- (1) All slaughtered poultry must be chilled to a temperature at or below forty-five degrees Fahrenheit within four hours of slaughter unless the customer takes possession of the slaughtered poultry during this time.
- (2) Chilling poultry may be accomplished through the use of mechanical refrigeration, an ice chest using ice from an approved source (see WAC 16-170-155), or by being immersed in cold running water.
- (3) A temperature control (TC) must be used to monitor slaughter cool down temperature by inserting a calibrated thermometer into the thickest portion of the first slaughtered poultry carcass and monitoring the temperature to ensure proper chilling at or below forty-five degrees Fahrenheit within four hours of slaughter.
- (4) (a) Slaughtered poultry can be stored for up to forty-eight hours before they are sold.
- (b) During their storage period, poultry carcass temperatures must be kept at or less than forty-five degrees Fahrenheit by mechanical refrigeration equipped with a thermometer or by maintaining the carcasses in a properly designed storage container with the use of a temperature control (TC) as outlined in subsection (3) of this section.
- (5) All chilled and/or stored poultry carcasses must be protected from physical, chemical, microbial contamination and deterioration.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 15.30.120, 69.07.020, 69.10.055, and 16.49.025. WSR 20-17-020, § 16-170-175, filed 8/6/20, effective 9/6/20. Statutory Authority: RCW 69.07.103, chapters 69.07 and 34.05 RCW, and 2009 c 114. WSR 09-16-035, § 16-170-175, filed 7/28/09, effective 8/28/09. Statutory Authority: 2003 c 397 and chapters 69.07 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 04-08-062, § 16-170-175, filed 4/5/04, effective 5/6/04.]