[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 9, Volume 2]

[Revised as of January 1, 2007]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 9CFR319.106]



[Page 312-313]

 

                  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 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 Safety and 

Quality Service, Department of Agriculture, announced that ``the 

temperature and time period provisions of 9 CFR 319.106, paragraphs 

(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 9 CFR 319.106 in order to be 

labeled `country ham,' `country style ham,' or `dry cured ham,' and 

`country pork shoulder,'



[[Page 313]]



`country style pork shoulder,' or `dry cured pork shoulder.' ''