobial
intervention may result in some temperature reduction of the product, provided
that the majority of temperature removal is accomplished exclusively by chilled
air.
3.14.
Processed poultry must be placed in suitable food grade packaging and labeled
in accordance with Part 9.
3.15.
Processed Poultry Holding and Storage:
3.15.1.
Every processing facility must have a cooler or a freezer for holding or
storing a poultry product under refrigeration.
3.15.2. All freezers must be large enough,
and constructed, maintained and operated so that refrigerated air adequately
flows under and around the poultry product held or stored therein to maintain
the required level of refrigeration. The refrigeration unit for any freezer
must deliver sufficient refrigerated air to maintain the freezer at an ambient
temperature consistent with the requirements in §
35-33-103(12),
C.R.S.
3.15.3. All coolers must be
large enough, and constructed, maintained and operated so that the poultry
product is stored therein without contacting any interior surface of the
cooler, and with sufficient space to permit inspection of the poultry product.
The refrigeration unit for any cooler must deliver sufficient refrigerated air
to maintain the cooler at an ambient temperature of no more than 41°
F.
3.16. At least one
person who is trained in safe food handling in a commercial food processing
facility must be present while the licensee is processing.
