Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

A41: Microbiological criteria of the final product 

Date when the measure came into force

09 September 2004 

Publication where the measure is specified

Government Notice R. 791 (Government Gazette 26531) of 9 July 2004 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Compulsory Specification For The Manufacture, Production, Processing and Treatment of Canned Meat Products 

Country/Region applying the measure

South Africa 

The rationale of the measure

This specification specifies requirements for the manufacture, production, processing and treatment of canned meat products intended for human consumption. 

Coded list of objectives

X: For purposes n.e.s. 

Description of the measure

4.2.24 By - products
Any processing of by-products and non-meat products that are not intended for human consumption shall be conducted in buildings that are physically separated from the factory in such a way that there is no possibility of contamination of the product. There shall be no direct access from a by-product plant to the preparation and processing areas of the cannery. Equipment and utensils used in by-product plants shall be identified and shall not be used in areas where food for human consumption is processed.
6.14.4 Commercially sterilized products
6.14.1 .1 Microbiological spoilage
A product in its container, after incubation in accordance with 11.16 or after it has been kept at ambient temperature, shall be considered to have undergone microbiological spoilage if the container:
a) shows a positive pressure;
b) leaks; or
c) whether having a positive pressure or not, shows evidence of bacterial proliferation indicated, when compared with unincubated sound samples, by a significant change in pH value, or by disintegration or decomposition, or by significant discolouration of the product.
Evidence of bacterial proliferation shall be confirmed by cultural examination (see 11 .I 7).
6.44.4.2 Requirement
Products in containers examined or tested or both, shall show no evidence of microbiological spoilage (see 11.17).
6.14.2 Pasteurized, semi-preserved, and salt-preserved products
6.14.2.4 Microbiological spoilage
A product in its container shall be considered to have undergone microbiological spoilage if the container:
a) shows a positive pressure;
b) leaks; or
c) whether having a positive pressure or not, shows evidence of bacterial proliferation indicated, when compared with sound samples, by a significant change in pH value, or by disintegration or decomposition, or by significant discolouration of the product.
Evidence of bacterial proliferation shall be confirmed microscopically or by cultural examination (see 1 1 .17).
6.14.2.2 Requirement
Products in containers examined or tested or both, shall show no evidence of microbiological spoilage or of the presence of viable pathogenic organisms, or of organisms that are liable to cause spoilage of the product during storage at the temperature recommended by the canner, and, in the case of pasteurized products only, of viable non-spore-forming organisms (see 11.17).
8.5 Distribution and handling of containers
Containers shall not be exposed to contamination or damaging to their bodies, seams or flanges while distributed, on runways or feeding lines. Containers shall be removed from the runways or feeding lines at the end of production unless the containers are adequately covered and protected against risks of contamination and damage.
9.2 Processing
9.2.1 Where thermal processing of the product is required, it shall be carried out without delay after the sealing of the lids on the container.
9.2.2 Filled containers of product other than pasteurized products and semi-preserved products (see 6.1 I), shall be exhausted where appropriate, hermetically sealed or processed in such a way as to reduce the number or activity or both of viable micro-organisms to such an extent that none are detectable in the treated food by the methods given in clause 11. Containers of pasteurized products
shall be exhausted, hermetically sealed, and pasteurized.
9.2.3 The filling, exhausting, sealing, and heat-processing of containers shall be performed in such a way that the ends of the cans or the caps of the jars
a) are not convex, or
b) do not become convex under normal transport and storage conditions.
There shall be no undue delay between filling, sealing of lids and the start of heat processing that could affect the product adversely. The thermal process shall be continuous (see 9.2.7).
9.2.4 When tested in accordance with 10.2, all container closures shall be strongly made. Cans of diameter 99 mm or less, shall not leak on vacuum leak testing under a maximum negative gauge pressure of 65 kPa, and cans of diameter greater than 99 mm shall not leak under a maximum negative gauge pressure of 50 kPa (see 10.2). Written records of seam examination shall be kept and shall be available for scrutiny for 2 years after the date of production.
9.2.5 The heat distribution in each retort used shall be determined and the heat penetration of each product in each can size at the coldest spot in the retort under the most unfavourable conditions likely to occur during processing, shall be determined to establish the time-and-temperature process necessary to obtain biological stability of the product. These tests shall be carried out by a competent body or person.
9.2.6 The time-temperature process in the case of heat-preserved products shall be conducted by adequately trained operators.
9.2.7 The time-temperature process (see 9.2.3) shall ensure
a) the destruction of pathogenic organisms, and
b) freedom from microbiological spoilage (see section 11).
9.2.8 Immediately after heat-processing, the filled containers shall be cooled as rapidly as possible to a container centre temperature not exceeding 50 °C.
9.3.5 Containers, and in particular their seams, shall not be exposed to contamination. The equipment and conveyors used for the pick-up and stacking of containers shall be regularly sanitized. Hard metal surfaces against which the containers come into contact during the pick-up process in particular sharp points, projections or corners, shall where possible, be avoided or otherwise be covered with shock absorbing material to prevent damaging of the containers. Such pick-up equipment and conveyor lines shall be subjected to a regular routine inspection. 

Reference of the measure

Regulation 4.2.24 Sentence 1;
Regulations 6.14, 8.5, 9.2 and 9.3.5 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Canned meat products 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries