Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL › Chapter 346 - RULES GOVERNING MEAT AND POULTRY INSPECTION AND LICENSING › Sec2 001-346-1 - DEFINITIONS, PURPOSE, VARIANCES, AND HEALTH STATUS › Subsection 001-346-1-1 - Definitions

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
The following definitions apply to the terms used in these
					 Rules:
A. "Accredited Program" refers
				  to the certification process and is a designation based upon an independent
				  evaluation of factors such as the sponsor's mission; organizational structure;
				  staff resources; policies; public information regarding program scope,
				  eligibility requirements, re-certification, discipline and grievance
				  procedures; and test development and administration.
B. "Administrative Meeting" means an informal
				  meeting conducted by the Maine Department of Agriculture for the purpose of
				  facilitating a mutually agreed upon plan of compliance for the license
				  holder.
C. "Adulterated" has the
				  same meaning as stated in 22 MRSA, chapter 562-A, sec.2511.
D. "Animals" means, but is not limited to,
				  livestock as defined in 9 CFR 301, Definitions (2002), poultry as defined in
				  9 CFR
				  381.1, Definitions (2002), exotic animals as
				  defined in
				  9 CFR
				  352.1(2002), Rabbits as
				  defined in
				  9 CFR
				  354.1(2002), and Poultry as
				  defined in
				  9 CFR
				  362.1(2002).
E. "Approved" means acceptable to the
				  Department based on a determination of conformity with principles, practices,
				  and generally recognized standards that protect public health.
F. "Aw" means water activity, which is a
				  measure of free moisture in a food, is the quotient of the water vapor pressure
				  of the substance divided by the vapor pressure of pure water at the same
				  temperature, and is indicated by the symbol Aw.
G. "Carcass" means all or any part of a
				  slaughtered animal, including viscera, which is capable of being used for human
				  consumption.
H. "CFR" means the Code
				  of Federal Regulations. Citations in this Regulation to the CFR refer
				  sequentially to the Title, Part, and Section numbers, such as
				  9
				  CFR 306.4 refers to Title 9, Part 306,
				  Section 4(2002).
I. "Comminuted"
				  means reduced in size by methods including chopping, flaking, grinding, or
				  mincing. Comminuted includes meat products that are reduced in size and
				  restructured or reformulated such as ground beef, and sausage; and a mixture of
				  two or more types of meat that have been reduced in size and combined, such as
				  sausages made from two or more meats.
J. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of
				  Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources or the Commissioner's
				  designee.
K. "Confirmed disease
				  outbreak," means a food borne disease outbreak in which laboratory analysis of
				  appropriate specimens identifies a causative agent and epidemiological analysis
				  implicates the food as the source of the illness.
L. "Consumer" means a person who is a member
				  of the public, who takes possession of food, who is not functioning in the
				  capacity of an operator of an establishment or processing plant and who does
				  not offer the food for resale.
M.
				  "Contaminant" means any foreign, chemical, radiological, or deleterious
				  substance or matter in food.
N.
				  "Contract Veterinarian" means a graduate of a school of veterinary medicine
				  accredited by the American Veterinary Association who provides services for the
				  Department under contract, and who is licensed to practice veterinary medicine
				  in the State of Maine.
O. "Cooked,"
				  means food to which heat has been applied for preservation and/or to change the
				  color, aroma, texture, and/or flavor of the product.
P. "Corrosion resistant material" means a
				  material that maintains acceptable surface clean-ability characteristics under
				  prolonged influence of the food to be contacted, the normal use of cleaning
				  compounds and sanitizing solutions, and other conditions of use
				  environment.
Q. "Critical control
				  point" means a point of procedure in a specific food system where loss of
				  control may result in an unacceptable health risk.
R. "Critical item or critical violation"
				  means a provision of these Rules that, if in noncompliance, is more likely than
				  other violations to contribute to food contamination, illness, or health
				  hazard.
S. "Critical limit" means
				  the maximum or minimum value to which a physical, biological, or chemical
				  parameter must be controlled at a critical point to minimize the risk that the
				  identified food safety hazard may occur.
T. "Cured," means meat to which specific
				  no-meat ingredients have been incorporated by dry additions or use of aqueous
				  solutions to affect preservation, safety, flavor, and/or color. The non-meat
				  ingredients must include salt (sodium chloride), and most often include sodium
				  nitrite or nitrate. In addition, sugar (sucrose) or other sweetening agents are
				  frequently used.
U. "Custom carcass
				  or meat" means carcasses, meat, meat food products or meat by-products that
				  were slaughtered, dressed or otherwise processed by custom license
				  holders.
V. "Department" means The
				  Maine Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources.
W. "Director" means the Director of the Maine
				  Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, Division of Quality
				  Assurance and Regulations, or his duly authorized representative.
X. "Disinfectant" means any oxidant,
				  including but not limited to, chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chloramines and ozone
				  added to water in any part of the treatment or distribution process that is
				  intended to kill or inactivate pathogenic microorganisms.
Y. "Distressed merchandise" means any food:
1. For which the label has been
				  lost;
2. Which has been subjected to
				  possible damage due to accident, fire, flood, adverse weather, or to any other
				  similar cause; or
3. Which may have
				  been rendered unsafe or unsuitable for human or animal consumption or
				  use.