6 replies to this topic

[santa2023]

Hello Everyone! 

 

I recently saw a few Asian grocery stores selling fresh pork intestines, but I am not sure how that is not against the Safe Food for Canadian Regulations? Because I thought unless the intestines are used as natural casing, intestines are considered inedible meat product, and should not be traded or for sale in Canada. 

 

In the Safe Food for Canadian Regulations (https://laws-lois.ju...9.html#h-844698),

Subdivision B Edible Meat Products 

Identification of meat products as edible

125 Certain meat products — additional requirements

(2) Despite (1), a licence holder must not identify as edible any of the following:

...

(d) a meat product that contains a urinary bladder, an intestine or any part of a urinary bladder or intestine, unless the bladder, intestine or part is used as a natural casing for the meat product and meets the requirements of section 126; and

...

 

What are your thoughts on this? :) 

 

[MDaleDDF]

You can eat it, but it tastes offal.

[kfromNE]

You can eat it, but it tastes offal.

 Love the pun. 

[MDaleDDF]

Seriously tho, I don't know about Canada, but in the US we call that Chitlins, and when prepped right, I love it.    There's a Mexican joint in town with Chitlin tacos that are unreal.

[Scampi]

As per CFIA they are eligible

https://inspection.c...9/1544042477514

 

1. Gastro-intestinal tract –distal ileum of all bovines is prohibited, otherwise all species eligible. Any portion of the GI tract harvested for edible purposes is to beEdible status can be achieved in a separate establishment but control programs will need to address preservation of the product (i.e. refrigeration, salting) and control over the product (labelling "for further preparation only" is required).
   • emptied
   • rinsed until the water dripping from the product runs clean
   • trimmed of any contamination or pathological lesion

     Note:
     As per 125(2)(d) of the SFCR, an intestine may only be included in a prepared meat product if it has been prepared as a casing.

   • Preparation of casings: In addition to the steps above, the mucosa must be removed from the portion of the gastro-intestinal tract. Please refer to the document Microbial controls to ensure that any refining products used are acceptable.

RE: interpreting the SFCR requires understand that you cannot simply pull one sub element out of the whole and call it good   ensure you are reading the section in it's entirety and refer to specific programs (like the one I quoted) for actual situations 

 

The issue will be exactly what section of the digestive tract the retailer is selling     it may be labelled as intestine, but that may not be actually what it is (could be from further up and may be the trachea and stomach)

 

HOWEVER   if you believe they are selling an illegal item---call your local CFIA branch and/or public health and report them

Edited by Scampi, 14 February 2024 - 04:21 PM.

[santa2023]

I agree when intestines are prepared well, it does taste great! Commonly eaten in Asian cuisines too!

 

Seriously tho, I don't know about Canada, but in the US we call that Chitlins, and when prepped right, I love it.    There's a Mexican joint in town with Chitlin tacos that are unreal.

[santa2023]

Thank you for finding the section you quoted!

 

It is confusing how one section completely rejected the idea of selling and trading intestines as a whole, but the other section allows certain part of the intestines for sell. 

 

 

As per CFIA they are eligible

https://inspection.c...9/1544042477514

 

1. Gastro-intestinal tract –distal ileum of all bovines is prohibited, otherwise all species eligible. Any portion of the GI tract harvested for edible purposes is to beEdible status can be achieved in a separate establishment but control programs will need to address preservation of the product (i.e. refrigeration, salting) and control over the product (labelling "for further preparation only" is required).
   • emptied
   • rinsed until the water dripping from the product runs clean
   • trimmed of any contamination or pathological lesion

     Note:
     As per 125(2)(d) of the SFCR, an intestine may only be included in a prepared meat product if it has been prepared as a casing.

   • Preparation of casings: In addition to the steps above, the mucosa must be removed from the portion of the gastro-intestinal tract. Please refer to the document Microbial controls to ensure that any refining products used are acceptable.

RE: interpreting the SFCR requires understand that you cannot simply pull one sub element out of the whole and call it good   ensure you are reading the section in it's entirety and refer to specific programs (like the one I quoted) for actual situations 

 

The issue will be exactly what section of the digestive tract the retailer is selling     it may be labelled as intestine, but that may not be actually what it is (could be from further up and may be the trachea and stomach)

 

HOWEVER   if you believe they are selling an illegal item---call your local CFIA branch and/or public health and report them