(a) Containers which are intended to be hermetically sealed shall be cleaned thoroughly immediately before filling, and precaution must be taken to avoid soiling the inner surfaces subsequently. However, cans in which lard is to be hermetically sealed may be examined immediately before filling and if found to be acceptably clean by a department employee need not be washed.

(b) Containers of metal, glass, or other material shall be washed in an inverted position with a water spray. The nozzle on the spray attachment shall be of such design and the water delivered with such pressure as will effectively rinse all of the inner surface of each container. Such containers shall not contain an accumulation of water when received at the filling station. In lieu of cleaning with water, the use of efficient jet-vacuum type equipment for cleaning containers is permitted, immediately prior to filling.

(c) Nothing less than perfect closure is acceptable for hermetically sealed containers. Heat processing shall follow promptly after closing.

(d) Careful inspection shall be made of the containers by competent establishment employees immediately after closing, and containers which are defectively filled or defectively closed or show inadequate vacuum shall not be processed until the defect has been corrected. The containers shall again be inspected by establishment employees when they have cooled sufficiently for handling after processing by heating. The contents of defective containers shall be condemned unless correction of the defect is accomplished within six hours following the sealing of the containers or completion of the heat processing, as the case may be, except that:

(e) Canned products shall not be passed unless after cooling to atmospheric temperature, they show the external characteristics of sound cans, that is, the cans shall not be overfilled; they shall have concave sides, excepting the seam side, and all ends shall be concave; there shall be no bulging; the sides and ends shall conform to the product; and there shall be no slack or loose tin.

(f) All canned products shall be plainly and permanently marked on the containers by code or otherwise with the identity of the contents and date of canning. The code used and its meaning shall be on record in the office of the inspector in charge. If calendar dating is used, it must be accompanied by an explanatory statement, as provided in section 317.8(b)(32)(ii) of this Article.

(g) Canned product must be processed at such temperature and for such period of time as will assure keeping without refrigeration under usual conditions of storage and transportation when heating is relied on for preservation, with the exception of those canned product which are processed without steam-pressure cooking by permission of the commissioner in specific cases and labeled “Perishable, Keep Under Refrigeration”.

(h) Lots of canned product shall be identified during their handling preparatory to heat processing by tagging the baskets, cages, or cans with a tag which will change color on going through the heat processing or by other effective means so as to positively preclude failure to heat process after closing.

(i) Facilities shall be provided by the operator of the official establishment for incubation of representative samples of fully processed canned product. The incubation shall consist of holding the canned product for the periods of time and at the temperatures prescribed in paragraph (4) of this subdivision.