Commission Regulation (EC) No 543/2008Show full title

5. Method U.K.

5.1. Twenty carcases are removed at random from the quantity of poultry to be checked. Until each can be tested as described in points 5.2 to 5.11, they are kept at a temperature no higher than – 18 °C. U.K.

5.2. The outside of the pack is wiped to remove superficial ice and water. The pack and its content are weighed to the nearest gram: this weight is M₀. U.K.

5.3. The carcase, together with any edible offal sold with it, is removed from the outer wrap, which is dried and weighed to the nearest gram: this weight is M₁. U.K.

5.4. The weight of frozen carcase plus offal is calculated by subtracting M₁ from M₀. U.K.

5.5. The carcase, including the edible offal, is placed in a strong, waterproof plastic bag with the abdominal cavity facing towards the bottom, closed end of the bag. The bag must be of sufficient length so as to ensure that it can be fixed securely when in the water-bath but not so wide as to allow the carcase to move from the vertical position. U.K.

5.6. The part of the bag containing the carcase end edible offal is completely immersed in a water-bath and remains open, enabling as much air as possible to escape. It is held vertically, if necessary by guide bars or by extra weights put in the bag, so that water from the bath cannot enter it. The individual bags must not touch each other. U.K.

5.7. The bag is left in the water-bath, maintained at 42 ± 2 °C throughout, with continuous movement of the bag or continuous agitation of the water, until the thermal centre of the carcase (the deepest part of the breast muscle close to the breast bone, in chickens without giblets, or the middle of the giblets in chickens with giblets) reaches at least 4 °C, measured in two randomly chosen carcases. The carcases should not remain in the water bath for longer than is necessary to reach 4 °C. The required period of immersion, for carcases stored at – 18 °C is of the order of: U.K.

Weight class (g)	Weight of carcase + offal (g)	Indicative immersion time in minutes
		Chickens without offal	Chickens with offal
< 800	< 825	77	92
850	825 — 874	82	97
900	875 — 924	85	100
950	925 — 974	88	103
1 000	975 — 1 024	92	107
1 050	1 025 — 1 074	95	110
1 100	1 075 — 1 149	98	113
1 200	1 150 — 1 249	105	120
1 300	1 250 — 1 349	111	126
1 400	1 350 — 1 449	118	133

For carcases over 1 400 g, an increase of seven minutes for each additional 100 g is required. If the suggested period of immersion is passed without reaching + 4 °C, in the two carcases which are checked, the thawing process is continued until they do reach + 4 °C in the thermal centre.

5.8. The bag and its content are removed from the water-bath; the bottom of the bag is pierced to allow any water produced on thawing to drain. The bag and its content are allowed to drip for one hour at an ambient temperature of between + 18 °C and + 25 °C. U.K.

5.9. The thawed carcase is removed from the bag and the pack containing offal (if present) is removed from the abdominal cavity. The carcase is dried inside and out with filter paper or paper towels. The bag containing the offal is pierced and, once any water has drained away, the bag and thawed offal are dried as carefully as possible. U.K.

5.10. The total weight of thawed carcase, offal and pack is determined to the nearest gram and expressed as M₂. U.K.

5.11. The weight of the pack which contained the offal is determined to the nearest gram and expressed as M₃. U.K.