Rule 40-10-1-.25 - TransportationTransportation of all inspected meat and meat products shall be in accordance with code of Federal Regulations, 9 CFR, Chapter III, Part 325, 416, 417, and the following:
(1) No person shall sell, transport, offer for sale or transportation, or receive for transportation, in commerce, any meat or meat product which is capable of use as human food unless the product and its container, if any, bear the official inspection legend as required under 9 CFR, Chapter III, Parts 316 and 317 or such product is exempted from the requirement of inspection under part 9 CFR Chapter III, Part 303.(2) All inspected meat and meat products shall be protected from contamination from any source such as dust, dirt, insects and the rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms during storage, loading, unloading at and transportation from official establishments. (a) No person, engaged in the business of buying, selling, freezing, storing, or transporting, in or for commerce, meat or meat food products capable of use as human food shall transport, offer for transportation, or receive for transportation in commerce any such meat or meat food product which is capable of use as human food and is not wrapped, packaged, or otherwise enclosed to prevent adulteration by airborne contaminants; unless the truck or other means of conveyance in which the product is contained or transported is completely enclosed with tight fitting doors or other covers for all openings.(b) In all cases, the means of conveyance shall be reasonably free of foreign matter (such as dust, dirt, rust, or other articles or residues), and free of chemical residues, and maintained at a temperature such that product placed therein will not become adulterated through rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms. 1. Any cleaning compound, lye, soda solution, or other chemical used in cleaning the means of conveyance must be thoroughly removed from the means of conveyance prior to its use.(3) Such means of conveyance onto which product is loaded, being loaded, or intended to be loaded, shall be subject to inspection by an inspector at any official establishment. The decision whether or not to inspect a means of conveyance in a specific case, and the type and extent of such inspection shall be at the Program's discretion and shall be adequate to determine if product in such conveyance is, or when moved could become, adulterated. Circumstances of transport that can be reasonably anticipated shall be considered in making said determination. These include, but are not limited to, weather conditions, duration and distance of trip, nature of product covering, and effect of restowage at stops en route. Any means of conveyance found upon such inspection to be in such condition that product placed therein could become adulterated shall not be used until such condition which could cause adulteration is corrected. Product placed in any means of conveyance that is found by the inspector to be in such condition that the product may have become adulterated shall be removed from the means of conveyance and handled in accordance with 9 CFR Chapter 3Part 318.2. (a) To avoid contamination of product with wood splinters or similar contaminants; slack barrels, similar containers and the cargo space of trucks or other means of conveyance shall be lined with suitable material of good quality before packing. Slack barrels, similar containers, trucks and other means of conveyance in which any product is transported shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition. Paper used for covering or lining slack barrels, similar containers and the cargo space of trucks or other means of conveyance shall be of a kind which does not tear during use but remains intact when moistened by the product and does not disintegrate.1. All inspected meat and meat products shall be transported in a manner such as to avoid contamination of the product through progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms. Appropriate transportation temperature must be maintained throughout transport.2. If refrigeration is necessary to avoid product contamination, refrigerated vehicles or containers shall be of such construction as to maintain an ambient temperature or internal product temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit (5 degrees Centigrade) or less throughout shipment of such products.(4) Any alternative transportation method for inspected meat or meat products requires written approval from the Director of Meat Inspection.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 40-10-1-.25
O.C.G.A. Secs. 26-2-60, 26-2-80, 26-2-106 to 26-2-108.
Original Rule entitled "Postmortem Inspection" adopted. F. and eff. June 30, 1965.Amended: ER. 40-10-1-0.3-.25 reserved rule. F. and eff. August 24, 1970, the date of adoption.Amended: Permanent Rule adopted. Rule reserved. F. Dec. 17, 1970; eff. Jan. 6, 1971.Amended: New Rule entitled "Transportation" adopted. F. Dec. 29, 2000; eff. Jan. 20, 2001, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Jan. 15, 2004; eff. Feb. 4, 2004.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 17, 2008; eff. Jan. 6, 2009.