SECTIONS 25851-25857 - California Statutes

FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE

SECTION 25851-25857

25851. The classes of the kinds of poultry meat are as established
in this chapter and any regulations which are adopted by the director
pursuant to Section 25857.

25852. The classes of chicken meat, as determined by inspection of
appearance and other physical characteristics, are as follows:
(a) "Rock Cornish game hen" or "Cornish game hen" means a young
immature chicken of either sex (usually five to six weeks of age)
which weighs not more than two pounds ready-to-cook weight that was
prepared from a Cornish chicken of the progeny of a Cornish chicken
crossed with another breed of chicken.
(b) "Broiler" or "fryer" means a young chicken (usually under 16
weeks of age) of either sex, that is tender-meated, with soft,
pliable, smooth-textured skin, and flexible breastbone cartilage.
(c) "Roaster" means a young chicken (usually under eight months of
age) of either sex, that is tender-meated, with soft, pliable,
smooth-textured skin, and breastbone cartilage that is somewhat less
flexible than that of a broiler or fryer.
(d) "Caponette," "caponette fryer," or "caponette roaster" means a
young chicken with the general characteristics of either a fryer or
roaster which has been treated with a hormone approved by the Food
and Drug Administration of the United States Department of Health,
Education and Welfare.
(e) "Capon" means an unsexed male chicken (usually under 10 months
of age), that is tender-meated with soft, pliable, smooth-textured
skin.
(f) "Hen" or "stewing chicken" or "fowl" means a mature female
chicken (usually more than 10 months old) with meat less tender than
that of a roaster, and nonflexible breastbone.
(g) "Stag" means a male chicken (usually under 10 months of age)
with coarse skin, somewhat toughened and darkened flesh, and
considerable hardening of the breastbone cartilage. Stags show a
condition of fleshing and a degree of maturity intermediate between
that of a roaster and a cock or old rooster.
(h) "Cock" or "old rooster" means a mature male chicken with
coarse skin, toughened and darkened meat, and hardened breastbone.

25853. The classes of turkey meat as determined by appearance are
as follows:
(a) "Fryer" or "roaster" means a young, immature turkey (usually
under 16 weeks of age) of either sex, that is tender meated with
soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin, and flexible breastbone.
(b) "Young turkey" means a turkey (usually under eight months of
age) that is tender meated with soft, pliable, smooth-textured skin,
and breastbone cartilage that is somewhat less flexible than in a
turkey fryer or roaster. For labeling purposes, the designation of
sex within the class name is optional.
(c) "Yearling hen turkey" means a fully matured female turkey
(usually under 15 months of age) that is reasonably tender meated and
with reasonably smooth-textured skin.
(d) "Yearling tom turkey" means a fully matured male turkey
(usually under 15 months of age) that is reasonably tender meated and
with reasonably smooth-textured skin.
(e) "Mature turkey" or "old turkey (hen or tom)" means an old
turkey of either sex (usually in excess of 15 months of age) with
coarse skin and toughened flesh.

25854. The classes of rabbit meat as determined by appearance and
weight are as follows:
(a) "Rabbit fryer" means a young, domestic rabbit (usually under
12 weeks of age) with tender, fine-grained, and bright pearly white
color which may be properly cooked by broiling or frying and which
weighs not less than 1 1/2 pounds or over 3 1/2 pounds ready-to-cook
weight.
(b) "Rabbit roaster" means a domestic rabbit (over 12 weeks of
age) which may be properly cooked by roasting, and which weighs 3 1/2
to 5 pounds ready-to-cook weight.
(c) "Stewing rabbit" means a mature domestic rabbit of either sex
(over six months of age) which may be properly cooked by stewing at
any ready-to-cook weight.

25855. The following are the various classes of ducks:
(a) "Duckling" means a young duck of either sex (usually under 10
weeks of age) that is tender meated and has a bill that is not
completely hardened and windpipe that is easily dented. This
classification may include broilers, fryers, or roasters.
(b) "Duck" means a mature duck or an old duck (usually over 10
weeks of age) of either sex with toughened flesh, hardened bill, and
a hardened windpipe.

25856. The following are the various classes of geese:
(a) "Young goose" means a goose of either sex which is tender
meated, and has a windpipe that is easily dented.
(b) "Mature goose" or "old goose" means a goose of either sex
which has toughened flesh and a hardened windpipe.

25857. The director may, by regulation, adopt any necessary new
class designations and class specifications or modifications of
existing class designations and class specifications. He shall, in
exercising such authority, take into consideration the standard class
designations and class specifications promulgated by the United
States Department of Agriculture.