Cal Poly Poultry Unit

1. Cal Poly Poultry Unit Egg Processing Handbook

2. Overview • CEQAP • USDA & CDFA Guidelines • UEP Certified • Safety • Facility layout • Basic responsibilities • Contact Information

3. California Egg Quality Assurance Program (CEQAP) • CEQAP is a voluntary Preharvest Food Safety program designed to ensure product quality and food safety associated with salmonella and chemical residues in eggs • 20 core components form the basis of a HACCP-type plan • Training, record-keeping, and research are integral components in documenting the success of the plan • More info can be found at http://animalscience.ucdavis.edu/avian/ceqap.html

4. USDA – Agriculture Marketing Services (AMS) • USDA - Egg Grading Manual • www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/pdfs/EggGrading%20manual.pdf • USDA - United States Standards, Grades, and Weight Classes for Shell Eggs • www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/pdfs/AMS-EggSt-1995.pdf • USDA - Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs • www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/regulations/CFR57.doc

5. California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) • CDFA – Shell Egg Quality Control Program • www.cdfa.ca.gov/is/fveqc/eggs.htm • There are two distinct programs within Egg Quality Control • State Code Enforcement • USDA Surveillance of Restricted Eggs

6. UEP Certified • Voluntary animal welfare program • Annual audits from USDA • Passing allows us to use logo • See attached “UEP Animal Husbandry Guidelines Summary” • www.uepcertified.com • Complete animal welfare program • UEP Certified logo and statement should be printed on all cartons and boxes to promote our proactive involvement in animal welfare

7. Poultry Unit Safety • Biosecurity • Pallet jack • Emergency stops (E-Stop) • Proper clothing • Personal Protective Equipment • Guards must be in place • First aid kits, eye wash station

8. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Biosecurity • Prevent our birds from getting sick • Follow posted biosecurity rotation • Youngest birds to oldest • You cannot have any birds at residence or other job (chickens, turkeys, parrots, pigeons, cockatoos, etc) • Always wear clean clothes • Always use footbaths

9. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Pallet Jack • Must complete training prior to operation of electric pallet jack • May use manual pallet jack with no training • Watch out for other people, doors, buildings, and equipment

10. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Emergency Stop (E-Stop) at Candling Station • Press to stop the machine • Use E-stop to stop machine (stops in 3-4 seconds) • Emergencies • Regular stoppage

11. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Proper Clothing • Closed-toed shoes required • No flip-flops • No loose clothing that may get caught in machinery • Long hair should be tied up • May get hair caught in machine and scalped! • Long pants recommended

12. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) • Ear plugs recommended when working on loader or using air hoses

13. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • Guards must be in place on all equipment prior to operation • Follow all safety signs

14. Poultry Unit Safety (cont) • First Aid Kit • Located in the egg processing room (room 110) • Eye Wash Station • Located in the pathology (path) lab (room 101)

15. Facility Layout – Main Building Dry Storage Poultry Unit Building 150 Eye Wash Station Egg Processing Room

16. Supplies • Dry storage (rm 109) • Cartons • Fiber Flats • Processing room (rm 110) • Boxes • Pallets (also located on dock outside cooler) • Stamps • Twine • All other supplies

17. Undergrades • Checks (Chex) • An individual egg that has a broken shell or a crack in the shell but its shell membranes are intact and its contents do not leak (USDA) • 5% of the eggs in the final pack can be checks – our goal is 3% • This allows us to get a higher premium for those eggs • Most checks will be pulled out at the Candling Booth • Our second line of Quality Assurance is at the Packing Stations • As packaged eggs come down the take-away belt, they should be briefly inspected prior to boxing • Dirts • A shell that is unbroken and has dirt or foreign material adhering to its surface, has prominent stains, or has moderate stains covering more than 1/32 of the shell surface if localized, or 1/16 of the shell surface if scattered (USDA) • A dirt is a loss • 1% of the eggs in the final pack can be loss-type • our goal is 0 • All Checks and Dirts should be packed into fiber flats, and then into boxes • Boxes must be labeled with Julian Date of Pack and “Checks and Dirts”

18. Blood or Meat Spots Small blood spots (aggregating not more than one-eighth inch in diameter) are to be classified as B quality Small meat spots (aggregating not more than one-eighth inch in diameter) are to be classified as B quality If blood spots are larger, or show diffusion of blood into the albumen surrounding them, the egg shall be classified as loss Blood spots shall not be due to germ development They may be on the yolk or in the albumen Meat spots may be blood spots which have lost their characteristic red color, or tissue from the reproductive organs. Undergrades (cont)

19. Undergrades (cont) • Leaker • An individual egg that has a crack or break in the shell and shell membranes to the extent that the egg contents are exuding or free to exude through the shell (USDA) • A leaker is a loss • All Leakers, Bloods, and Meat Spots should be discarded into “Inedible” containers

21. USDA – Summary of US Consumer Grades for Shell Eggs

22. Grades • Air Cell • AA 1/8 inch or less • A 1/8 – 3/16 inch or less • B No limit

23. Responsibilities – Loader • Move eggs from storage cooler (rm 108C) to processing cooler (rm 110A) • Transfer flats from pallets to loader • Pull extremely dirty eggs from flats • Sort empty flats, pallets, and spacers • Keep machine full • Return supplies to farm packer • Thoroughly clean equipment • See SSOP • Help elsewhere as needed

24. Responsibilities – Candling • Set up candling supplies • fiber and “dirts” flats • trash can for loss • mirror • Fill washer with water • Inspect eggs for quality defects • see Egg Quality Guidelines packet • Box up checks • Record amount on production sheet • Thoroughly clean wash tank, screens, candling area, transfer area, and all equipment used • See SSOP • Help elsewhere as needed

25. Responsibilities – Cartons • Set up packing supplies before packing • Update date information on stamps • Turn on soap dispenser when machine starts • Stamp the date on needed cartons • Help all other positions as needed • Return all packing supplies to proper storage areas • Thoroughly clean area (counter and carton area) • See SSOP • Help put packaged eggs in cooler

26. Responsibilities – Packer • Set up pallets prior to starting machine • Ensure dates on stamps and cartons are correct • Ensure quality of eggs as you box them • Keep area clean as you pack • Pick up eggs that fall on floor • Rework broken or dirty cartons as they occur • Stamp all boxes with appropriate stamp • Thoroughly clean area • See SSOP • Put packaged eggs in cooler • Help elsewhere as needed

27. Packaging Information • Cartons • Use clean, first run cartons • Sell By Date, Julian Date, Plant Code must be stamped on side of carton lid • Should have “UEP Certified” logo (not “Animal Care Certified”) • Pack 15 – 1 doz cartons or 10 – 18 egg cartons per box • Jumbo’s – only 12 – 1 doz cartons per box (larger eggs/cartons) • Stamp box with appropriate information (see box labeling requirements)

28. Packaging Information (cont) • Fiber Flats • Use clean, first run flats • 5 x 6 design (blue label) • Used for Small, Medium, Large, and Extra Large • Flats hold 30 eggs (2½ doz) • 4 x 5 design (pink label) • Used for Jumbos only • Flats hold 20 eggs • Stack flats in pairs • This makes it easier to fill boxes • Flats must be rotated to stack properly • Notice the notched sides and smooth sides

29. Packaging Information (cont) • Cardboard boxes • Use clean, first run boxes • Gap-top box • Larger flaps on bottom than on top • Stamp necessary information • Stamp on “California Fresh Eggs” logo side • Company Name SizeType of PackGrade Sell ByDate Julian DatePlant Code City, State Zip Code

30. Box Labeling Requirements Company Name Type of Pack Grade Size Sell By Date Company Address Julian Date Plant Code

31. Stacking Boxes on the Pallet • 1st box is most important (foundation) • Start at the back of the pallet • Place 1st box 2-3 inches in from long edge of pallet and 1-2 inches over the short edge • 12 boxes per layer (4 x 3) • Stack them as tight together (no gaps for shifting) • 4 layers only (48 boxes per pallet) • This is for safety reasons • CA Logo should face out on long sides and middle of short sides • This is the side you will stamp • There are 2 sides with the logo • Stamp boxes in the middle as you build the pallet • It is easiest to stack boxes 2 deep and 4 high, stamp middle boxes, then fill in the 3rd row • You won’t have to lean as far to reach the back row this way

32. General Clean Up • THIS IS A FOOD FACILITY – IT MUST BE KEPT CLEAN • Clean eggs off floor • Using combination of dust pan, squeegee, paper towels, scrappers, and water hoses, clean broken eggs off floor • Clean eggs off machine • The loader is the only machine you can use water on • Using combination of paper towels, spray cleaner, and scrappers, clean broken eggs and other dirt • Discard garbage • Remove trash bag from all garbage cans and dispose of in dumpster • Wash out trash cans as necessary • Replace with new trash bag • A dirty facility attracts unwanted pests (flies, mice, spiders, etc)

33. Keys • A key will be assigned to you • You are responsible for this key – DO NOT LOSE IT! • Security and safety of the birds at Cal Poly are extremely important • Keep doors to poultry buildings locked when not in the buildings • Keys are due back at the end of the quarter, unless told otherwise • A hold on your registration/records will be placed if the key is not returned when requested. • $50 will be charged PER LOCK that must be changed due to lost keys

34. Contact Information • Poultry Unit Manager • 805-756-7336 office • 805-748-8424 cell • Faculty Advisor • 805-756-XXXX office • 805-748-XXXX cell • Campus Police • 805-756-2281 • Other Important Numbers • A complete list of managers and enterprise students will be emailed within the first week of the project.

35. Conclusion • Please follow all appropriate guidelines • UEP Certified • CEQAP • USDA • CDFA • Everyone is responsible for producing a high quality, safe food for our community • BE SAFE! • You are expected to complete all responsibilities. • This can be a fun enterprise – so let’s have fun!