CERTIFICATION OF INTESTINES OR ANIMAL CASINGS FOR EXPORT

NOTE: Implement this Notice on 7/17/06.

This notice instructs inspection program personnel how to determine whether intestines and casings from animals are eligible to receive the marks of inspection and how to certify the intestines and casings for export.

Inspection Program Personnel Verification and Certification Activities

1. Intestines or casings may:
    
   1. be saved for use as meat-by-products;
   2. bear the mark of inspection; and
   3. be certified for export
   
   provided the establishment produces the intestines or casings under sanitary conditions resulting in clean, wholesome, not adulterated, and properly labeled product. Inspection program personnel should consider the intestines clean when they are visibly free of digestive tract contents. Inspection program personnel should verify that intestines are clean at a frequency equivalent to their inspection of other by-products.
   
   NOTE: Intestines may not bear the mark of inspection if they are not clean as described above. However, establishments may continue to prepare and ship in commerce intestines or casings without the mark of inspection (and without denaturing the intestines). Such intestines or casings are not eligible for FSIS to certify for export.
   
   
2. Inspection program personnel may certify intestines and casings for export when the containers bear the official mark of inspection, (see FSIS Directive 9000.1, Revision 1):
   
   
1. as a non-reimbursable service in accordance with 9 CFR Part 322 in official establishments; and
2. as a reimbursable service in non-official establishments or in an official establishment in accordance with 9 CFR 350.3 when the importing country requires certification of requirements not imposed by meat and poultry product regulations.
   
   NOTE: During the time between receipt of this notice and its implementation date, inspection program personnel are to sign export certificates at inspected establishments that are processing the intestines into casings. Provided, the establishment harvested the intestines under sanitary conditions from animals that passed ante and post-mortem inspection and meet the requirements listed in the Export Library for the importing country.

Please refer questions through supervisory channels to IEIS, OPPED at (202) 205-0010.

Philip S. Derfler /s/

Assistant Administrator
Office of Policy, Program, and Employee Development