For decades, television has been an important part of Thanksgiving celebrations for many Americans, particularly holiday viewings of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, professional football, and holiday-themed movies. SCTE 07 2013, Digital Transmission Standard for Cable Television, provides descriptions of the framing structure, channel coding, and channel modulation for a digital multiservice television distribution system that is specific to a cable channel, supporting the cable TV service that gives you access to sports channels, Thanksgiving movies, and a whole lot more. The standard was developed by the Society of Cable Telecommunications Engineers (SCTE), an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) member and accredited standards developer.
Unless you're a vegan or vegetarian, your Thanksgiving meal probably includes a roast turkey at the center of the table, ready to be carved up and eaten. An American National Standard from by NSF International, an ANSI member and audited designator, provides hygiene requirements in connection with the processing of turkey and other meats. NSF/ANSI 3-A 14159-2-2010, Hygiene requirements for the design of meat and poultry processing equipment, addresses hand-held tools used in the processing and packaging of poultry and other meat products, helping processors to assure the quality and safety of turkeys and many other meats and meat products.
For many Americans, a glass of wine, such as pinot noir or zinfandel, serves to compliment the flavors of their Thanksgiving meal. ISO 7224:1983, Equipment for vine cultivation and wine making -- Mash pumps -- Methods of test, provides definitions and a test report example for mash pumps used in the making of wine. The standard was developed by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 23, Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry. ANSI member and accredited standards developer the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) serves as the ANSI-accredited U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Administrator to ISO TC 23. For those who prefer to accompany their stuffing and pumpkin pie with a pint of beer or seasonal cocktail, ANSI member and audited designator ASTM International provides some useful guidance. ASTM E1879-00(2010), Standard Guide for Sensory Evaluation of Beverages Containing Alcohol, covers sample preparation procedures for beer, liquor, and many other alcoholic beverages, and addresses preparation, safety, and legal issues related to such drinks.
ANSI also supports Thanksgiving through its role as an internationally recognized accreditation body that assess the competencies of certification bodies of product/process/services that certify the conformance of food and food-related products/process. The ANSI accreditation process is in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC Guide 65, General requirements for bodies operating product certification systems, ANSI accreditation offers a formal, third-party process that reviews the competence of the certification body to implement certification programs on bottled water and packaged ice, drinking water additives, drinking water treatment units, and food service equipment, as well as specific food-related sector programs such as SQF, BRC, GLOBALG.A.P, PrimusGFS, CanadaGAP, IFS, and the Global Aquaculture Alliance. For more information on ANSI's product accreditation services, visit www.ansi.org/accreditation.
If you choose to have your Thanksgiving meal in a restaurant in some states, ANSI's accreditation activities are there to lend a helping hand. In both California and Illinois, laws have been passed requiring training providers issuing personnel certificates to food safety handlers to be accredited under the ANSI Certificate Accreditation Program (ANSI-CAP). This oversight is intended to improve public health and strengthen food safety measures in both states. Launched in 2009, ANSI-CAP accredits organizations that issue education and training certificates to the U.S. workforce, and was the first program of its kind to offer a formal, third-party process for review and recognition of quality certificate programs.
While millions of Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in homes and restaurants nationwide, standards will be there to provide guidance and essential support. ANSI wishes all of its members and friends a happy, healthy, and safe Thanksgiving Day.