N.H. Rev. Stat. § 427:4

Current through the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 427:4 - Examination and Inspection

For the purpose of preventing the use in commerce of meat and meat food products which are adulterated, the commissioner shall certify meat inspectors to conduct:

I. An examination and inspection of all livestock before they shall be allowed to enter into any slaughtering establishment in this state in which slaughtering and preparation of meat and meat food products of such animals are conducted solely for commerce:
(a) All livestock found on such inspection to show symptoms of disease shall be set apart and slaughtered separately from all other livestock; and
(b) When so slaughtered, the carcasses of said livestock shall be subject to a careful examination and inspection, all as provided by the rules adopted by the commissioner pursuant to RSA 541-A.
II. A postmortem examination and inspection of the carcasses and parts thereof of all livestock capable of use as human food, to be prepared at any slaughtering, establishment in this state in which such articles are prepared solely for intrastate commerce, and interstate commerce when authorized. After the examination:
(a) The carcasses and parts thereof of all such animals found to be not adulterated shall be marked, stamped, tagged, or labeled, as "New Hampshire Inspected and Passed" and all carcasses and parts thereof of animals found to be adulterated shall be marked, stamped, tagged, or labeled as "New Hampshire Inspected and Condemned";
(b) All carcasses and parts thereof thus inspected and condemned shall be destroyed for food purposes by the establishment in the presence of an inspector;
(c) Said inspectors, after the first inspection, shall, when they deem it necessary, reinspect the carcasses or parts thereof to determine whether, since the first inspection, the same have become adulterated. If any carcass or any part thereof shall, upon examination and inspection subsequent to the first examination and inspection, be found to be adulterated, it shall be destroyed for food purposes by the establishment in the presence of an inspector; and
(d) The commissioner may remove inspectors from any establishment which fails to destroy any such condemned carcass or part thereof when the requirements of either subparagraph II(b) or (c) have not been observed.
III. An examination and inspection of all meat food products prepared in any slaughtering establishment, where such articles are prepared solely for commerce.
IV. The slaughter of certain poultry under RSA 427:2-a shall be exempted from this section.

RSA 427:4

Amended by 2017 , 145: 14, eff. 8/15/2017.
Amended by 2011 , 130: 1, eff. 8/5/2011.

1985, 72:1, eff. July 1, 1985. 2011, 130 : 1 , eff. Aug. 5, 2011. 2017, 145 : 14 , eff. Aug. 15, 2017.