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 Code of Federal Regulations (Last Updated: May 6, 2024)
 Title 9 - Animals and Animal Products
 Chapter III - Food Safety and Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture
 SubChapter A - Agency Organization and Terminology; Mandatory Meat and Poultry Products Inspection and Voluntary Inspection and Certification
 Part 319 - Definitions and Standards of Identity or Composition
 Subpart D - Cured Meats, Unsmoked and Smoked

  § 319.104 - Cured pork products.  

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  • § 319.104 Cured pork products.

    (a) Cured pork products, including hams, shoulders, picnics, butts and loins, shall comply with the minimum meat Protein Fat Free (PFF) percentage requirements set forth in the following chart:

    Type of cured pork product Minimum meat PFF percentage1 Product name and qualifying statements
    Cooked ham, loin2 20.5 (Common and usual).
    18.5 (Common and usual) with natural juices.
    17.0 (Common and usual) water added.
    <17.0 (Common and usual) and water product - X% of weight is added ingredients.3
    Cooked shoulder, butt, picnic2 20.0 (Common and usual).
    18.0 (Common and usual) with natural juices.
    16.5 (Common and usual) water added.
    <16.5 (Common and usual) and water product - X% of weight is added ingredients.3
    Uncooked cured ham, loin 18.0 Uncooked (common and usual).
    <18.0 Uncooked (common and usual) and water product - X% of weight is added ingredients.3
    Uncooked cured shoulder, butt, picnic 17.5 Uncooked (common and usual).
    <17.5 Uncooked (common and usual) and water product - X% of weight is added ingredients.3

    1 The minimum meat PFF percentage shall be the minimum meat protein which is indigenous to the raw unprocessed pork expressed as a percent of the non-fat portion of the finished product; and compliance shall be determined under § 318.19 of this subchapter for domestic cured pork product and § 327.23 of this subchapter for imported cured pork product.

    2 The term “cooked” is not appropriate for use on labels of cured pork products heated only for the purpose of destruction of possible live trichinae.

    3 Processors may immediately follow this qualifying statement with a list of the ingredients in descending order of predominance rather than having the traditional ingredients statement. In any case, the maximum percent of added substances in the finished product on a total weight percentage basis would be inserted as the X value; e.g., Ham and Water Product - 20% of Weight is Added Ingredients.

    (b) Cured pork products for which there is a qualifying statement required in paragraph (a) of this section shall bear that statement as part of the product name in lettering not less than 3⁄8 inch in height, or in lettering not less than one-third the size of the largest letter in the product name if it is in the same color and style of print and on the same color background as the product name. However, the Administrator may approve smaller lettering for labeling of packages of 1 pound or less, provided such lettering is at least one-third the size and of the same color and style as the product name.

    (c) Cured pork product prepared pursuant to this section shall be subject to the compliance procedures in § 318.19 of this subchapter.

    (d) The binders provided for use in cured pork products in a regulation in this subchapter, in 9 CFR chapter III, subchapter E, or in 21 CFR chapter I, subchapter A or subchapter B, may be used singly in those cured pork products labeled as “Ham Water Added,” “Ham and Water Product-X% of Weight is Added Ingredients,” and “Ham with Natural Juices.” In addition to the binders referred to in the preceding sentence, the following substances are permitted for use as binders and may be used singly in those cured pork products labeled as “Ham Water Added,” “Ham and Water Product-X% of Weight is Added Ingredients,” and “Ham with Natural Juices”: pork collagen at up to 3.5% of the product formulation. Unless their use is provided for in a regulation in this subchapter, in 9 CFR chapter III, subchapter E, or in 21 CFR chapter I, subchapter A or subchapter B, or in this paragraph, these binders are not permitted to be used in combination with another such binder listed for use in cured pork products. When any such substance is added to these products, the substance shall be declared in the ingredients statement by its common or usual name in order of predominance.

    [49 FR 14879, Apr. 13, 1984, as amended at 50 FR 9792, Mar. 12, 1985; 53 FR 5151, Feb. 22, 1988; 57 FR 42888, Sept. 17, 1992; 62 FR 45026, Aug. 25, 1997; 63 FR 148, Jan. 5, 1998; 64 FR 27904, May 24, 1999; 65 FR 34389, May 30, 2000; 66 FR 54916, Oct. 31, 2001]