W. Va. Code R. § 61-23A-14

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 61-23A-14 - Product Management

14.1. The evisceration of fish shall be conducted in an area segregated or separate from other processing operations. The evisceration shall be performed with minimal disturbance of the fish' intestinal tract contents. The fish, including the body cavity, shall be washed thoroughly with a vigorous spray or a continuous water flow system immediately following evisceration.

14.2. Sanitary zones shall be established around areas where unpackaged cooked or smoked product is handled and stored. Objects and employees that have come into contact with waste, raw product, or other insanitary objects shall be excluded from these areas.

14.3. Packaging material, equipment, employees, and in-process materials that enter a sanitary zone shall be treated in a manner that will minimize the risk of the introduction of microorganisms.

14.4. All operations including receiving, processing, and packaging shall be conducted utilizing clean and sanitary methods and shall be conducted as rapidly as practical and at temperatures that will not cause any material increase in bacterial or other microorganic content or any deterioration or contamination of the processed fish.

14.5. Unpackaged cooked ready-to-eat and smoked fish or fishery products shall be handled only with clean and sanitized hands, gloves or utensils. These products shall be handled with a minimum of manual contact.

14.6. Unprocessed fish, raw fish and fishery products, cooked ready-to-eat fishery products, smoked fishery products, and raw molluscan shellfish shall be physically separated from each other during refrigerated storage to minimize the possibility of cross contamination.

14.7. Refrigeration units used to store fish, fishery products, or raw materials during any stage before and during processing shall operate at a temperature at or below 40EF (4.4EC). All processed fish shall be distributed and sold at internal temperatures that do not exceed 40EF (4.4EC) except that processed fish that have a water-phase salt level of at least 17 percent do not require refrigeration.

14.8. Fish and fishery products shall be protected against contamination including contaminants which may drip, drain, or be drawn into the product before, during and after processing.

14.10. Shipping containers, retail packages, and shipping records relating to processed fish shall indicate by appropriate labeling, the perishable nature of the product. Frozen product shall indicate that the product shall remain frozen until thawed at refrigerated temperatures and shall not be refrozen. Refrigerated product shall clearly and conspicuously state "Keep Refrigerated at 40EF or below".

14.11. Each container of fishery product processed in accordance with the provisions of this rule shall have an establishment number which is legible and permanently marked. This establishment number shall identify the plant where the product was produced. Each container of fishery products shall have a lot number which is legible and permanently marked. This lot number shall identify the date the product was produced.

14.12. Brining shall be carried out so the temperature of the brine does not exceed 60E F at the start of brining. If the brining time exceeds four hours, the brining must take place in a refrigerated area at 40E F or lower.

14.13. Different species of fish shall not be mixed in the same brining tank.

14.14. For dry salting, the fish shall be returned to a refrigerated area of 40E F or lower immediately after the application of salt.

14.15. Fish shall be rinsed with potable water after brining.

14.16. For hot process smoked fish to be air packaged, a controlled process shall be used to heat fish to a continuous temperature of at least 145E F through out each fish for a minimum of 30 minutes for fish brined to contain not less than 2.5 percent water phase salt in the loin muscle of the finished product.

14.17. For hot process smoked fish to be vacuum or modified atmosphere packaged, a controlled process shall be used to heat fish to a continuous temperature of at least 145E F through out each fish for a minimum of 30 minutes for fish brined to contain not less than 3.5 percent water phase salt in the loin muscle of the finished product.

14.18. Cold process smoked fish shall be produced by a control process that utilizes a temperature monitoring system positioned within the smoking chamber to assure that all products do not exceed process temperatures in accordance with one of the following methods:

14.18.a. The temperature in the smoking chamber does not exceed 90E F during a drying and smoking period that does not exceed 20 hours; or

14.18.b. The temperature in the smoking chamber does not exceed 50E F during a drying and smoking period that does not exceed 24 hours; or

14.18.c. The temperature in the smoking chamber does not exceed 120E F during a drying and smoking period that does not exceed 6 hours for cold process sablefish.

14.19. For cold process fish to be air packaged, only fish that have been brined to contain not less than 2.5 percent water phase salt in the loin muscle of the finished product may be used.

14.20. For cold process fish to be vacuum or modified atmosphere packaged, only fish that have been brined to contain not less than 3.5 percent water phase salt in the loin muscle of the finished product may be used.

W. Va. Code R. § 61-23A-14