Section 725.50  Reconditioning and Labeling of Distressed Merchandise

a)         All salvageable merchandise shall be reconditioned prior to sale or distribution except for such sale or distribution to a person holding a valid license pursuant to Section 725.30 to engaged in a salvage operation or transportation of such salvageable merchandise in accordance with Section 725.42.

b)         All metal cans of items offered for sale or distribution shall be free from pitted rust and free from dents on the rim, end double seams and/or side seams in accordance with Section 725.50(d). Containers which are leakers, springers, flippers, and swells shall be deemed unfit for sale or distribution. Containers, including metal and glass containers with cork press caps, screw caps, pull rings or other types of openings which have been in contact with water, liquid foam, soot, smoke or other deleterious substances, as a result of fire fighting efforts, flood, sewer backups or similar mishaps, shall be deemed unfit for sale or distribution (i.e., non-salvageable merchandise as defined in Section 725.20 of this Part).

c)         All metal containers, other than those mentioned in subsection (b) above, the integrity of which has not been compromised and would not be compromised by reconditioning, and which have been in contact with water, liquid foam, soot, smoke or other deleterious substances as a result of fire fighting efforts, flood, sewer backup or other reasons shall, after thorough cleaning, be subjected to sanitizing rinse of a concentration of 100 ppm available chloringe, or an equivalent santizer listed in 21 CFR 178.1010, for minimum period of one minute. All metal containers shall be thoroughly dried to inhibit rust formation after sanitization.

d)         In addition to the requirements of Section 725.50(b) and 725.50(c) of this Part, the reconditioning of metal cans shall be regulated in accordance with the provisions of "Classification of Visible Can Defects (Exterior)," published by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 1984, with the exception of its explanations of rusted can defects, and "Guidelines for Evaluation and Disposition of Damaged Canned Food Containers," published by the National Food Processors Association, 1979, with the exception of Chapter J as it relates to rusted can defects, and "A Pocket Guide to Can Defects," published by the Association of Food and Drug Officials, 1987, with the exception of rusted can defects as stated on page 19.