On this page
- Introduction
- Dressing procedures for red meat species
- Dressing procedures for poultry and rabbits
- Preparation of edible parts
Introduction
A complete preventive control plan will include control programs that demonstrate how all the outcomes in this document will be met. Prior to implementation, these control programs, and any amendments to these, should be shared with CFIA for their examination.
This document describes procedures to meet the requirements of section 145 of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) as well as dressing procedures that are considered best practices to minimize contamination of the final meat product. Elements of the Standards to identify a meat product as edible must also be met.
Dressing procedures for red meat species
Principles
No dressing procedure shall begin if there is any potential return to or signs of, a return to consciousness.
Carcasses should be dressed after being suspended by the hind legs. Dressing on a bed system is not recommended considering that there are great challenges to overcome in order to meet the outcomes below.
Procedures, including sticking and bleeding, are conducted in a hygienic manner with measures to avoid contamination, including, but not limited to:
- ensuring that instruments/equipment are clean, and sanitized as necessary
- ensuring that carcasses do not contact other carcasses from the point they are prepared for opening cuts (generally on entry to the evisceration floor) until CFIA approval
- ensuring bleeding does not happen in dry landing area and that blood is contained to a specific area
- avoiding having the carcass contacted with splashing from the floor or unhygienic structures
- avoiding letting the carcass contact the floor or unhygienic structures
- avoiding back-siphonage of plumbing and only using filtered air when dehiding or separating tissues with forced air
- avoiding the transfer of heads over unprotected edible meat products unless effective controls (e.g. trays, pans) are in place to protect from cross-contamination
- ensuring skin is cut from inside-out
- ensuring defects that may contaminate a piece of equipment will be removed prior to a procedure
Zero tolerance for contamination requires that any fecal, ingesta or milk contamination that occurs during dressing be marked for removal and subsequently removed, by trimming, steam vacuuming etc, as applicable, prior to the final carcass wash. Please consult Controls on Contamination for further details on meeting this outcome.
Equipment should be cleaned and sanitized if it comes into contact with contamination (or parts that by nature can be considered contaminated/inedible), pathological defects or any biological, chemical or physical hazards. Particular care in this matter should be taken for the following:
- sticking knives
- knives for splitting the brisket or opening the abdomen
- gutting presentation equipment (e.g. hooks, trays, tables)
- utensils used to prevent the clotting of blood
Dedicated equipment/tools may be necessary (e.g. boots and apron for workers on moving table top, dedicated tools for contact with SRM). Cleaning and sanitizing protocols should also reflect the microbial risk associated with organic build up.
Once the carcass has been approved, any residual bone dust and blood must be removed prior to refrigeration, a final inside and outside carcass wash being the recommended means to achieve this.
Specific dressing procedures for red meat species
Full dressing
Bovine and cervid dressing
- The lactating mammary glands and the mammary lymph nodes are removed.
- The penis and the prepuce are removed.
- The feet are removed prior to skinning the carcass: skin the area above and below where the leg will be cut.
- The horns are removed, as applicable, avoiding the opening of the skull.
- The hide is removed, proceeding from shackle downward and reflecting away from the carcass.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus, followed by ligation (by tie or clip) of the rectum and neck of bladder and then inserting into a plastic bag for dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The skinned head is removed; the head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and palatine tonsils are removed to expose retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes.
- The oesophagus is separated from trachea and surrounding tissues (e.g.rodding) and tied-off before evisceration.
- The carcass is eviscerated.
- The carcass is split, except in the case of calves, after any contamination has been removed along the split line.
- The spinal cord is completely removed from carcasses of Over Thirty Month (OTM) cattle before the final carcass wash, paying particular attention to the extremities; refer to the Guidance on Specified Risk Material (SRM) for additional information.
Ovine and caprine dressing
- The lactating mammary glands and the mammary lymph nodes are removed.
- The penis and the prepuce are removed.
- The feet are removed prior to skinning the carcass: skin the area above and below where the leg will be cut.
- The horns are removed, as applicable, avoiding the opening of the skull.
- The hide is removed, proceeding from shackle downward and reflecting away from the carcass.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus, followed by a step to mitigate any leaking from the rectum (such as tying off, use of a clip, intussusception, plugging) before dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The skinned head is removed; the head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the palatine tonsils are removed to expose retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes.
- The oesophagus is separated from trachea and surrounding tissues (e.g. rodding) and is tied-off before evisceration.
- The carcass is eviscerated.
Equine dressing
- The lactating mammary glands and the mammary lymph nodes are removed.
- The penis and the prepuce are removed.
- The feet are removed prior to skinning the carcass: skin the area above and below where the leg will be cut.
- The hide is removed, proceeding from shackle downward and reflecting away from the carcass.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus, followed by ligation (by tie or clip) of the rectum and neck of bladder and then inserting into a plastic bag for dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The skinned head is removed; the head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the palatine tonsils are removed to expose retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes.
- The carcass is eviscerated.
- The carcass is split after any contamination has been removed along the split line.
Dressing of ostrich, rheas, emus
- The feet are removed.
- The skin is removed, including from the neck, after defeathering the incision lines, proceeding from shackle downward and reflecting away from the carcass.
- The carcass is vented by incising around cloaca and inserting the vent into a plastic bag for dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The carcass is opened after all feathers and contamination have been removed by:
- in the case of ostriches: cutting side ribs and pulling down on breastplate;
- in the case of rheas and emus: splitting the breastplate alone the midline extending the opening toward the vent by an incision along the midline of the abdomen
- The evisceration begins with removal of red offal first (intestine friable).
Dressing of swine: hide-off
- The carcass is washed prior to hide removal.
- The lactating mammary glands and the mammary lymph nodes are removed.
- The penis and the prepuce are removed.
- The feet are removed prior to skinning the carcass: skin the area above and below where the leg will be cut.
- The hide is removed, proceeding from shackle downward and reflecting away from the carcass.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus and dropping into the pelvic cavity.
- The skinned head is partially severed (drop) or fully removed; the head is washed thoroughly, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the mandibular lymph nodes are exposed.
- The carcass is eviscerated.
- The carcass is split to the neck, at the limit of the head.
Dressing of swine: hide-on
- All bristle, scurf and dirt is removed (including on the feet) by scalding, dehairing, singeing, resin-dipping, polishing , or shaving and the interdigital spaces are removed if necessary to meet this requirement.
- Any toenails are removed.
- The carcass is washed prior to opening.
- Any bristle, scurf or dirt that remains after washing is to be skinned/trimmed immediately prior to opening.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus and dropping into the pelvic cavity.
- The head is partially severed (drop) or fully removed; the head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the mandibular lymph nodes are exposed.
- The carcass is eviscerated.
- The carcass is split up to the neck, at the limit of the head.
Partial dressing
Partial dressing must be approved by CFIA. It is always subject to the feasibility of conducting the post-mortem evaluation as intended, according to the Post-mortem evaluation procedures document. Accordingly some partial dressing procedures may not be allowed, eg. hide-on for veal.
Because of special nature of partial dressing, added scrutiny is required to ensure that the outcomes described in the introduction above are met.
Procedures in this section describe the best practices that have been recognised by CFIA, but do not preclude any routine procedures that are otherwise described in the full dressing section above.
BBQ hogs (market hogs or younger)
- All dressing procedures for hogs apply, except for head dropping and carcass splitting.
Hide-on hair-off goats
- All hair and dirt (including on the feet) is removed by scalding, dehairing, singeing or shaving and the interdigital spaces are removed if necessary to meet this outcome.
- Any toenails are removed.
- The carcass is washed prior to opening.
- Any hair or dirt that remains after washing is to be skinned/trimmed immediately prior to opening.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung (rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus, followed by a step to mitigate any leaking from the rectum (such as tying off, use of a clip, intussusception, plugging) before dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the palatine tonsils are removed to expose retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes.
- The oesophagus is separated from trachea and surrounding tissues (e.g.rodding) and tied-off before evisceration.
- The carcass is partially or fully eviscerated (as authorised by CFIA).
Hide-on hair-on in ovine and caprine
- Only clean animals or carcasses are eligible to proceed to hide-on hair-on dressing.
- All hair is removed along incision lines by shaving and the hair is kept as short as possible.
- All dirt is removed from feet.
- The carcass is washed and any moisture retention in the hair will be minimized prior to opening.
- Any remaining dirt after washing is to be trimmed immediately prior to opening.
- The brisket and midline of the abdomen are opened after contamination has been removed along the incision line.
- The bung(rectum) is dropped by performing a circular cut around anus, followed by a step to mitigate any leaking from the rectum (such as tying off, use of a clip, intussusception, plugging) before dropping into pelvic cavity.
- The head is thoroughly washed, including nasal and oral cavities, prior to any cuts.
- The tongue is dropped and the palatine tonsils are removed to expose retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes.
- The oesophagus is separated from trachea and surrounding tissues (e.g. rodding) and tied-off before evisceration.
- The carcass is partially or fully eviscerated (as authorised by CFIA).
Dressing procedures for poultry and rabbits
Principles
No dressing procedure shall begin if there is any potential or signs of a return to consciousness. The stick wound or bleeding area surface must be removed.
Carcass contamination from dirty hands, knives, hair and pelts during pelt removal must be avoided. Procedures, including sticking and bleeding, are conducted in a hygienic manner with measures to avoid contamination, including, but not limited to:
- ensuring that instruments/equipment are clean, and sanitized as necessary
- avoid carcass with visible pathological defect or visible contamination contacting other carcasses
- ensuring that blood is contained to a specific area
- avoid having the carcass contact with splashing from the floor or unhygienic structures
- avoid letting the carcass contact the floor or unhygienic structures
Zero tolerance for contamination requires that no fecal contamination be found prior to the final carcass wash. This is possible by ensuring proper adjustment of the evisceration equipment and proper detection of contamination on-line. Accidental contamination may also be removed by implementing procedures described in the Off-line and On-line Reprocessing and Reconditioning Procedures document.
Equipment should be cleaned and sanitized if it comes into contact with contamination (or parts that by nature can be considered contaminated/inedible), pathological defect or any biological, chemical or physical hazard.
Final carcass wash, inside and outside, is to be used to clean the carcass and improve microbiological quality prior to refrigeration.
To ensure your PCP is complete, please also consult Additional poultry and rabbit dressing, evisceration floor procedures.
Specific dressing procedures for poultry and rabbits
Full dressing for poultry
- all feathers, hairs, dirt, scurf are removed from the carcass
- after defeathering, the entire carcass is washed thoroughly to remove all visible foreign material and prior to any incision being made
- the heads, oil gland, and feet at the tarsal joint are removed
- the carcass is vented by incising around cloaca, followed by an incision that is no longer than that required to eviscerate, whilst ensuring that gastro-intestinal integrity is maintained
- the carcass is eviscerated, with or without the kidneys
- the epidermis is removed prior to chilling
Partial dressing for poultry - head and feet-on poultry carcasses
- all hair, feathers, dirt, scurf are removed from the carcass
- after defeathering, the entire carcass is washed thoroughly to remove all visible foreign material and prior to any incision being made
- the feet and heads (with special attention to oral cavity and nostrils) are free from disease and visible contamination and prior to venting
- the carcass is vented by incising around cloaca, followed by an incision that is no longer than that required to eviscerate, whilst ensuring that gastro-intestinal integrity is maintained
- the carcass is eviscerated, with or without the kidneys
- the epidermis and the toenails are removed prior to chilling
- carcasses with oil glands will be appropriately labelled
Full dressing for rabbits
- the head is removed after stunning
- the free leg is severed at the tibiotarsal joint
- a shallow cut is made in the skin between the hind legs in inguinal area
- any overlaying/hanging skin on tibiotarsal joint is removed
- skin is removed on carcass by pulling down from the free leg, reflecting away from the carcass towards front feet
- the feet are removed
- carcass must be free of all types of visible contamination before the final wash which will need to remove any residual hair
- the carcass is eviscerated
Partial dressing for rabbits - head-on rabbit carcasses
- the free leg is severed at the tibiotarsal joint
- a shallow cut is made in the skin between the hind legs in inguinal area
- any overlaying/hanging skin on tibiotarsal joint is removed
- skin is removed on carcass by pulling down from the free leg, reflecting away from the carcass towards front feet
- the feet are removed
- all skin and hair is completely removed from the head. Head, oral and nasal cavities must be free of disease, discharge and visible contamination
- carcass must be free of all types of visible contamination before the final wash which will need to remove any residual hair
- the carcass is eviscerated
Preparation of edible parts
The following describes how parts need to be prepared in order to identify them as edible. They must be free from pathological lesions (lesions–parasites, tumours, abscesses…) and contamination. They must only come from approved carcasses; parts that are collected in a bulk container will all be condemned when any of the associated carcasses is condemned.
The practices below provide interpretation of requirements described in subsection 125(2) of the SFCR, as well as the best practices to provide a safe, edible meat product. Alternate practices (including harvesting of parts not mentioned within) will need to be demonstrated as meeting the outcome of harvesting a safe food product, including as necessary, scientific risk assessments (e.g. harvesting of equine kidneys).
A complete preventive control plan will include control programs that demonstrate how all the applicable outcomes in this section will be met.
- Hearts – all species are eligible.
The pericardium will be removed.
The following criteria apply to all species except rabbits and bird;- the heart will be cut open or inverted to ensure all blood clots are removed.
- all of the aorta and other major blood vessels are removed, leaving at most the 2 cm from their origin on the external surface of the heart.
- the os cordis, if applicable, is removed.
- Liver – all species are eligible, except equine and wild game animal (because of heavy metal content, e.g. Cadmium)
- The gall bladder is removed without release of bile on edible product, before washing and chilling (it may be harvested separately).
- For ruminants, the hepatic ducts are incised longitudinally to ensure absence of parasites (flukes).
- Any liver with major pathological defects is to be rejected (parasites, tumors, abscesses). Livers with minor scar lesions (i.e. milk spots, parasitic scar lesions) need not be rejected if the product can be deemed/rendered acceptable to the consumer.
- Gizzard – all bird species are eligible, as applicable
- Gizzard will be separated from viscera, opened and the contents and lining removed, before washing and chilling. Contaminated fat on the outside surface of gizzards shall be removed.
- Urinary bladder – all species are eligible, as applicable
Any bladder harvested for edible purposes is to be:- emptied
- rinsed until visibly clean
Note:
As per 125(2)(d) of the SFCR, a bladder may only be included in a prepared meat product if it has been prepared as a casing. - Preparation of casings: in addition to the steps above, the mucosa must be removed, the bladder inverted, placed in brine for 12 hours and subsequently rinsed. Please refer to the document Microbial controls to ensure that any refining products used are acceptable.
- Gastro-intestinal tract –distal ileum of all bovines is prohibited, otherwise all species eligible. Any portion of the GI tract harvested for edible purposes is to be
- emptied
- rinsed until the water dripping from the product runs clean
- trimmed of any contamination or pathological lesion
Note:
As per 125(2)(d) of the SFCR, an intestine may only be included in a prepared meat product if it has been prepared as a casing. - Preparation of casings: In addition to the steps above, the mucosa must be removed from the portion of the gastro-intestinal tract. Please refer to the document Microbial controls to ensure that any refining products used are acceptable.
- Lungs/trachea – all species are eligible.
The trachea and the main bronchi are to be split to ensure no presence of parasites or contamination (including scald water). The trachea will be washed. - Spleens – all species are eligible, as applicable
- Feet – all species are eligible.
- Mammals:
- the feet are to be scalded and cleaned
- the hooves, if applicable, are to be removed.
- the surface of the articulation that was exposed to contamination during the scalding and the cleaning is to be trimmed.
- Birds:
- epidermis and toenails to be removed. Please also consult Procedures for preparation of feet or paws (poultry), head and feet-on carcasses (poultry), head-on (rabbits) for edible purposes.
- Mammals:
- Brains/whole heads – bovine over thirty month are prohibited, otherwise all species are eligible
- Penetrative stunning methods should be avoided because of contamination and potential physical hazard (e.g. bullet/slug) issue.
- Blood clots to be removed.
- For poultry, please also consult Procedures for preparation of feet or paws (poultry), head and feet-on carcasses (poultry), head-on (rabbits) for edible purposes.
- Head meats – all species are eligible, as applicable
- The tongue, the cheek meat, the head meat, the snout or the lips can be harvested.
- Tonsils (e.g. Lingual) will be removed.
- The thyroid gland and laryngeal muscles are to be removed.
- Salivary glands and mucous membranes are to be removed, although the diffuse portion of parotid gland may remain attached in swine.
- Deboning on hook or rack is recommended.
- Kidneys – all species are eligible, except equine, ostrich, emu, rhea, wild game animal (because of heavy metal content, eg Cadmium)
- Uteri –all species are eligible except wild game animal (because of risk of Brucella).
Only uteri from mammals that have never been pregnant can be identified as edible. - Testicles and pizzle – all species are eligible, except wild game animal (because of risk of Brucella).
The associated draining lymph nodes will be examined. - Fatty tissue – all species are eligible
- Tails – all species are eligible , as applicable
- Weasand/oesophagus meat – all species are eligible, as applicable
The oesophagus is to be harvested by cutting through its musculature distally adjacent to the rumen/stomach without cutting into the mucosal lumen of these organs. The oesophagus is then pulled away from the rumen/stomach. - Blood – all species are eligible, except birds and rabbits
- Blood is harvested using a closed container connected directly to a cannula or a hollow knife.
- When blood is defibrinated, this will be done by use of sanitized mechanical means (use of hands is unacceptable) or using an approved anti-coagulant to avoid the formation of clots.
- Mammary glands/udder – all species are eligible (as applicable), except wild game animal (because of risk of Brucella).
Only mammary glands of animals that have never been pregnant can be identified as edible. - Thymus – all species are eligible, as applicable
- Mechanically separated meat (MSM) or finely textured meat (FTM) – The use of the vertebral column of over thirty month cattle is prohibited, otherwise all species are eligible
- If used in the preparation of MSM or FTM, the vertebral column of all eligible species must be free of spinal cord.
- Kidneys must be removed from poultry carcasses prior to use in MSM or FTM.
- Partially dressed poultry carcasses must have oil gland removed prior to use for MSM or FTM.
- Eyes – bovine over thirty month are prohibited, otherwise all species are eligible
- Pancreas – all species are eligible
- Spinal cord – bovine over thirty month are prohibited, otherwise all species are eligible
- Salivary glands – all species are eligible, as applicable
- Ova – all bird species are eligible
- Poultry necks – all species are eligible.