Standard 1.6.2
Processing Requirements
(Australia only)
Purpose
This Standard sets out the requirements for processing of foods regulated in Chapter 2 of this Code. This Standard does not apply to food produced in, or imported into, New Zealand.
Table of Provisions
1 Processing of milk and liquid milk products
2 Processing of cheese and cheese products
3 Processing of egg products
4 Eviscerated poultry
5 Dried meat
6 Crocodile meat
7 Game meat
8 Fermented comminuted processed meat
9 Production of fermented comminuted meat which has not been cooked
10 Semi-dry heat-treated processed meat
Schedule Methods of analysis
Clauses
Clause 1 to be deleted on 5 October 2008
1 Processing of milk and liquid milk products
(1) Milk must be pasteurised by –
(a) heating to a temperature of no less than 72°C and retaining at such temperature for no less than 15 seconds and immediately shock cooling to a temperature of 4.5°C; or
(b) heating using any other time and temperature combination of equal or greater lethal effect on bacteria;
unless an applicable law of a State or Territory otherwise expressly provides.
(2) Liquid milk products must be heated using a combination of time and temperature of equal or greater lethal effect on the bacteria in liquid milk that would be achieved by pasteurisation or otherwise produced and processed in accordance with any applicable law of a State or Territory.
Editorial note:
For the purposes of clause 1 of this Standard, milk and liquid milk products includes milk and liquid milk products used in the production of any cream and cream products, fermented milks, yoghurt, dried, condensed and evaporated milks, butter and ice cream.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for milk and milk products are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981, including the New Zealand Food (Milk and Milk Product Processing) Standard 2007.
Clause 2 to be deleted on 5 October 2008
2 Processing of cheese and cheese products
(1) Cheese and cheese products must be manufactured –
(a) from milk and milk products that have been heat treated –
(i) by being held at a temperature of no less than 72°C for a period of no less than 15 seconds, or by using a time and temperature combination providing an equivalent level of bacteria reduction; or
(ii) by being held at a temperature of no less than 62°C for a period of no less than 15 seconds, and the cheese or cheese product stored at a temperature of no less than 2°C for a period of 90 days from the date of manufacture; or
(b) such that –
(i) the curd is heated to a temperature of no less than 48°C; and
(ii) the cheese or cheese product has a moisture content of less than 36%, after being stored at a temperature of no less than 10°C for a period of no less than 6 months from the date of manufacture; or
(c) in accordance with clause 1 of Standard 4.2.4A.
Editorial note:
Cheese under paragraph 2(1)(b) is generally known as ‘extra hard grating cheese’ – see the Codex International Standard for Extra Hard Grating Cheese (CODEX STAN C-35-1978).
For Australia, cheese and cheese products must also be manufactured using measures to ensure compliance with requirements in Standard 1.6.1 – Microbiological Limits for Food, Chapter 3 – Food Safety Standards, and any applicable State and Territory requirements in relation to cheese production, including any specific requirements in relation to the safety of raw milk and raw milk cheese production.
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for milk and milk products are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981, including the New Zealand Food (Milk and Milk Product Processing) Standard 2007.
3 Processing of egg products
(1) In this clause –
liquid egg white means the white of egg separated as efficiently as practicable from the yolk in liquid form.
liquid egg yolk means the yolk of egg separated as efficiently as practicable from the white in liquid form.
liquid whole egg means the whole egg removed from the shell and includes the product which is frozen or chilled, but does not include reconstituted dried egg.
(2) Liquid whole egg or a mixture of liquid egg yolk and liquid egg white must not be sold or used in the manufacture of food unless it has been pasteurised by being retained at a temperature not lower than 64°C for at least 2.5 minutes and immediately rapidly cooled to a temperature not greater than 7°C.
(3) Liquid egg yolk must not be sold or used in the manufacture of food unless it has been pasteurised by being retained at a temperature not lower than 60°C for at least 3.5 minutes and immediately rapidly cooled to a temperature not greater than 7°C.
(4) Subject to subclause 2(2) of Standard 2.2.2, liquid egg white must not be sold or used in the manufacture of food unless it has been pasteurised by being retained at a temperature not lower than 55°C for at least 9.5 minutes and immediately rapidly cooled to a temperature not greater than 7°C.
Editorial note:
From raw material production to the point of consumption, egg products and products containing egg products should be subject to a combination of control measures, including, for example, pasteurisation, and such measures should be shown to achieve the appropriate level of public health protection.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for egg products are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
4 Eviscerated poultry
(1) Poultry in the form of an eviscerated carcass may include the gizzard, heart, liver, neck or a combination thereof.
(2) Uneviscerated poultry must not be frozen.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for poultry are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
5 Dried meat
Dried meat means meat that has been dried to a water activity of no more than 0.85 but does not include slow dried cured meat.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for dried meat are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
6 Crocodile meat
(1) In this clause –
crocodile meat means the skeletal muscle of the family Crocodylidae including any attached fat, connective tissue, nerve, blood and blood vessels, but does not include head meat.
(2) Crocodile meat must be derived from farmed animals and be handled in accordance with and under the conditions specified in the Standing Committee on Agriculture's Australian Code of Practice for Veterinary Public Health: The Hygienic Production of Crocodile Meat for Human Consumption, 1993, published by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.
(3) A person must not sell as food any part of the carcass of the family Crocodylidae that is not crocodile meat.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for crocodile meat are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
7 Game meat
(1) In this clause –
game meat means the whole or part of the carcass of any bird, buffalo, camel, deer, donkey, goat, hare, horse, kangaroo, rabbit, pig, possum or wallaby that has been slaughtered in the wild state, but does not include avian eggs, foetuses, parts of foetuses or pouch young.
game meat flesh means skeletal game meat muscle, including any attached fat, connective tissue, nerve, blood, blood vessels and, in the case of birds, skin.
game offal means game meat other than game meat flesh.
(2) Game meat, except game birds, must be obtained –
(a) from a game carcass which has been subjected to governmentally approved post mortem inspection; or
(b) in accordance with a governmentally approved quality assurance program designed to ensure that the game meat is fit for human consumption.
(3) Game meat offal, except for bone or cartilage attached to game meat flesh, must not be sold as or used in the preparation of food.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for game meat are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
8 Fermented comminuted processed meat
(1) In this clause –
comminuted means chopped, diced or minced.
mechanically separated meat means meat that has been separated from bone by a mechanical process that results in comminuted meat.
rendered trimmings means the cooked meat fractions derived from the rendering of meat trimmings, excluding ligamentum nuchae.
(2) A fermented comminuted processed meat is heat treated if it has had its core temperature maintained at 55°C for a period of at least 20 minutes, or an equivalent combination of time and higher temperature.
(3) A fermented comminuted processed meat is cooked if it has had its core temperature maintained at 65°C for a period of at least 10 minutes, or an equivalent combination of time and higher temperature.
(4) A fermented meat product must not contain mechanically separated meat or rendered trimmings unless it has been cooked in accordance with subclause (3).
Editorial note:
Processed meat in this clause includes processed meat and manufactured meat in accordance with Standard 2.2.1, irrespective of the prescribed names set out in that Standard.
Guidelines for the Safe Manufacture of Smallgoods published by Meat and Livestock Australia, will assist manufacturers and appropriate enforcement agencies to give effect to the provisions in this clause and in clause 9.
Editorial note for New Zealand:
For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for fermented comminuted processed meats are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 and the Food Act 1981.
9 Deleted