[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 9, Volume 2]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 9CFR319.106]

[Page 301-302]
 
                  TITLE 9--ANIMALS AND ANIMAL PRODUCTS
 
     CHAPTER III--FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF 
                               AGRICULTURE
 
PART 319--DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS OF IDENTITY OR COMPOSITION--Table of Contents
 
               Subpart D--Cured Meats, Unsmoked and Smoked
 
Sec. 319.106  ``Country Ham,'' ``Country Style Ham,'' ``Dry Cured Ham,'' ``Country Pork Shoulder,'' ``Country Style Pork Shoulder,'' and ``Dry Cured Pork 
          Shoulder.''

    (a) ``Country Ham,'' ``Country Style Ham,'' or ``Dry Cured Ham,'' 
and ``Country Pork Shoulder,'' ``Country Style Pork Shoulder,'' or ``Dry 
Cured Pork Shoulder.'' are the uncooked, cured, dried, smoked or 
unsmoked meat food products made respectively from a single piece of 
meat conforming to the definition of ``ham,'' as specified in 
Sec. 317.8(b)(13) of this subchapter, or from a single piece of meat 
from a pork

[[Page 302]]

shoulder. They are prepared in accordance with paragraph (c) of this 
section by the dry application of salt (NaCl), or by the dry application 
of salt (NaCl) and one or more of the optional ingredients as specified 
in paragraph (d) of this section. They may not be injected with curing 
solutions nor placed in curing solutions.
    (b) The product must be treated for the destruction of possible live 
trichinae in accordance with such methods as may be approved by the 
Administrator upon request in specific instances and none of the 
provisions of this standard can be interpreted as discharging trichinae 
treatment requirements.
    (c)(1) The entire exterior of the ham or pork shoulder shall be 
coated by the dry application of salt or by the dry application of salt 
combined with other ingredients as permitted in paragraph (d) of this 
section.
    (2) Additional salt, or salt mixed with other permitted ingredients, 
may be reapplied to the product as necessary to insure complete 
penetration.
    (3) When sodium or potassium nitrate, or sodium or potassium 
nitrite, or a combination thereof, is used, the application of salt 
shall be in sufficient quantity to insure that the finished product has 
an internal salt content of at least 4 percent.
    (4) When no sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite, 
potassium nitrite or a combination thereof is used, the application of 
salt shall be in sufficient quantity to insure that the finished product 
has a brine concentration of not less than 10 percent or a water 
activity of not more than 0.92.
    (5) For hams or pork shoulders labeled ``country'' or ``country 
style,'' the combined period for curing and salt equalization shall not 
be less than 45 days for hams, and shall not be less than 25 days for 
pork shoulders; the total time for curing salt equalization, and drying 
shall not be less than 70 days for hams, and shall not be less than 50 
days for pork shoulders. During the drying and smoking period, the 
internal temperature of the product must not exceed 95  deg.F., provided 
that such temperature requirement shall not apply to product dried or 
smoked under natural climatic conditions.
    (6) For hams or pork shoulders labeled ``dry cured,'' the combined 
period for curing and salt equalization shall not be less than 45 days 
for hams, and shall not be less than 25 days for pork shoulders; and the 
total time for curing, salt equalization, and drying shall not be less 
than 55 days for hams and shall not be less than 40 days for pork 
shoulders.
    (7) The weight of the finished hams and pork shoulders covered in 
this section shall be at least 18 percent less than the fresh uncured 
weight of the article.
    (d) The optional ingredients for products covered in this section 
are:
    (1) Nutritive sweeteners, spices, seasonings and flavorings.
    (2) Sodium or potassium nitrate and sodium or potassium nitrite if 
used as prescribed in this section and in accordance with a regulation 
permitting that use in this subchapter or 9 CFR Chapter III, Subchapter 
E, or in 21 CFR Chapter I, Subchapter A or Subchapter B.

[42 FR 3299, Jan. 18, 1977, as amended at 64 FR 72174, Dec. 23, 1999]

    Effective Date Note: At 46 FR 1257, Jan. 6, 1981, the Department 
announced that the temperature and time period provisions of 
Sec. 319.106 (c)(5) and (c)(6) have not been in effect since November 
17, 1980, and will not be enforced pending future Agency action in the 
matter. However, ham and pork shoulders must continue to be prepared in 
compliance with all other provisions of Sec. 319.106 in order to be 
labeled ``country ham,'' ``country style ham,'' or ``dry cured ham,'' 
and ``country pork shoulder,'' ``country style pork shoulder,'' or ``dry 
cured pork shoulder.''