Oregon Administrative Rules › Chapter 603 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE › Division 29 - STATE MEAT INSPECTION PROGRAM › Section 603-029-2620 - Operations in the Thermal Processing Area

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 7, July 1, 2024
(1) Posting of processes. Process schedules
			 (or operating process schedules) for daily production, including minimum
			 initial temperatures and operating procedures for thermal processing equipment,
			 must be posted in a conspicuous place near the thermal processing equipment.
			 Alternatively, such information must be available to the thermal processing
			 system operator and the inspector.
(2) Process indicators and retort traffic
			 control. A system for product traffic control must be established to prevent
			 product from bypassing the thermal processing operation. Each basket, crate, or
			 similar vehicle containing unprocessed product, or at least one visible
			 container in each vehicle, must be plainly and conspicuously marked with a heat
			 sensitive indicator that will visually indicate whether such unit has been
			 thermally processed. Exposed heat sensitive indicators attached to container
			 vehicles must be removed before such vehicles are refilled with unprocessed
			 product. Container loading systems for crateless retorts must be designed to
			 prevent unprocessed product from bypassing the thermal processing
			 operation.
(3) Initial temperature.
			 The initial temperature of the contents of the coldest container to be
			 processed must be determined and recorded by the state-inspected establishment
			 at the time the processing cycle begins to assure that the temperature of the
			 contents of every container to be processed is not lower than the minimum
			 initial temperature specified in the process schedule. Thermal processing
			 systems which subject the filled and sealed containers to water at any time
			 before process timing begins must be operated to assure that such water will
			 not lower the temperature of the product below the minimum initial temperature
			 specified in the process schedule.
(4) Timing devices. Devices used to time
			 applicable thermal processing operation functions or events, such as process
			 schedule time, come-up time, and retort venting, must be accurate to assure
			 that all such functions or events are achieved. Pocket watches and wrist
			 watches are not considered acceptable timing devices. Analog and digital clocks
			 are considered acceptable. If such clocks do not display seconds, all required
			 timed functions or events must have at least a 1-minute safety factor over the
			 specified thermal processing operation times. Temperature/time recording
			 devices must correspond within 15 minutes to the time of the day recorded on
			 written records required by OAR 603-029-2630.
(5) Measurement of pH. Unless other methods
			 are approved by the Department, potentiometric methods using electronic
			 instruments (pH meters) must be used for making pH determinations when a
			 maximum pH value is specified as a critical factor in a process
			 schedule.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS
				  603.085, ORS
				  619.042 & ORS
				  619.046
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
				  619.042, ORS
				  619.046, ORS
				  603.055, ORS
				  619.026 & ORS
				  619.036