According to USDA on May 26, 2023, the FSIS regulations 9 CFR 317.8(b)(38) and 381.117(g) require that collagen casings be declared on a product label under certain circumstances. The following three scenarios describe when a collagen casing declaration is necessary and when the declaration may be omitted:

1) Declaration of a collagen casing is not required when the source of the casing is known and is the same species or kind used in the meat block of the product, e.g., use of beef collagen casing on a beef sausage.

2) Declaration of a collagen casing is required when the source is known, and it is a different species or kind than that used in the meat block. For example, a sheep casing used on a pork sausage would require a statement such as “in a sheep collagen casing” on the product label.

3) If the source of the collagen casing is unknown, the casing must be declared, e.g., “packed in a collagen casing.”

Similarly, natural casings must be declared on the product label when the type of meat or poultry from which the casings are derived is different than that of the sausage, in accordance with 9 CFR 317.8(b)(37) and 381.117(f). For example, a turkey sausage stick packed in a natural pork casing would require a statement such as “packed in pork casings.”

A casing declaration should be located on the principal display panel or at the end of the ingredients statement on the product label.

Learn more: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/news-events/news-press-releases/constituent-update-may-26-2023