Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 352 - DOMESTICATED DEER PROCESSING › Section 001-352-V - PROCESSING AND CONTROLS

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
A. Domesticated
				deer must be slaughtered humanely stunned or rendered senseless before being
				bled.
B. The incision made to bleed
				the animal must be made to prevent contamination.
C. Skinning of the Domesticated Deer must be
				done carefully to prevent contamination to the meat.
D. Ground Domesticated Deer meat must not
				have any added meats or fats from other types of animals, unless labeled as
				having added substances.
E.
				Adequate cooler and freezer space shall be provided for processed meat and meat
				products. Each unit shall be supplied with an accurate and conspicuous
				thermometer.
F. Domesticated meat
				shall not contain any residual medication, and shall come from sound,
				disease-free Domesticated Deer.
G.
				Refrigeration temperatures for cooling and storing fresh Domesticated Deer meat
				shall be 40 degrees F. or below. Freezer temperatures shall be -10 to -40
				degrees F. for the freezing of Domesticated Deer meat. Frozen Domesticated Deer
				meat shall be maintained at 0 degrees F. or below.
H. Domesticated Deer may be slaughtered and
				processed in a United States Department of Agriculture Inspection Plant, if
				agreed upon by parties involved.
I.
				No domesticated deer may be slaughtered or processed in any custom plant if the
				meat is to be offered for sale.
J.
				If any person has a domesticated deer slaughtered of his own raising for the
				use or his family or non paying guest, the requirements pertaining to the
				processing and control of these regulations will not prevail.
K. Evisceration must be performed in a manner
				that will prevent fecal contamination.
L. Holding area for live domesticated deer
				shall be separated from the processing area by a solid partition.
M. The edible by-products, heart, tongue,
				liver, must be handled in a manner that will prevent contamination. The bile
				duct must be removed carefully to prevent rupturing.
N.
[Not in use]
O. Containers and carriers of raw materials
				shall be inspected on receipt to assure that their condition will not
				contribute to contamination or deterioration of the product.
P. Any ice used in contact with the product
				shall be made from potable water and manufactured in accordance with sanitary
				standards, and it shall be stored, transported and handled in a sanitary
				manner.
Q. Food processing areas
				and equipment used for the processing of human food shall not be used in the
				processing of animal feed or inedible products unless such use cannot result in
				the contamination of human food.
R.
				Chemical, microbiological or extraneous testing procedures may be utilized
				where necessary to identify sanitation failures or food adulterants.
S. Packaging processes or materials shall not
				transmit contaminants or objectionable substance to the product.
T. Processors and manufacturers shall keep
				records and code products so as to enable them to identify specific food lots
				affected by contamination, spoilage or by sanitation failure and shall separate
				each lot from non-affected.
U.
				Finished products shall be stored and transported under conditions which will
				preclude all contamination and protect against deterioration of the product and
				the container.