§ 5726. Detention and condemnation.
(a) Marking detained food.--Whenever the secretary has probable cause to believe that food is adulterated or misbranded, the secretary shall affix to the container or wrapping a tag or other marking. The tag or marking shall give notice that:
(1) The food may be adulterated or misbranded and shall be detained.
(2) It is unlawful to remove the food from the food establishment or to dispose of it without approval of the secretary.
(b) Determination and appeal.--The secretary shall determine whether a food detained under this subchapter may be sold, delivered, consigned, held or offered for sale as is or whether it shall be relabeled, reprocessed or destroyed within 40 days of issuance of the detention order. Any determination by the secretary that the food shall be relabeled, reprocessed or destroyed shall be subject, within 30 days of the determination, to appeal by the owner or operator of the food establishment or the manufacturer or owner of the food to the court of common pleas of the county in which the food was located. The detention order shall expire after five working days from the issuance of the order, unless the secretary confirms the order. The order shall clearly and concisely state the facts on which it is based.
(c) Relabeling.--If the secretary determines that the adulteration or misbranding can be corrected by a proper label or reprocessing and the determination is not appealed within the time permitted, the secretary may direct that the food be released to the claimant to label or process under the supervision of the secretary. The relabeled or reprocessed food shall not be released into the market until the secretary has executed an order indicating that the food is no longer in violation of this subchapter.
(d) Order for destruction.--Food detained under this subchapter shall be destroyed by the owner under the supervision of the secretary, if the secretary determines that the food is unfit for human consumption and the food cannot be reconditioned so as to be made fit for human consumption and the determination is not appealed within the time permitted. Food detained under this subchapter may be used as animal feed or for other beneficial use, provided that such use is in compliance with other applicable statutes, rules, regulations, standards and orders. The owner shall pay all costs of destruction.
Cross References. Section 5726 is referred to in section 5723 of this title.
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