For physical defects, the number of sample as n De bext lower grade does not exceed the acceptance number for deras prescribed

§ 251. FC of the sampling plan Table 1. of The St and

Not more than & percent of the fist in the sample total fist examined per lot are in the next lower grade for odor and or favor.

Noxx Sampling for msection for military procurement shall be I Kane MIL-STD-105. Lot see shall be exper terms of pounk The sample sze stall be accordance w Sperm Level 83. do reptable Quality Leves stall be exmed in terms of defects per hundred unas The AQLs shall be 6.3 for minor and 47 for

142 FR 52730. Sept. 30. 1971, as amended at 31 FR 3499t. Oct. 1. 1985)

§ 261.105 Hygiene.

Whole or dressed fish shall be proeessed and maintained in accordance with the applicable requirements of the regulations contained in §§ 260.98 to 260.103 of this chapter and of the good manufacturing practice regulations contained in 21 CFR Part 110.

142 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 dilineraris Merluccius albidus; completely and cleanly headed and adequately eviscer

90-289 0-87-7

razen

endless

3 Grade 4" s the quality of rozen restless tressed vhiting that 1) Dessess a good avor and odor and That (2) for those factors that are rated n accordance with Scoring Suster outlined n his cart have 1 total score of 25 to 100 points.

(b) 78 Grade 3" is the quality of frozen headless tressed vhiting that (1) possess 35 east "easonably zood Javor and odor and that 21 ate a total score of not less than 0 points for those factors of quality that are rated in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this part.

(c) Substandard” or Cility" is the quality of frozen headless dressed whiting that meet the requirements of 3281151 but that otherwise fail to meet the requirements of 7.3. Grade B"

8281 161 Determination of the grade.

In a plant under USDC Contract Inspection the grade is determined by examining the product for factors 1 to

10 m the thawed state and factor 1 n he cooked state. For at nspection. -xamination of the product for factors and 3 is carried out in the frozen state and 4 to 19 in the thawed state. Factor is examined in the cooked

state.

1 Factors rated by score points. Paints are deducted or variations in the quality or each factor in accordince with the schedule in Table 1. The Total or coints deducted is subtracted from 100 ta cotain the score. The maxmum score is 100 the minimum score 3.0.

bl Factors not rated by score points. The factor of “favor and odor' is evallated organoleptically by smelling and Casting after the product has been cooked in accordance with § 261.171. 1 Good Javor and aor essential requirements for a J.S. Grade A prodmeans that the cooked product has the typical lavor and or of the species and is free from rancidity, butterness. staieness, and off-lavors and off odors of any kind.

uct

2) Reasonably good favor and odor minimum requirements of a U.S. Grade 3 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.

8 Scaling1

10 Bruses and split or broken skan

11 Texture (overal assessment)..

Over 2.0.

5

15

2

(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

(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.

Subpart A-[Reserved]

Subpart B-United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Halibut Steaks

§ 262.151 Product description.

Frozen halibut steaks are clean, wholesome units of frozen raw fish flesh with normally associated skin and bone and are 2 ounces or more in weight. Each steak has two parallel surfaces and is derived from whole or subdivided halibut slices of uniform thickness which result from sawing or cutting perpendicular to the axial length, or backbone, of a whole halibut. The steaks are prepared from either frozen or unfrozen halibut (Hippoglossus spp.) and are processed and frozen in accordance with good commercial practice and are maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product.

§ 262.152 Styles of frozen halibut steaks.

(a) Style I, random weight pack. The individual steaks are of random weight and neither the weight nor the range of weights are specified.

(b) Style II, uniform weight or portion pack. All steaks in the package or in the lot are of a specified weight or range of weights.

§ 262.153

Grades of frozen halibut steaks. (a) "U.S. Grade A" is the quality of frozen halibut steaks which possess good flavor and odor, and that for those factors which are rated in accordance with the scoring system outlined in the following sections the total score is not less than 85 points.

(b) "U.S. Grade B" is the quality of frozen halibut steaks which possess at least reasonably good flavor and odor, and that for those factors which are rated in accordance with the scoring system outlined in the following sections the total score is not less than 70 points.

(c) "Substandard" is the quality of frozen halibut steaks which fail to meet the requirements of the "U.S. Grade B."

8 262.156 Recommended dimensions.

(a) The recommended dimensions of frozen halibut steaks are not incorpo

rated in the grades of the finished product since dimensions, as such, are not factors of quality for the purpose of these grades. However, the degree of uniformity of thickness among units of the finished product is rated since it is a factor affecting the quality and utility of the product.

(b) It is recommended that the thickness (smallest dimension) of individually frozen halibut steaks be not less than 1⁄2 inch and not greater than 14 inches.

§ 262.161 Ascertaining the grade.

The grade is ascertained by observing the product in the frozen, thawed, and cooked states and is evaluated by consideration of the following:

(a) Factors rated by score points. The quality of the product with respect to scored factors is expressed numerically. Cumulative point deductions are assessed for variations of quality for each factor in accordance with the schedule in Table I, in the frozen, thawed, and cooked states. The total deduction is subtracted from the maximum possible score of 100 to obtain the product score.

(b) Factors not rated by score points. The factors of flavor and odor are evaluated organoleptically in the cooked state for both the light and dark meat (surface fat) and are defined as follows:

(1) Good flavor and odor. "Good flavor and odor" (essential requirement for Grade A) means that the fish flesh has the good flavor and odor characteristics of halibut, and is free from rancidity and from off-flavors and off-odors.

(2) Reasonably good flavor and odor. “Reasonably good flavor and odor" (minimum requirement for Grade B) means that the fish flesh may be somewhat lacking in the good flavor and odor characteristic of halibut, is reasonably free of rancidity, and is free from objectionable off-flavors and off-odors.

(3) Substandard flavor and odor. "Substandard flavor and odor" (Substandard grade) means that the flavor and odor fail to meet the requirements of "reasonably good flavor and odor."