603-029-2500 Definitions The following definitions apply to OAR 603-029-2500 to 603-029-2505: (1) “Antimicrobial agent” means a substance in or added to an RTE product that has the effect of reducing or eliminating a microorganism, including a pathogen such as L. monocytogenes, or that has the effect of suppressing or limiting growth of L. monocytogenes in the product throughout the shelf life of the product. Examples of antimicrobial agents added to RTE products are potassium lactate and sodium diacetate. (2) “Antimicrobial process” means an operation, such as freezing, applied to an RTE product that has the effect of suppressing or limiting the growth of a microorganism, such as L. monocytogenes, in the product throughout the shelf life of the product. (3) “Deli product” means a ready-to-eat meat or poultry product that typically is sliced, either in a state-inspected establishment or after distribution from a state-inspected establishment, and typically is assembled in a sandwich for consumption. (4) “Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point” (HACCP) means the HACCP plan in operation, including the HACCP plan itself in accordance with OAR 603-029-2200 to 603-029-2235. (5) “Hotdog product” means a ready-to-eat meat or poultry frank, frankfurter, or wiener, such as a product defined in OAR 603-029-1248 and 603-029-1252. (6) “Lethality treatment” means a process, including the application of an antimicrobial agent, that eliminates or reduces the number of pathogenic microorganisms on or in a product to make the product safe for human consumption. Examples of lethality treatments are cooking or the application of an antimicrobial agent or process that eliminates or reduces pathogenic microorganisms. (7) “Post-lethality exposed product” means ready-to-eat product that comes into direct contact with a food contact surface after the lethality treatment in a post-lethality processing environment. (8) “Post-lethality processing environment” means the area of an establishment into which product is routed after having been subjected to an initial lethality treatment. The product may be exposed to the environment in this area as a result of slicing, peeling, re-bagging, cooling semi-permeable encased product with a brine solution, or other procedures. (9) “Post-lethality treatment” means a lethality treatment that is applied or is effective after post-lethality exposure. It is applied to the final product or sealed package of product in order to reduce or eliminate the level of pathogens resulting from contamination from post-lethality exposure. (10) “Prerequisite program” means a procedure or set of procedures that is designed to provide basic environmental or operating conditions necessary for the production of safe, wholesome food. It is called “prerequisite” because it is considered by scientific experts to be prerequisite to a HACCP) plan in accordance with part 417 of this Division 29. (11) “Ready-to-eat” (RTE) product means a meat or poultry product that is in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety and may receive additional preparation for palatability or aesthetic, epicurean, gastronomic, or culinary purposes. RTE product is not required to bear a safe-handling instruction (as required for non-RTE products by OAR 603-029-1004(12)) or other labeling that directs that the product must be cooked or otherwise treated for safety, and can include frozen meat and poultry products. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 603.085, ORS 619.042 & ORS 619.046 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 619.042, ORS 619.046, ORS 619.026 & ORS 619.036 History: DOA 19-2022, adopt filed 07/27/2022, effective 07/28/2022