Sec. 10.15.02.10. Unit Processing Operations — Picking and Packing

The person-in-charge shall ensure that:

A. Cooked crabs are transferred to the pickers in containers dedicated to that purpose;

B. For cooked crabs that are refrigerated before picking, within 3.5 hours after the crabs are removed from refrigeration, the:

(1) Crabs are picked; and

(2) Packed crab meat is cooled by:

(a) Surrounding the packed crab meat with ice; or

(b) Another effective and sanitary cooling method;

C. For cooked crabs that are not refrigerated before picking, within 6 hours after the crabs are cooked, the:

(1) Crabs are picked; and

(2) Packed crab meat is cooled by:

(a) Surrounding the packed crab meat with ice; or

(b) Another effective and sanitary cooling method;

D. The corrective action for crab meat that is not picked, packed, and iced or otherwise cooled within HACCP critical limits is documented in records;

E. Containers in which crab meat is picked and packed are:

(1) Made of suitable food-grade materials;

(2) Protected from contamination; and

(3) Rinsed in a bactericidal solution and completely drained immediately before being filled with crab meat; and

F. Crab meat picked in the plant is not removed from the container into which it was picked and placed into another container, except when specific written approval for the transfer of crab meat from the original container into another container is given by the Department, based on a review of a written proposal plan to transfer the crab meat that complies with this chapter and includes the:

(1) Type or types of crab meat to be placed from one container into another container;

(2) Procedures to maintain the crab meat at temperatures that prevent the growth of pathogens and retard spoilage;

(3) HACCP plan for the process, if a hazard analysis indicates that reasonably likely food safety hazards exist;

(4) Food-grade specifications of a crab meat container;

(5) Oxygen permeability of a crab meat container;

(6) Procedures to protect crab meat from contamination; and

(7) Labeling and marking of a crab meat container.