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Specialized Processing

Specialized Processing

This page is a resource for local health department Food Service Programs for identifying and evaluating Specialized Processing, as defined by the Food Code, sections 3-502.11 Variance Requirement and 3-502.12 Reduced Oxygen Packaging (ROP) Without a Variance, Criteria.

3-502.11 Variance Requirement

Smoking or curing food, additives for preservation such as pickling, sprouting beans or seed and other variances

3-502.12 ROP Without a Variance, Criteria

Packaging food using a reduced oxygen packaging method, such as vacuum packaging, cook-chill packaging, sous vide packaging or other modified or controlled atmosphere packaging

Other Specialized Processing Resources

General resources for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point plans; Process-specific resources for sushi, cold brew, curing and food preservation

3-502.11 Variance Requirement

Jarred, pickled vegetables for sale
A food establishment shall obtain a variance and submit a HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan for review and prior approval for the following specialized processes:

 

  • Smoking for preservation
  • Curing food
  • Using food additives as preservation or to render food not time/temperature controlled for safety
  • Packaging food using a reduced oxygen packaging method (unless following the criteria of 3-502.12)
  • Operating a molluscan shellfish tank
  • Custom Processing meat for personal use
  • Sprouting beans or seeds
  • Another method determined by regulatory authority to require variance

3-502.12 ROP Without a Variance, Criteria

Several cuts of meat that are vaccuum packed in a reduced oxygen environment

3-502.12 ROP Without a Variance, Criteria: Reduced oxygen packaging (ROP) includes vacuum packaging, modified or controlled atmosphere packaging, cook- chill packaging, or sous vide packaging. A food establishment that packages food in reduced oxygen packaging shall have a HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan that follows the Food Code sections applicable to their specific process. Options detailed in this Food Code section are:

  • The refrigerated, packaged food meets at least one of the following criteria:
    • Aw (water activity) of 0.91 or less
    • pH of 4.6 or less
    • Meat or poultry cured at a USDA plant
    • Raw meat, raw poultry, raw vegetables (high level of competing organisms)
  • Fish that is frozen before, during, and after packaging
  • Using a Cook-Chill or Sous Vide process
  • Commercially made hard cheeses, pasteurized process cheese, or semisoft cheeses

Specialized Processing resources:

A blank checklist

General resources:

Process-specific resources:

Sushi Rice

Cold Brew Coffee

Curing Meat

Food Preservation (Dehydrating, Pickling, Fermenting, Low Acid Foods)

For local health department questions regarding specialized processing, please contact the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Local Health Services specialist who oversees specialized processing:

View specialist map