US Department of Agriculture agency, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), issued a final rule this week that will require manufacturers to label the source of natural sausage casings if the casings are derived from a different type of meat or poultry than the meat or poultry encased in the sausage. Establishments producing, manufacturing, or using natural sausage casings are also required to maintain records documenting the source of the casings. FSIS stated that the labels of sausage products encased in regenerated collagen casings disclose the use of the regenerated collagen casing. However, is stated that records on the source of regenerated collagen casings need not be kept. The new rule will be effective from September 5, 2001. FSIS added that manufacturers may use their existing label stocks until they are exhausted.
