(where applicable). Dorsal spine shall be removed (where applicable). (iv) Skin. The presence of the dark or light inner layers of skin for skinless. For semiskinned, reference is to the presence of the dark outside layers. (v) Bruises. An accumulation of damaged portions of fish muscle, red and opaque in appearance (on a fish). (vi) Damage to protective coating refers to voids in ice glaze or tears in covering membrane, also to breaks or splits in the skin which are readily discernible and not normally part of the processing. (6) "Cutting and trimming defects" refers to the following: (i) Body cavity cuts-refers to misplaced cuts made during evisceration. (ii) Improper heading (as specified)-refers to the presence of pieces of gills, gill cover, pectoral fins (spine), or collarbone after the fish have been headed. No ragged cuts should be evident after heading. (iii) Evisceration defects-refers to inadequate cleaning of the belly cavity of the fish. All viscera, kidney (where applicable), spawn, and blood should be removed. (A) Slight degree of improper evisceration and improper heading refers to a condition that is scarcely noticeable but does not affect the appearance, desirability, and/or eating quality of the fish. (B) Moderate degree of improper evisceration and improper heading refers to a condition that is conspicuously noticeable but does not seriously affect the appearance, desirability, and/or eating quality of the fish. (C) Excessive degree of improper evisceration refers to a condition that is conspicuously noticeable and that seriously affect the appearance, desirability, and/or eating quality of the fish. (iv) Improper washing-inadequate removal of slime, blood, and bits of viscera from the surface of the fish and from the body cavity. (v) Belly burn-an enzymatic action on the flesh causing a burned or discolored appearance. (7) "Texture defects" texture of the cooked fish; not characteristic of the species. (i) Slight-fairly firm, only slightly tough or rubbery, does not form a fibrous mass in the mouth, moist but not mushy. (ii) Moderate-moderately tough or rubbery, has noticeable tendency to form a fibrous mass in the mouth, moist but not mushy. (iii) Excessive-excessively tough or rubbery, has marked tendency to form a fibrous mass in the mouth, or is very dry or very mushy. (f) Categorization of physical defects. NOTE: The code numbers shown in the above table are for identification of defects for recording purposes only and are keyed to the nature and severity of the defect. They are not scores. (i) For physical defects, the number of sample units in the next lower grade does not exceed the acceptance number for deviants prescribed in § 260.61 of the sampling plan, Table II, of Title 50; and (ii) Not more than 5 percent of the fish in the sample (total fish examined per lot) are in the next lower grade for odor and/or flavor. NOTE: Sampling for inspection for military procurement shall be in accordance with MIL-STD-105. Lot size shall be expressed in terms of pounds. The sample size shall be in accordance with Inspection Level S-3. Acceptable Quality Levels shall be expressed in terms of defects per hundred units. The AQL's shall be 6.5 for minor and 4.0 for major. [42 FR 52750, Sept. 30, 1977, as amended at 51 FR 34990, Oct. 1, 1986] § 261.105 Hygiene. Whole or dressed fish shall be proc0 essed and maintained in accordance 0 with the applicable requirements of the regulations contained in §§ 260.96 to 260.103 of this chapter and of the good manufacturing practice regulations contained in 21 CFR Part 110. Minimum Maximum number of number of grade B substandard fish 843 2 1 0 (iii) Substandard. Any fish not meeting the minimum requirements for Grade B quality. (3) Upon determination of the grade for each sample unit a lot of whole or dressed fish shall be assigned that grade in which: [42 FR 52750, Sept. 30, 1977, as amended at 51 FR 34990, Oct. 1, 1986] Subpart B-United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Headless Dressed Whiting § 261.151 Description of the product. The product described in this part consists of clean, wholesome whiting (silver hake) Merluccius bilineraris, Merluccius albidus; completely and cleanly headed and adequately eviscer ated. The fish are packaged and frozen in accordance with good commercial practice and are maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product. 10 in the thawed state and factor 11 in the cooked state. For lot inspection, examination of the product for factors 1, 2 and 3 is carried out in the frozen state and 4 to 10 in the thawed state. Factor 11 is examined in the cooked § 261.152 Grades of frozen headless state. dressed whiting. (a) “U.S. Grade A" is the quality of frozen headless dressed whiting that (1) possess a good flavor and odor and that (2) for those factors that are rated in accordance with scoring system outlined in this part, have a total score of 85 to 100 points. (b) “U.S. Grade B” is the quality of frozen headless dressed whiting that (1) possess at least reasonably good flavor and odor and that (2) rate a total score of not less than 70 points for those factors of quality that are rated in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this part. (c) “Substandard” or “Utility” is the quality of frozen headless dressed whiting that meet the requirements of § 261.151 but that otherwise fail to meet the requirements of “U.S. Grade B." § 261.161 Determination of the grade. In a plant under USDC Contract Inspection the grade is determined by examining the product for factors 1 to (a) Factors rated by score points. Points are deducted for variations in the quality of each factor in accordance with the schedule in Table 1. The total of points deducted is subtracted from 100 to obtain the score. The maximum score is 100 the minimum score is 0. (b) Factors not rated by score points. The factor of “flavor and odor” is evaluated organoleptically by smelling and tasting after the product has been cooked in accordance with § 261.171. (1) Good flavor and odor (essential requirements for a U.S. Grade A product) means that the cooked product has the typical flavor and odor of the species and is free from rancidity, bitterness, staleness, and off-flavors and off-odors of any kind. (2) Reasonably good flavor and odor (minimum requirements of a U.S. Grade B product) means that the cooked product is lacking in good flavor and odor but is free from objectionable off-flavors and off-odors of any kind. TABLE 1-SCHEDULE OF POINT DEDUCTIONS PER SAMPLE-Continued Factors scored 5 Uniformity. Weight ratio of fish remaining. The 10 percent largest fish divided by the 10 percent smallest fish. 6 Heading'. 7 Evisceration (overall assessment). 8 Scaling1 [See footnotes at end of table.] Method of determining score Weight ratio 10 percent smallest and 10 percent largest: Small degree: 10 percent of fish carelessly cut Small degree: Slight evidence of viscera... 9 Color of the exposed surfaces (over- Small degree: Minor darkening, dulling. 10 Bruises and split or broken skin...... Large degree: Objectionably dark, brown, dull... Presence of bruises and/or broken or split skin per pound: Over 0.5-not over 1.0. Over 1.0-not over 1.5. Over 1.5-not over 2.0 11 Texture (overall assessment)... Small degree: Moderately dry tough, mushy, rubbery, watery, stringy. 1 10 percent of fish refers to 10 percent by count rounded to nearest whole fish. § 261.171 Definitions and methods of analysis. (a) Selection of the sample unit. The sample unit consists of the primary container and its entire contents. The whiting are examined according to Table 1. Definitions of factors for point deductions are as follows: (b) Examination of sample, frozen state. When this product is examined under USDC Contract Inspection, the samples are examined for factors 1, 2, and 3 in Table 1 in the thawed state. When the product is lot inspected, the samples are examined for factors 1, 2, and 3 in Table 1 in the frozen state. (1) "Arrangement of product" refers to the packing of the product in a symmetrical manner, bellies or backs all facing in the same direction, fish neatly dovetailed. (2) "Condition of the packaging material" refers to the condition of the cardboard or other packaging material of the primary container. If the fish is allowed to stand after packing and prior to freezing moisture from the fish will soak into the packaging mate rial and cause deterioration of that material. (3) "Dehydration" refers to the presence of dehydrated (water-removed) tissue on the exposed surfaces of the whiting. Slight dehydration is surface dehydration which is not color-masking. Deep dehydration is color-masking and cannot be removed by scraping with a fingernail. (c) Examination of sample, thawed state. Thawed state means the state of the product after being thawed. Thawing the sample is best accomplished by enclosing the sample in a film type bag and immersing in an agitated water bath held at 68° F., ±2° F. Allow the product to remain immersed until thawed. Alternatively when the facilities are lacking for water thawing, the sample may be thawed by slacking it out at a temperature between 30° to 40° F. on an aluminum tray from 2 hours for a 12-pound sample to 8 hours for a 10-pound sample. (1) "Minimum size" refers to the size of the individual fish in the sample. Fish 2 ounces or over are con sidered acceptable. Smaller fish cannot be cooked uniformly with acceptable size fish. Separate the fish of unacceptable size, divide their number by the weight of the sample in pounds, and apply to Table 1. Example-four fish of unacceptable size in a 5-pound package is =0.8, a 10 point deduction. (2) “Uniformity." From the fish remaining, select by count 10 percent (minimum of one fish) of the largest and 10 percent (minimum of one fish) of the smallest and divide the largest weight by the smallest weight to get a weight ratio. (3) "Heading" refers to the condition of the fish after they have been headed. The fish should be cleanly headed behind the gills and pectoral fins. No gills, gill bones, or pectoral fins should remain after the fish have been headed. (4) "Evisceration" refers to the cleaning of the belly cavities of the fish. All spawn, viscera, and belly strings should be removed. (5) "Scaling" refers to the satisfactory removal of scales from the fish. (6) "Color of the cut surfaces" refers to the color of the cut surfaces of the fish after heading and other processing. (7) "Bruises and broken or split skin" refers to bruises over one-half square inch in area and splits or breaks in the skin more than one-half inch in length which are not part of the processing. (d) Examination of sample, cooked state. Cooked state means the state of the sample after being cooked. Cooking the sample is best accomplished by inserting the sample into a film type bag and submerging it into boiling water for from 18-20 minutes. A minimum of three fish per sample unit shall be cooked. (1) "Texture defects" refers to the absence of normal textural properties of the cooked fish flesh, which are tenderness, firmness, and moistness without excess water. Texture defects are dryness, softness, toughness, and rubberyness. (e) General definitions. (1) Small (overall assessment) refers to a condition that is noticeable but is only slightly objectionable. |