Looking for confirmation whether our products are RTE or NRTE

Hello all. We are a cherry processing plant, we wash, pit, then freeze tarts and sweets, they are packed into 40 pound boxes. We are in a discussion, some say that the product is RTE, and others say NRTE because of further processing by the company who may purchase in the future. Any suggestions???

Hello all. We are a cherry processing plant, we wash, pit, then freeze tarts and sweets, they are packed into 40 pound boxes. We are in a discussion, some say that the product is RTE, and others say NRTE because of further processing by the company who may purchase in the future. Any suggestions???

So what is the further processing ?

So what is the further processing ?

Some companies put them into ice cream, others make pies.

Some companies put them into ice cream, others make pies.

Well, from a micro POV, if they are essentially used directly for ice-cream (usually added near end-process i anticipate?) will logically be RTE.

Pies might depend on the specific (pie) process.

addendum

I always thought you could eat (ripe), washed, cherries from the tree. :smile:

A Ready-To-Eat food item is any food which does not need cooking or has already been cooked.

"Ready-to-eat food" means food that is in a form that is edible without additional preparation to achieve food safety).

CFR

Ready-to-eat food (RTE food) means any food that is normally eaten in its raw state or any other food, including a processed food, for which it is reasonably foreseeable that the food will be eaten without further processing that would significantly minimize biological hazards.

addendum

 

I always thought you could eat (ripe), washed, cherries from the tree. :smile:

Very true, its just those darn pits in the middle!!!!

if you use importing FDA guidance (it's all I could find) than your product IS RTE

www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=1.276

USDA has grade standards for cherries (if you don't already have them)

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

They do not require further processing to render them fit for consumption....your end user does not dictate RTE vs NRTE 

Sounds like RTE to me unless the further processing is to the cherry itself, but if just going into a mixture as an ingredient for instance it is not NRTE - it is RTE.

I got mesmerized once while watching an automatic cherry pitter in a processing facility - oh that was fun watching 100 pits at a time hurling through the air!

if you use importing FDA guidance (it's all I could find) than your product IS RTE

www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=1.276

 

USDA has grade standards for cherries (if you don't already have them)

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

https://www.ams.usda...s-and-standards

 

They do not require further processing to render them fit for consumption....your end user does not dictate RTE vs NRTE 

I believe they are RTE, especially the sweets.

Sounds like RTE to me unless the further processing is to the cherry itself, but if just going into a mixture as an ingredient for instance it is not NRTE - it is RTE.

 

 

I got mesmerized once while watching an automatic cherry pitter in a processing facility - oh that was fun watching 100 pits at a time hurling through the air!

It is pretty impressive considering we did just over 10 million pounds in just 4 weeks!

Slightly OT

JFI, at least in USA, it appears that cherries, washed or unwashed, but direct from the source would be neither RTE or NRTE but RAC.

https://www.epa.gov/...ood-commodities

(In UK (eg HPA Standards)  i think such items would be classed RTE however there are also specific exclusions where micro characteristics are involved.)

These ingenious terminologies seem to have also created problems in US vegetable world -

Issue:  Labeling of Raw Agricultural Commodity (RAC) versus Ready-To-Eat (RTE) Products

End-users, including consumers, may have difficulty in quickly and easily differentiating a RAC which should be washed before consumption from an RTE food product that need not be washed again before consumption

(This distinction actually appears contrary to the previous classifying link).