Company : Sol Infotech Pvt. Ltd. Website : www.courtkutchehry.com EXPORT OF FROZEN FROGLEGS (QUALITY CONTROL AND INSPECTION) RULES, 1979 CONTENTS 1. Short title and commencement. 2. Definitions 3A. Quality control. 4. Inspection fee. 5. Appeal. EXPORT OF FROZEN FROGLEGS (QUALITY CONTROL AND INSPECTION) RULES, 1979 S. O.1890, dated 9th June, 19791.-In exercise of the powers conferred by Sec. 17 of the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963, (22 of 1963) and in supersession of the Export of Frozen Froglegs (Inspection) Rules, 1965, the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely :- 1. Short title and commencement. :- (1) These rules may be called the Export of Frozen Froglegs (Quality Control and Inspection) Rules, 1979. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. Definitions :- In these rules, unless the context otherwise requires,- (a) "Act" means the Export (Quality Control and Inspection) Act, 1963 (22 of 1963); (b) "agency" means any one of the agencies established under Sec. 7 of the Act, at Bombay, Calcutta, Cochin, Delhi and Madras; (c) "frozen froglegs" means all type of frozen froglegs or frogmeat obtained from edible frogs such as- (i) rana tigrina (ii) rana hexadactyla; and (iii) rana crassa; (d) "standard specification" means the specifications of frozen froglegs laid down in Annexure II to this order. 3A. Quality control. :- Requirements of Processing Units.-Only those of the processing units approved by the agency shall be eligible for processing frozen froglegs for export. (The units approved for processing of fish and fishery products shall also be allowed to process froglegs for export). A unit to quality for such approval shall have the minimum facilities as specified below :- 1. Surroundings, construction and lay out.- (a) The surroundings of the processing unit which are under the physical control of the processor shall not have any swamps, dumps, of animal housings nearby, which might pose any sanitary problems. (b) All the immediate approaches of the processing area which are under the physical control of the processor shall be concreted or tarred or turfed to prevent wind-blown dust. (c) The processing unit shall be housed in a building of permanent nature affording sufficient protection from normal climate hazards like wind- blown dust and rain. (d) The lay out of the different sections shall be arranged in such a way as to facilitate the smooth flow of work and to prevent possible contamination from preprocessing section. Processing areas. (a) The area in which the raw material is received and stored shall be so separated from the area in which the final product preparations or packing is conducted so as to preclude contamination of finished product. (b) Areas and compartments used for the storage of edible products shall be separate and distinct from those used for inedible materials. (c) The material handling areas shall be completely separated from the area used for residential purposes. (d) It must be ensured that the cut legs are transported to the processing unit in absolute hygienic conditions and in as short time as possible from the time of cutting. (e) The cutting centre shall be subject to the same sanitary requirements as the processing unit. (f) A regular cleaning schedule shall be followed to ensure good sanitary and hygienic condition. >Ceiling, wall and floor.- (a) The ceiling of the room where the material is either processed or stored, shall be free from crevices, open joints and lend itself for easy cleaning. (b) The ceiling shall not offer any facility for rodent harbourages. (c) The walls of the processing area shall be smooth and free from pits and cracks and shall be washable upto a height of min. 1.3 metres. (d) The floor shall be of impermeable and non-corroding materials and shall have sufficient sloping to drain away all the waste water. (e) The floor and wall junctions may be rounded off to facilitate easy cleaning. Fly proofing vormin and animal control.- (a) The processing area shall be provided with effective flyproofing arrangements. (b) Measures shall be adopted to protect against the entry of other insects, rodents, birds, cats, dogs and the like into the processing areas. Lighting and ventilation.- (a) All the working areas shall be well lighted. (b) Light bulbs and fixtures should not be directly suspended over the processing table or any stage of the preparation of the product. These shall be of safety type to prevent contamination in the event of breakage. (c) There shall be adequate facilities for natural or mechanical ventilation system to provide fresh air, remove undesirable odours, steam and smoke and prevent condensation in rooms where work is performed. Working tables and utensils.- (a) The tables used for processing work shall be of non-corrodible, non-reacting material other than wood. (b) The processing tables shall be constructed and installed in such a way that the areas underneath and around are accessible to easy cleaning. (c) The table tops shall be of stainless steel, aluminium of rust free G.I. sheets and shall be smooth and free from pits and crevices. (d) The arrangements of working tables shall be such that smooth flow of work is ensured. (e) All receptables like trays, tanks, vats and utensils used for the processing shall be of non-corrodible materials other than wood. These shall have smooth surfaces free from crevices. Use of wire- mesh receptacles may be permitted provided these are not rusted. (f) Enamelled utensils shall not be used. (g) Bamboo baskets when used may be permitted in areas other than proessing hall. (h) The equipments and utensils used for inedible and ciletaminated materials shall be separately identifiable by a mark or shape or colour so that these are not used for handling edible products. (i) Waste material shall be frequently removed from the working areas during processing operation and adequate waste receptacles shall be provided for this purpose. 7.Machinery.- (a) The freezing capacity shall be adequate to meet the production in peak season. However, spare capacity of other approved processing units may be utilised provided the onus of responsibility for such freezing will be that of the processor/exporter. (b) The type of freezing employed shall be specific to the nature of the product and type of pack. For this purpose, either the plate freezer or the blast freezer may be used depending upon the requirement of product. (c) The material shall be either individual quick frozen (IQF) or frozen in blocks to attain a temperature of-40ZC within approx. 3- 1/2 hours period. (d) The freezing equipment shall be fitted with gauges to show the temperature. 8.Cold storage and warehousing.- (a) The location and design of the cold stores should be such that it is integrated into the general lay out of the whole establishment and its operation incorporated into the flow pattern of the overall operation. (b) Every freezing unit shall have cold storage of adequate capacity. However, common facility cold storage may be utilised subject to the following conditions : (i) the maintenance of proper temperature; (ii) transportation by insulated trucks; and (iii) stacking of cartons in an identifiable manner. (c) The ideal temperature of the cold storage shall be-18ZC or less preferably fitted with automatic temperature recording device. The product temperature should, however, be - 16Z C at any time of checking. (d) In the absence of continuous recording thermometer, the temperature of the cold storage shall be measured at least every 4 hours and suitable records maintained. (e) The cold storage shall be well lighted and shall have suitable arrangement on the floors and sides to facilitate free circulation of air. (f) The entry into the cold storage should be so designed that on opening the entry door, the temperature shall not rise appreciably, as otherwise it would affect the stored product. (g) An ante-room of suitable size shall invariably be provided. However, where air curtain with automatic switch-on device is provided the provision of ante-room would not be required. (h) The cooling surfaces of the cold storage should be regularly defrosted in order to avoid excessive built up to ice or frost, which could seriously affect the efficiency of the cooling system. (i) During defrosting operation, care shall be taken to prevent any frost, ice, or melt water falling on the stored product. (j) There shall be an efficient alarm system to render timely help to persons trapped inside. (k) The cold storage shall be subject to the same sanitary requirements as in other material handling establishments. (f) For this purpose, a regular cleaning schedule shall be maintained to ensure good hygienic conditions. (m) In the units where the raw material has to be stored overnight for want of adequate processing facilities, a chill room of suitable size, maintained at a temperature of + 1ZC or less, shall be provided. However, in the units where chill room facility is not available, the material shall be permitted to be stored overnight, adequately iced. (n) All detergents and disinfectants shall be stored separately. (o) There shall be separate facility for storing packaging materials. (p) Toxic substance such as rodenticides, fumigants, insecticides or other substances injurious to health except fire fighting equipments, shall be kept in a separate locked room. Water and ice- (a) There shall be plentiful supply of potable water (free from harmful chemical and bacteria). (b) If the water used for processing is from sources other than a protected water supply scheme, a certificate of potability of the same from Export Inspection Agency or other institutions approved by Export Inspection Agency shall be produced. (c) If non-potable water is supplied for boiler and other auxiliary services there shall be no cross-connection between the auxiliary water system and the system carrying potable water. (d) The storage tanks, if used, shall be sufficiently protected from extraneous contamination, and shall be of sufficient capacity. (e) The storage tanks shall be properly cleaned at least once in six months. (f) The consumption of potable water shall not be less than 12 litres for every kilogram of raw material processed. (g) The minimum available chlorine content in water used for processing shall be maintained at 3 ppm. level. (h) The water used for glazing and re-glazing shall be chlorinated to a level of 10 ppm. (i) Ice made from potable water only shall be used. (j) If ice from external sources is used, it shall be ensured that the same is made from potable water and is not contaminated. (k) Ice crushing machine, if used, shall be kept in good sanitary conditions. 10.Sanitary facilities and control.- (i) Cleaning.-(a) All the utensils, trays and table surfaces, which come in contact with the material except packaged material shall be washed initially with a cleaning agent and finally with water having a minimum concentration of 50 ppm. chlorine. (b) The processing hall shall be cleaned before the day work starts and then at the end of each working shift. (c) In addition the cleaning and washing shall be done as frequently as necessary. (ii) Washing facility.- (a) Soap and adequate hand washing facilities shall be provided in each processing hall near the entrance. (b) Arrangements to sanitise the feet shall also be made near the entrances. (iii) Sewage and waste disposal.- (a) There shall be adequate drainage facilities for water used in the processing premises and to discharge it into a channel at least 3 metres from the unit. (b) The drainage system inside the factory shall be properly covered and easily cleanable. (c) The openings of the open drains which pass through walls shall be fitted with metal grills to prevent the entry of rodents. (d) The arrangements for disposal of sewage, waste water and offal shall be such that it shall not cause any sanitary problem to the unit and the neighbourhood. (e) The sewage from the toilet shall be disposed of in such a manner that the water shall not be accessible to flies and the unit's water supply not contaminated. (f) Of no account there shall be accumulation of water including waste or rain water in the premises, (iv) Toilet facility.- (a) Adequate toilet facilities of sanitary type shall be provided as per legal requirements applicable in this regard. (b) The toilets shall be well isolated from the processing area and shall be provided with self-closing doors, wash basin and soap. (c) Potable water shall be made available for washing purposes. 11.Personal health and hygiene.- (a) Plant management shall take care to ensure that no person, while known to be affected with a communicable disease, is permitted to work in area where the product is handled. (b) In order to facilitate the detection of such disease, the management shall conduct at least yearly medical examination of the personnel working in the food handling areas of the unit. (c) All persons working in the processing area shall maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness while on duty. (d) The management shall provide sanitised aprons and head-gears to the employees working in the processing and packing areas. (e) The workers shall wash their hands and feet with potable water often as necessary and specially before entering the processing hall after each absence. (f) Spitting and use of tobacco in any form shall be prohibited in the processing premises. (g) A separate eating place shall be provided and eating at other places shall be prohibited. 12.Transportation facilities.-(a) It is ideal that the raw material and also the finished product are transported only by insulated or refrigerated vehicles. (b) Under no circumstances finished products shall be transported in non-insulated vehicles 13 Maintenance of records-Necessary registers and records, as prescribed by the Council from time to time, shall be maintained by the processor in order to ensure effective control on the processing of froglegs and these shall be made available to the Council or agency officers as and when required B Approval of Processing Units or Cutting Centres of Froglegs - 1 (a) A processor intending to process froglegs for export shall inform his intention to do so in writing in the proforma prescribed by the Council to the nearest office of the Agency (b) On receipt of such information, the agency officers shall visit the processing unit or cutting centre in order to adjudge the facilities for processing available in the unit (c) If the unit is found to have the minimum facilities as specified in those rules, the agency shall approve the unit and permit it to carry out processing of froglegs for export (d) If the unit is found not to have the minimum facilities, the processor shall not be allowed to process froglegs for export 2 The approval accorded may be withdrawn in respect of a processor for the following reasons, after giving a notice of minimum period of seven days - (i) if the equipments, machinery and storage facilities are not in good working condition , (ii) if the sanitary and hygienic conditions of the unit are not satisfactory, (iii) if samples drawn for counter checks fail to meet the laid down standards , (iv) if the processor has violated or deliberately attempted to violate the provisions of these rules or instructions issued from time to time Such withdrawal of approval shall be intimated in writing to the processor 3 (a) If the processor is aggrieved by the decision to withdraw the approval, he may file an appeal before the panel of experts referred to in rule 5 In such cases, he shall be allowed to continue processing (b) In the event of an adverse decision by the said panel of experts, the processor / exporter shall not be allowed to export the entire material processed during the intervening period 4 A unit whose approval has been withdrawn, may after rectifying the defects, make a fresh application to the agency for getting fresh approval 5 (a) If at any time there is any difficulty in maintaining the conformity of the products to the specification, for any reason or if directed by the agency to suspend production for export, for any reason shall be suspended under intimation to the agency (b) The processing for export shall be resumed only after the same is approved by the agency in writing C. Processing.- (1) The processor shall carry out processing only in approved units under the supervision of competent personnel (2) (a) Cut froglegs arriving at the processing plants could be treated as the raw materials for processing Processing of forglegs could be allowed in the same units which were already approved under I P Q C scheme for fish and fishery products (b) The raw material arriving in the processing unit shall be inspected for its quantity, quality and foreign matter, and the observations recorded in the manner prescribed by the Council from time to time (c) It shall be ensured that only fresh and wholesome raw materials are used in processings. (3) The selection of raw material and its subsequent processing, packing and storage till export shall be carried out under the supervision of competent personnel as per directives given by the agency officers from time to time. (4) (a) The aforesaid operations shall be subject to further check by the agency officers as often as found necessary. (b) The material at any stage of processing or packing not approved by the agency officers, shall be removed from the processing premises or defects rectified, as the case may be. (c) The rejected material shall be disposed of in a way satisfactory to the agency. (5) In case of dispute, the concerned raw material shall be either kept adequately iced or processed with a separate identity tag or mark and kept separately for final disposal which shall be decided by the panel of officers of the agency. (6) Processing of froglegs shall be carried out in the manner as specified below:- (a) The hind-legs shall be carried out from live frogs at the abdomen not more than 2.5 to 3 cm. from the waist. (b) It shall be ensured that no portion of the elementary tract comes in contact with the legs. (c) The chopped hind-legs shall be dipped in 5 per cent. chilled brine containing 20 ppm chlorine for 15 minutes in order to ensures proper bleading and to prevent the clotting of blood inside. (d) The chilled brine shall be changed at frequent intervals. (e) The material shall be then washed thrice in fresh potable water and be dipped in 5 per cent. brine containing 500 ppm available chlorine for 15 minutes. (f) After that the legs shall be packed properly in sufficient quantity of good quality ice. (g) The legs shall be trimmed and then properly washed in fresh potable water. (h) After washing the material shall be dipped in 5 per cent. sodium chloride solution containing 500 ppm available chlorine for 15 minutes, skinned, deveined (by pulling out the large blood vessels from the cutend or by piercing the flesh at the knee joint and then pulling out the vessel), washed, graded and then finally washed five times with fresh potable water containing 20 ppm chlorine before the material goes for further processing. (i) Legs shall be wrapped in polyethene or any other suitable moistureproof paper already dipped in potable water containing 20 ppm chlorine for 5 minutes. (j) In the case of delay in loading the material for freezing the unwrapped legs shall be transferred to a container containing water with 20 ppm available chlorine alongwith suitable quantity of bacteriologically sound ice. (k) The material thus preserved shall be temporarily kept in a chill room. (l) The legs shall be quick-frozen at or below- 40Z and be transferred immediately to a cold storage maintained at or below 10Z C. D. Procedure of inspection.- (1) (a) For the purpose of inspection under these rules, a day's production shall constitute a control unit. (b) A control unit may have more sub-units depending upon the species of the product (c) Samples shall be drawn from raw material, different processing stages and the final product in accordance with the instructions laid down by the Council (d) Those of the lots which meet the laid down standards shall be treated as approved lot (2) An exporter intending to export a consignment of frozen froglegs shall give intimation to the agency in writing in the proforma prescribed by the Council and submit alongwith such intimation a declaration to the effect that the consignment of frozen froglegs has been processed exercising the inprocess quality control measures as prescribed in this regard and from the approved lot (3) Such intimation shall reach the agency office not less than three working days' prior to the date of despatch or the consignment from the processing premises for shipment (4) On receipt of such intimation, the agency shall normally draw samples for organoleptic tests only, and if the agency is satisfied that the consignment to be exported complies with the notified standards and if the results of recorded regular checks satisfied that the consignment to be exported complies with the three working days' or receipt of such intimation, issue a certificate to the exporter declaring the consignment export-worthy (5) In case the results of the recorded checks so warrant, or if the agency feels that further detailed checks are necessary, additional samples, as decided by the agency, shall be drawn from the consignment for detailed testing including bacteriology, and in such case the certificate of export worthiness shall be issued only after satisfactory completion of the test (6) Where the agency is not so satisfied, it shall refuse to issue such certificate and communicate such refusal in writing to the exporter alongwith the reasons therefor (7) A separate record shall be maintained giving information relating to the rejection and mode of disposal of the control units or sub-units which do not conform to the standard specifications (8) (a) For the purposes of inspection, the agency officers shall have access to the relevant records and premises where processing, packing and storage of frozen froglegs are carried out (b) The processor shall provide a separate inspection room with necessary facilities adjacent to the processing area (9) (a) Subsequent to certification, the agency shall have the right to reassess the quality of the consignment in the cold storage in transit or at the ports (b) In the event of the consignment being found not conforming to the standard specifications at any of these stages, the certificate originally issued shall be withdrawn 4. Inspection fee. :- Subject to a minimum of Rs 304 for each consignment, a fee at the rate of 20 ps per kg or part thereof shall be paid by the exporter to the agency as inspection fee 5. Appeal. :- (1) Any person aggrieved by the agency to accord approval for his unit under Cl B (1) of rule 3, or withdrawal of approval accorded under Cl B (2) of rule 3, or to issue a certificate of exportworthiness under Cl D (6) of rule 3, may within ten days of receipt of the communication of such refusal or withdrawl by him, prefer an appeal to a panel of experts consisting of not less than three, but not more than seven persons, appointed for the purpose by the Central Government (2) At least two-thirds of the total membership of the panel of experts shall consists of non-officials (3) The quoram of the panel shall be three (4) The appeal shall be disposed of within 15 days of its receipt