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HomeFood and Agricultural CodeDiv. 9Pt. 3Ch. 4.1Art. 2§ 18950 Meat Processing Safety Standards

§ 18950 Meat Processing Safety Standards

Food and Agricultural Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 18950 Meat Processing Safety Standards

Key Takeaways

  • •Meat sold in stores must be safe and clean to eat.
  • •Small meat shops in California must be checked to make sure the meat is good.
  • •Some special meats look like the ones checked by the government, but they might not be.
  • •The law helps keep people from getting sick from bad meat.

Example

You buy sausage from a small local shop.

The shop must follow rules to make sure the sausage is safe to eat, just like big stores do. If they don’t, they can get in trouble.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 18950 Meat Processing Safety Standards

The Legislature finds and declares that: (a) Sausage products and cured and smoked meat products which are processed and sold at retail meat processing establishments and custom slaughtered carcasses are an important source of the food supply in California; and it is essential and in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers of these products are protected by ensuring that meat, both slaughtered and processed, is wholesome and not adulterated. (b) Meat processing establishments and custom slaughter establishments exempt from federal inspection have been required to be inspected in California. (c) There is a public demand for specialty meat food products and there has been an increase in the number of meat processing establishments manufacturing these products. (d) Specialty meat food products are sold and displayed in meat markets and are difficult to distinguish from United States Department of Agriculture inspected and passed products. (Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 417, Sec. 1.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

sausage productscured and smoked meat productscustom slaughtered carcasseswholesome and not adulteratedmeat processing establishmentscustom slaughter establishmentsspecialty meat food productsUnited States Department of Agriculture inspected and passed products

Related Statutes

  • § 18951 Custom Slaughterhouse Regulations
  • § 18952 Custom Meat Inspection Rules
  • § 18955 Establishment Licensing Requirements
  • § 18940 Meat Inspection Supplemental Rules
  • § 18940.5 Definition Scope Clarification

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Food and Agricultural Code. Section 18950.
View Official Source