Administrator. The Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspector Service, or any person authorized to act for the Administrator.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (APHIS or Service).

Animal casings. Intestines, stomachs, esophagi, and urinary bladders from cattle, sheep, swine, or goats that are used to encase processed meats in foods such as sausage.

APHIS representative. An individual employed by APHIS who is authorized to perform the function involved.

Authorized inspector. Any individual authorized by the Administrator of APHIS or the Commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, to enforce the regulations in this subpart.

Department. The United States Department of Agriculture.

Food and Drug Administration. The Food and Drug Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Import (imported, importation) into the United States. To bring into the territorial limits of the United States.

Region. Any defined geographic land area identifiable by geological, political, or surveyed boundaries. A region may consist of any of the following:

(1) A national entity (country);

(2) Part of a national entity (zone, county, department, municipality, parish, Province, State, etc.)

(3) Parts of several national entities combined into an area; or

(4) A group of national entities (countries) combined into a single area.

United States. All of the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, American Samoa, and the territories and possessions of the United States.

(a) Swine casings. The importation of swine casings that originated in or were processed in a region where African swine fever exists, as listed under § 94.8(a) of this subchapter, is prohibited, with the following exception: Swine casings that are processed in a region where African swine fever exists may be imported into the United States under the following conditions:

(1) Origin of casings. The swine casings were derived from swine raised and slaughtered in a region not listed under § 94.8(a) of this subchapter.

(2) Shipping requirements. The casings were shipped from the region of origin to a processing establishment in a region listed under § 94.8(a) of this subchapter in a closed container sealed with serially numbered seals applied by an official of the national government of the region of origin.

(3) Origin certificate. The casings were accompanied from the region of origin to the processing establishment by a certificate written in English and signed by an official of the national government of the region of origin specifying the region of origin, the processing establishment to which the swine casings were consigned, and the numbers of the seals applied.

(4) Integrity of seals. The casings were taken out of the container at the processing establishment only after an official of the national government of the region where the processing establishment is located determined that the seals were intact and free of any evidence of tampering and had so stated on the certificate referred to in paragraph (a)(3) of this section.

(5) The processing establishment. The casings were processed at a single processing establishment 1 in a region listed under § 94.8(a) of this subchapter. The processing establishment does not receive or process any live swine and uses only pork and pork products that originate in a region not listed under § 94.8(a) of this subchapter and that are shipped to the processing establishment in accordance with paragraphs (a)(2) through (a)(4) of this section.

(6) Compliance agreement. The processing establishment is operated by persons who have entered into a valid written compliance agreement with APHIS to maintain on file at the processing establishment for at least 2 years copies of the certificates referred to in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, to allow APHIS personnel to make unannounced inspections as necessary to monitor compliance with the provisions of this section, and to otherwise comply with the provisions of this section.

(7) Cooperative service agreement. The processing establishment is operated by persons who have entered into a cooperative service agreement with APHIS. The establishment is current in paying for APHIS personnel to inspect the establishment (it is anticipated that such inspections will occur once per year). In addition, the processing establishment has on deposit with APHIS an unobligated amount equal to the cost for APHIS personnel to conduct one inspection, including travel, salary, subsistence, administrative overhead, and other incidental expenses (including excess baggage provisions up to 150 pounds).

(8) Compliance agreement cancellation. Any compliance agreement may be canceled orally or in writing by the inspector who is supervising its enforcement whenever the authorized inspector finds that such person has failed to comply with the provisions of this section or any conditions imposed by this section. If the cancellation is oral, the decision and the reasons will be confirmed in writing, as promptly as circumstances allow. Any person whose compliance agreement has been canceled may appeal the decision to the Administrator, in writing, within 10 days after receiving written notification of the cancellation. The appeal should state all of the facts and reasons upon which the person relies to show that the compliance agreement was wrongfully canceled. The Administrator will grant or deny the appeal, in writing, stating the reasons for such decision, as promptly as circumstances allow. If there is a conflict as to any material fact, a hearing will be held to resolve such conflict. Rules of Practice governing such a hearing will be adopted by the Administrator.

(9) Export certification. The casings are accompanied to the United States by an original certificate stating that all of the requirements of this section have been met. The certificate must be written in English. The certificate must be issued by an official of the national government of the region in which the processing establishment is located. The official must be authorized to issue the foreign meat inspection certificate required by part 327 in chapter III of this title. Upon arrival of the swine casings in the United States, the certificate must be presented to an authorized inspector at the port of arrival.

(b) Casings from ovines or caprines. The importation of casings, except stomachs, derived from ovines or caprines that originated in or were processed in any region listed in § 95.4(a)(4) are prohibited, unless the following conditions are met:

(1) The casings are accompanied by an original certificate that meets the requirements of § 96.3 and:

(i) States that the casings meet the conditions of this section;

(ii) Is written in English;

(iii) Is signed by an individual eligible to issue the certificate required under § 96.3; and

(iv) Is presented to an authorized inspector at the port of entry.

(2) [Reserved]

(c) Casings from bovines. The importation of casings derived from bovines is prohibited, unless the following conditions are met:

(1) If the casings are derived from bovines from a region of negligible risk for BSE, as defined in § 92.1 of this subchapter, the certificate required under § 96.3 indicates the APHIS BSE risk classification of the region in which the bovines were slaughtered and the casings were collected.

(2) If the casings are derived from bovines from a region of controlled risk for BSE or a region of undetermined risk for BSE, as defined in § 92.1 of this subchapter, the casings are not derived from the small intestine or, if the casings are derived from the small intestine, the casings are derived from that part of the small intestine that is eligible for use as human food in accordance with the requirements established by the Food Safety and Inspection Service at 9 CFR 310.22 and the Food and Drug Administration at 21 CFR 189.5.

(3) The casings are accompanied by an original certificate that meets the requirements of § 96.3 and paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(a) No animal casings shall be imported into the United States from any foreign region unless they are accompanied by a certificate signed by either (1) a veterinarian salaried by the national government of the region in which the animals were slaughtered and the casings were collected, and who is authorized by the national government to conduct casings inspections and issue certificates, and who has inspected the casings before issuing the certificate and determined that the casings meet the criteria described in the Foreign Official Certificate for Animal Casings; or (2) a non-government veterinarian authorized to issue the certificate by the national government of the region in which the animals were slaughtered and the casings were collected, who has inspected the casings before issuing the certificate and determined that the casings meet the criteria described in the Foreign Official Certificate for Animal Casings. A certificate issued by a non-government veterinarian is valid only if the certificate is endorsed by a veterinarian salaried by the national government of the region in which the animals were slaughtered and the casings were collected.

(b) All signatures on the certificate shall be original.

(c) The certificate shall bear the insignia of the national government of the region in which the animals were slaughtered and the casings were collected, and shall be in the following form:

(d) In addition to meeting the requirements of this section, the certificate accompanying sheep casings from Canada must state that the casings meet the requirements of § 96.2(b) and the certificate accompanying bovine casings must state that the casings meet the requirements of either § 96.2(c)(1) or (c)(2) as applicable.

Animal casings which are unaccompanied by the required certificate, those shipped in sheepskins or other skins as containers, and those found upon inspection to be unclean or unsound when offered for importation into the United States shall be kept in customs custody until exported or destroyed, or until disinfected and denaturated as prescribed by the Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) in §§ 96.5 through 96.16.

(a) Animal casings are not classed as meat product, therefore the certificate required for foreign meat product is not acceptable for animal casings offered for importation.

(b) Casings offered for importation into the United States shall remain in customs custody at the port until released by an APHIS inspector for admission into the United States or otherwise disposed of as required by this part.

(c) The provision that under certain conditions casings which have been offered for importation shall be exported, shall be construed to mean the removal of the casings from the United States or its possessions.

(1) The provision that under certain conditions casings be destroyed shall be construed to mean the treatment or handling of the casings in a manner to take away completely the usefulness of them as by tanking or incineration.

(2) The provision that under certain conditions casings shall be disinfected and denatured shall be construed to mean such treatment and handling as will be prescribed by the Administrator, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to free them from pathogenic substances or organisms, or to render such substances and organisms inert; and that the nature of the casings be changed to make them unfit for eating without destroying other useful properties. For instance, each casing may be split throughout its length and after disinfection, as above indicated, be released for industrial use.

(d) Dried intestines offered for importation into the United States for use as gut strings or similar purpose are not regarded as animal casings within the meaning of this part. Such dried intestines are classed with tendons, sinews, and similar articles and are subject to the provisions of part 95.

(a) Properly certified foreign animal casings arriving in the United States at a seaboard or border port where an APHIS inspector is stationed shall be released for entry by the inspector at the seaboard or border port.

(b) Properly certified foreign animal casings arriving in the United States at a seaboard or border port where no APHIS inspector is stationed, which are destined to a point in the United States where an APHIS inspector is stationed, shall be shipped in United States Customs custody to destination for release.

(c) Properly certified foreign animal casing arriving in the United States at a seaboard or border port where no APHIS inspector is stationed, which are destined to a point in the United States where no APHIS inspector is stationed, shall be transported in United States Customs custody to the nearest point where an APHIS inspector is stationed for release at that point.

(d) Properly certified foreign animal casings forming a part of a foreign meat consignment routed through a border port to an interior point in the United States shall be transported to destination as though the entire consignment consisted of meat. In such cases the APHIS inspector who inspects the meat at destination shall supervise the release of the casings.

Dried animal bladders, dried weasands, and all other dried animal casings offered for importation into the United States as food containers unaccompanied by foreign certification which have been retained in the dry state continuously for not less than 90 days from the date of shipment shown on the consular invoice, may be released for entry as food containers without disinfection.

Uncertified foreign animal casings arriving at a seaboard port may be imported into the United States for use as food containers after they have been disinfected under the direct supervision of an APHIS inspector at the seaboard port.

Foreign animal casings offered for importation into the United States which are admitted upon disinfection shall be handled as follows:

(a) The containers of such casings shall be sealed on the steamship pier or other place of first arrival. Four seals shall be affixed to both ends of each tierce, barrel, and similar container in the space where the ends of the container enter the staves, by means of red sealing wax imprinted with the No. 3 Veterinary Services brass brand from which “insp'd & p's'd” and the establishment number have been removed.

(b) Uncertified animal casings sealed as above indicated shall be transferred from the steamship pier or other place of first arrival to the premises of the importer or other designated place, where they shall be disinfected by the importer under the supervision of an APHIS inspector before they are offered for sale. The object of this ruling is to place full responsibility for disinfection of casings on the original importer and to prevent the sale of casings subject to disinfection by the purchaser.

(a) Foreign animal casings imported into the United States without certification may be forwarded in customs custody to a USDA-approved facility for disinfection under APHIS supervision and release by the United States Customs authorities, provided that, before being transported over land in the United States, each and every container of such casings shall be disinfected by the application of a solution of sodium hydroxide prepared as follows:

(1) Sodium hydroxide (Lye) prepared in a fresh solution in the proportion of not less than 1 pound avoirdupois of sodium hydroxide of not less than 95 percent purity to 6 gallons of water, or one 13 1/2-ounce can to 5 gallons of water. 2

(2) This solution shall be thoroughly applied to all exterior surfaces of the containers and be allowed to remain for at least thirty minutes to accomplish disinfection. The containers should then be washed with water to remove the caustic soda which otherwise might cause injury to the handlers of the packages.

(b) When uncertified foreign casings are removed from the original shipping containers these containers shall be destroyed by burning or promptly and thoroughly disinfected both inside and out with the solution and in the manner above prescribed. If these containers are to be re-used it is important that they be thoroughly washed both inside and out with water after disinfection has been completed, and in order to insure against the injurious effect of caustic soda remaining in the wood it is advisable to allow the containers to stand for not less than six hours filled with water.

(c) The salt removed from all original shipping containers of uncertified foreign animal casings shall be immediately dissolved in water and heated to boiling, or disposed of as provided in paragraph (c)(1) or (2) of this section as follows:

(1) Dissolve the salt in the proportion of 90 pounds of salt to 100 gallons of water. Add 2 3/4 gallons of C. P. hydrochloric acid containing not less than 35 percent actual HCl; mix thoroughly and allow the solution to stand for at least thirty minutes. The finished solution must contain not less than 1 percent actual hydrochloric acid. (This solution may be utilized in the disinfection of casings as prescribed in § 96.13.)

(2) Dissolve the salt in the proportion of 90 pounds of salt to 100 gallons of water. Add 20 pounds of 95 percent to 98 percent sodium hydroxide (commercial “76 percent caustic soda”) and stir until solution is complete; and allow it to stand for at least 30 minutes. (This solution may be utilized in the disinfection of casing containers as prescribed in paragraphs (a)(2) and (b) of this section.

(3) It is best to employ flaked caustic soda and not the variety which is very finely powdered. The fine powder is irritating and injurious to workers if it becomes suspended in the air. Containers of caustic soda should be kept tightly closed as the product deteriorates from contact with the air.

Uncertified foreign animal casings shall be disinfected only at a plant whose sanitation and disinfecting equipment have been approved by an APHIS inspector.

Foreign animal casings offered for importation without certification shall be disinfected as prescribed in § 96.13 within a period of 30 days after arrival in the United States, subject to the ability of Division inspectors to cover their respective districts. Otherwise such casings shall be exported or destroyed.

Foreign animal casings offered for importation into the United States without certification may be disinfected, as prescribed in this section, under the supervision of an APHIS inspector for use as food containers, as an alternative for foreign certification.

(a) Disinfect the casings in a solution made as follows: Dissolve 90 pounds common salt in 100 gallons water and mix. Add 2 3/4 gallons (10.35 liters) C. P. hydrochloric acid containing not less than 35 percent actual HCl and mix thoroughly. The finished solution must contain not less than 1 percent actual hydrochloric acid.

(b) Containers of the disinfectant solution may be either of wood or of metal, but the interior surfaces must be protected by means of an acid resistant coating.

(c) Not more than 175 pounds casings shall be treated with each 100 gallons of the solution. After the treatment of 175 pounds of casings, or at the end of the day if less than 175 pounds of casings are disinfected in any one day, the solution shall be discarded unless means are provided for accurately determining the loss of strength. In event means for accurately determining loss of strength are provided it will be permissible to restore the strength of the solution with fresh acid and use it repeatedly.

(d) Shake as much of the adherent salt as possible from the casings and weigh them. Bundles must be separated but individual hanks need not be untied. Place the casings in the disinfecting solution a few hanks at a time with vigorous agitation to insure the fullest possible contact of the solution with them. Then keep the casings completely submerged in the solution for not less than three-fourths of an hour.

(e) Remove the casings from the solution, rinse them with water, and place them in a solution containing 8 1/2 pounds of sodium bicarbonate in each 100 gallons of water. 100 gallons of this solution is sufficient for 175 pounds of casings. Keep the casings in this solution for 30 minutes, moving them about frequently and vigorously so as to insure complete contact of the solution with the casings. After this neutralization, remove the casings from the sodium bicarbonate solution and wash them to remove the excess of bicarbonate.

Foreign animal casings offered for importation into the United States upon disinfection, may either be disinfected with hydrochloric acid as at present or if preferred may be submerged in a saturated brine solution at a temperature not less than 127 °F. for at least 15 minutes. The time held as well as the temperature of such brine solution must be recorded on a one-hour dial of a recording thermometer and filed in the local APHIS office for official inspection at any time. In order that this required temperature may be more readily maintained, such casings must first be submerged in a brine solution at approximately 127 °F. for about five minutes immediately before the 15-minute recorded submersion period begins. This may be done either in the testing vat or a preliminary vat. By following this procedure the temperature will not vary unduly and thus cause unsatisfactory results. After removing the casings from the testing vat, it will be found advantageous to submerge them in another vat containing cold brine solution or cold water in order to remove the extra heat from the casings as promptly as possible, but of course this is optional with the importer. In order to obtain the most satisfactory results, the hanks, rings, and similar units must be separated as much as possible without untying, but “dolls” will not be permitted to be disinfected by this heating method. In order to keep the temperature of the brine in the testing vat of a uniform degree, it is necessary to agitate the solution occasionally by moving the casings. The tip of the recording thermometer should be located at a point which would be approximately at the bottom of the volume of casings being disinfected.