Relative Humidity in Enrobed Product

Our FSIS inspector has told us we need to address relative humidity in our products.

After speaking with "ASK FSIS" it was suggested that since all our products (which are all RTE Meat & Poultry) where fully cooked meat is used with other components so the filling is always a wet filling, are completely enrobed in a dough and baked to temperatures to reach 160-165°F we can use the justification that meat is not exposed to the air; therefore the dough is our justification for exempting our process from addressing relative humidity.

It was suggested that I use scientific publications to support this justification.

Anyone have an idea of where to go to find such supporting documents?

I am the QA Manager in a small facility, am "on the job" trained with 13 years experience in the food industry, but no formal training, pretty much self taught. Needless to say, some things are still over my head. =(

I can following most requirements, write HACCP Plans and passed too many audits to count, but this one has me stumped.

Thanks,

Julie

www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408690490263774?src=recsys&journalCode=bfsn20

http://www.foodautho...ry_pastries.pdf

www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/UCM517402.pdf  --this one lists hazards by type...you may be able to work backwards from the biological hazard 

I didn't have much luck either, but maybe one of the above will help

Thank you Scampi, this does help.

I'm wondering if measuring the water content of the filling after baking will help show we meet the Relative Humidity requirement.

Thanks again!  :smile:

Jbickle

That will absolutely help. 

In my years of experience, if you can show an inspector/auditor your due diligence, and the math makes good sense, at the very least, they will always be there to help

I don't know about the US, but here there is the Canadian Meat Council (CMC) and the Ontario Associate of Meat Packers. The membership fees for those kind of organizations are usually justified with the very technical information they can assist you with