Site search

Search

Meat and Poultry Processing Standards

Download the Meat and Poultry Processing Standards Manual (V4)

The Red Tractor Meat and Poultry Processors Scheme is part of the Red Tractor Food Assurance Scheme assuring food safety, animal welfare, hygiene environmental protection through every part of the food chain.

The Standards provide clear and credible assurance for all and should be read in conjunction with the Member Rules which all members are bound by.

ASSURED PORK SAUSAGES Version 4.0

Click to view

MP.PS.1 MP.PS.2 MP.PS.3 MP.PS.4 MP.PS.5 MP.PS.6 MP.PS.7 MP.PS.8 MP.PS.9 MP.PS.10 MP.PS.11 MP.PS.12 MP.PS.13 MP.PS.14 MP.PS.15 MP.PS.16 MP.PS.17 MP.PS.18 MP.PS.19
Glossary

Key – Those standards which have greater significance (all other standards are normal)

Recommendation – Those which do not affect certification

New – A completely new standard which the member must now adhere to

Revised – A standard that has changed and requires the member to take some different or additional action to before

Upgraded – The standard has been upgraded to a Key standard or from a Recommendation to a full standard

Appendix – Referenced in ‘How you will be measured’. Indicates that additional information is provided in the Appendices, which are available at the end of each section.

R This icon indicates that a record is required.

MP.PS.1

The meat and ingredients used in Red Tractor Assured pork sausages meet the scheme’s requirements including maximum permitted limits

How you will be measured

MP.PS.1.a

All pork and pork ingredients (including fat and rinds) used are Red Tractor Assured (or QMS assured), are sourced from Red Tractor licenced sites and meet the pork quality attributes

MP.PS.1.b

Pork is either fresh or frozen

MP.PS.1.c

The meat content of a pork sausage is at least 52%, with the definition of meat being as defined in legislation. The meat content may include: - fat up to 30% - connective tissue up to 25% collagen/ protein ratio - neck end/ jowl meat up to 10% (unless trimmed of all glands) e.g. maximum of 5.2% in a 52% pork content sausage - rinds, or dehydrated rinds that have been rehydrated in line with manufacturer’s instructions up to 10% e.g. maximum of 5.2% in a 52% pork content sausage

MP.PS.1.d

Other ingredients used in pork sausages are used in accordance with legal requirements. Ingredients may include: - a maximum of 1.38g salt or 550mg sodium per 100g of raw sausage meat; with the product range average not exceeding 1.13g salt or 450mg sodium per 100g sausages - added Phosphate (E450, E451, E452) up to 0.5% of the total recipe - natural and artificial colours up to legislative limits - the use of preservatives permitted by legislation - the use of preservative sulphur dioxide up to 450ppm of the final product at point of sale

MP.PS.1.e

Natural or artificial casings are used. Natural casings do not need to derive from a Red Tractor Assured source

MP.PS.2

Non-permitted ingredients are not used in the production of Red Tractor Assured pork sausages

How you will be measured

MP.PS.2.a

Non-permitted ingredients include: - head meat (with the exception of masseters) - liver skirts - blood products - offal - mechanically separated meat - monosodium glutamate - functional proteins and fat emulsions - non assured meat, trim, rinds or fat - meat, trim or fat from species other than pigs

MP.PS.3

Bacon raw material brought in from a different site must be Red Tractor assured licenced supplier and be labelled as Red Tractor Assured (Revised)

How you will be measured

MP.PS.3.a

Where the site is assembling component packs e.g. pigs in blankets, only the clauses contained within the Red Tractor Pork Quality Module (Assured Pork Sausages) (or equivalent) appropriate to the process being undertaken shall apply

MP.PS.3.b

The supplier’s Red Tractor Licence lists (as an approved product) the bacon raw material
R

Bacon supplier's Red Tractor Licence certificate

MP.PS.4

Each batch of pork raw material must be labelled with required information (New)

How you will be measured

MP.PS.4.a

As a minimum, labelled with: - Site identification code (health mark) - Product description - Weight - Traceability batch code - Confirmation of Red Tractor Assured status (by use of the terminology RT, RTA, Red Tractor, RT Assured or Red Tractor Assured or by labelling with the Red Tractor Logo) - Country of birth, rearing and slaughter or statement of pigs’ origin - Date of freezing on all frozen raw material - Process-by or ‘best before’ on frozen material or a use by date - Kill date (where applicable)

MP.PS.5

Pork sausages must be produced to a documented recipe

How you will be measured

MP.PS.5.a

Recipe details all ingredients used, including casings

MP.PS.5.b

Ingredients used are permitted by the scheme standards
R

Recipes

MP.PS.6

For each sausage type produced, a recipe and methodology is documented and followed

How you will be measured

MP.PS.6.a

Sausage meat is ground by mincing or bowl chopping and mixed together with other ingredients to a documented recipe with a documented methodology

MP.PS.6.b

Methods used ensure the quality requirements are achieved

MP.PS.6.c

The methodology is appropriate to the recipe and specifies equipment to be used, the frequency of mincing, and quantities of ingredients, etc. to be added
R

Recipe methodology

MP.PS.7

Pork sausages must meet the required visual, colour, texture and flavour characteristics

How you will be measured

MP.PS.7.a

Raw sausages will: - have visible particles of raw meat - be well formed, cylinder in shape - not have excessive drip - be free from off-odours

MP.PS.7.b

Cooked sausages will: - have an even, light brown colour - retain their original shape, with no splitting or significant shrinkage - have a firm texture, with absence of hard particles (bone, gristle) and excessive fat - have a well-balanced flavour and no metallic taste, off-flavours and taints

MP.PS.8

For each sausage type produced, a quality specification is documented and followed

How you will be measured

MP.PS.8.a

Specification details quality parameters to be checked on the production line, including appearance, packing requirements and temperature

MP.PS.8.b

Specifications agreed formally with customers

MP.PS.8.c

Specifications are easily available to staff
R

Specifications

MP.PS.9

Anticipated cooking losses must be established and documented for each recipe

How you will be measured

MP.PS.9.a

The product is cooked as per the recipe instructions, to achieve an internal core temperature of 72˚C

MP.PS.9.b

The cooking loss is established using the following calculation: Finished cooked (+72°c) weight ÷ Raw weight x 100 = total cooked weight % (difference up to 100 = % cook loss)
R

Anticipated cooking losses

MP.PS.10

Finished, raw assured pork sausages meet legal and scheme requirements for microbiological limits, enabling the labelled shelf life to be achieved

How you will be measured

MP.PS.10.a

The following specification is met. The specification may not be appropriate to sausages containing raw vegetables, herbs, etc. Where that is the case the site has set its own targets and limits Target Limit ACC <5 x 104 cfu/ g <5 x 106 cfu/ g Yeast/ moulds <5 x 103 cfu/ g <5 x 104 cfu/ g E. coli <50 cfu/ g 5 x 102 cfu/ g Salmonella Absent in 5, 10g samples Absent in 5, 10g samples

MP.PS.11

Monitoring must be undertaken to ensure assured pork sausages are produced in accordance with the recipe, specifications and scheme’s quality requirements

How you will be measured

MP.PS.11.a

All recipes are verified prior to use and at a risk assessed frequency going forward

MP.PS.11.b

Samples of finished products are tested: - at a risk assessed frequency for microbiological criteria and chemical analysis for meat, fat and salt and sulphur dioxide content - against organoleptic criteria at least monthly

MP.PS.11.c

Systems of verification include: - NPD trials - traceability of raw materials - organoleptic testing, including taste panels - microbiological and chemical analysis testing - review of completed process records

MP.PS.11.d

Records of monitoring are kept
R

Recipe verification, monitoring results

MP.PS.12

Pork sausages not meeting the quality attributes must not be marketed as Red Tractor Assured and must be handled appropriately

How you will be measured

MP.PS.12.a

Non-conforming products are handled in accordance with documented procedures

MP.PS.12.b

Non-conformities are trended and where they are repeated a root cause analysis is undertaken and corrective action implemented

MP.PS.12.c

Records are kept

MP.PS.13

Pork and trim for sausages must be used within kill +4 days unless specific exemptions apply

How you will be measured

MP.PS.13.a

Vacuum packed, gas flushed or deep chilled products may be processed after the 4 days, provided the temperature does not exceed 3 degrees and shelf life verification demonstrates quality is not compromised

MP.PS.13.b

Sensory evaluation is used to determine shelf life

MP.PS.14

The temperature of frozen bacon raw material must not exceed -12°C at intake (New)

How you will be measured

MP.PS.14.a

Applies unless bacon is received in a tempered form ready for slicing (typically -8°C)

MP.PS.14.b

Bacon raw material is -18°C or less during transport

MP.PS.15

During the preparation of sausages, the mix temperature must be managed to ensure a temperature of 7 degrees is not exceeded

How you will be measured

MP.PS.15.a

Temperatures may rise due to mincing, mixing and chopping

MP.PS.15.b

Controls are in place to limit the rise in temperature

MP.PS.16

After filling, finished packed sausages must be transferred to temperature controlled environments without delay

MP.PS.17

Finished packed sausages must be chilled to less than 4°C within 4 hours of final pack and stored between -2 degrees and +4 degrees whilst on site

MP.PS.18

Temperatures must be regularly monitored in accordance with documented schedules

How you will be measured

MP.PS.18.a

Temperatures of both chill stores and products monitored in accordance with a risk assessed schedule

MP.PS.18.b

Checks are made during sausage preparation, filling and during storage

MP.PS.18.c

Records of temperature monitoring kept
R

Monitoring schedule, results

MP.PS.19

Where temperature monitoring identifies non-conforming products, the root cause is identified and the product dealt with appropriately

How you will be measured

MP.PS.19.a

Corrective actions are implemented where appropriate

MP.PS.19.b

A record of the root cause and corrective actions is kept
R

Corrective action


More Standards

Beef & Lamb

Chicken

Crops & Sugar Beet

Dairy

Dairy Goats

Ducks

Fresh Produce

Pigs

Turkeys
Print this page
Download the Meat and Poultry Processing Standards Manual (V4)

The Red Tractor Meat and Poultry Processors Scheme is part of the Red Tractor Food Assurance Scheme assuring food safety, animal welfare, hygiene environmental protection through every part of the food chain.

The Standards provide clear and credible assurance for all and should be read in conjunction with the Member Rules which all members are bound by.