6 replies to this topic

[arangel66]

If our company is receiving frozen RTE meats/poultry and IQF vegetables from a supplier but cooking rice to be added to make frozen meals, will the product be considered RTE or NRTE?

[The Food Scientist]

Well is it in-fact Ready to eat? Do you require any further cooking step from your customers? Is adding this cooked rice to the RTE frozen meats/poultry causing any food safety hazard that would require a further kill step?

[crystalQC]

Hi arangel,

Did you mean to type "cooked rice" instead of "cooking rice"?

if all three properties are indeed cooked / prepped and RTE, then yes it would be classified as that.

[arangel66]

The rice is purchased raw then cooked in the facility frozen then added to the frozen meal packaged and put into cooler for shipping.

Thanks

[The Food Scientist]

so you guys have like a meal kit? Where everything is already RTE except rice which you cook and ready to eat then. I would imagine it is still considered RTE since in addition to the other RTE foods, you also put RTE rice. 

[arangel66]

Yes, everything stays under control for temperature. I forgot to mention one more component IQF vegetables. Would this make the meal NRTE or the blanching process keep it RTE?

[Charles.C]

Yes, everything stays under control for temperature. I forgot to mention one more component IQF vegetables. Would this make the meal NRTE or the blanching process keep it RTE?

 

So does the the vegetable component(s?) specification contain a declaration of RTE ?

 

It sounds like this product will be marketed under the jurisdiction of USDA. IIRC, the latter organisation (unlike FDA) have detailed, well-defined, Regulatory requirements regarding labelling of RTE and NRTE items (eg instructions such as need to be cooked ...etc). You may need to obtain their approval for the label.