The Fresh Meat Export (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1987

• (b) the head including the tongue, when tuberculosis exists in any lymph node associated with the head or tongue:

Provided that, where in a particular lymph node or nodes the lesion is small and inactive and the lymph node is not enlarged, he may at his discretion regard the head or tongue, or both, as fit for human consumption after the removal of the affected lymph node or nodes and the surrounding tissue;

• (c) any organ or viscera when tuberculosis exists in the substance, or on the surface thereof, or in any lymph node associated therewith.

• (2) An authorised officer of the Council shall regard any part of a carcase and any offal or blood contaminated with tuberculous material as unfit for human consumption.

5

An authorised officer of the Council shall regard either of the following conditions as evidence of generalised caseous lymphadenitis for the purposes of this Part of this Schedule:—

• (a) multiple, acute and actively progressive lesions of caseous lymphadenitis;

• (b) multiple lesions of caseous lymphadenitis which are inactive but widespread.

6

Where an authorised officer of the Council is satisfied that a carcase or offal is affected with caseous lymphadenitis or any other suppurative condition and that the said condition is not generalised nor associated with emaciation, he shall regard the following parts of the carcase and offal as unfit for human consumption:—

• (a) any organ and its associated lymph node, when the aforesaid condition exists on the surface or in the substance of that organ or lymph node;

• (b) in any case to which sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph does not apply, the lesion and such of the surrounding parts as he may think proper having regard to the age and degree of activity of the lesion. For the purposes of this sub-paragraph, an old lesion which is firmly encapsulated may be regarded as inactive.

7

Where an authorised officer of the Council is satisfied that any part of a carcase or any offal is affected with a localised infestation of cysticercus bovis, he shall regard the following parts of the carcase and offal as unfit for human consumption:—

• (a) the part of the carcase or offal so infested;

• (b) the remainder of the carcase and offal unless he is satisfied that they have been kept in cold storage at a temperature not exceeding −7°C for a period of not less than three weeks or at a temperature not exceeding −10°C for a period of not less than two weeks.

8

Every person who causes any part of a carcase or any offal to be placed in cold storage for the purposes of the last foregoing paragraph shall, at the same time as he causes it to be so placed, give notice to the local authority within whose district the cold store is situated, in such form as the local authority may require, of the date of the placing and the period for which it is intended that the part of a carcase or offal, as the case may be, will remain in cold storage.

9

Where an authorised officer of the Council is satisfied that the whole or any part of a carcase or any offal is affected by any disease or condition other than one mentioned in the foregoing paragraphs of this Part of this Schedule, he shall regard as unfit for human consumption the whole carcase and the offal or such lesser part thereof as he may think appropriate to the circumstances of the case.

10

Where an authorised officer of the Council is satisfied that a part of a carcase or any offal is affected by a slight localised infestation by a parasite not transmissible to man, he may at his discretion regard as unfit for human consumption the part of the carcase or offal so affected together with the tissue immediately surrounding it.

SCHEDULE 9 — CUTTING PRACTICES

1

The occupier of the cutting premises shall—

• (a) make available to an authorised officer of the Council all necessary facilities for the supervision of the premises in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 10 and in particular allow him unimpeded access at all times to all parts of the premises where meat is cut up or stored;

• (b) make available to an authorised officer of the Council, when required to do so, evidence of the origin of any meat brought into the cutting premises;

• (c) ensure that any meat which is not eligible for export in accordance with these Regulations is stored and cut up apart from or at other times than meat which is eligible for export;

• (d) ensure that as soon as fresh meat intended for cutting up enters the cutting premises it is placed in the refrigerated accommodation provided for the reception and storage of meat awaiting cutting and there maintained at an internal temperature of not more than +7°C for carcases, half carcases, half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts and quarter carcases and +3°C for offal:

Provided that meat transferred directly and without risk of contamination from an export slaughterhouse to export cutting premises within the same site complex may, notwithstanding the requirements of this sub-paragraph, of sub-paragraph (f) of this Schedule and of paragraph 1(j) of Schedule 7, but subject to the following conditions, be cut up without first being chilled:

The conditions referred to in the foregoing proviso are that—

• (i) cutting up shall take place without delay, and

• (ii) as soon as cutting up, wrapping and packing are completed the meat shall be placed immediately in the refrigerated accommodation referred to in paragraph 1(a)(ii) of Part I of Schedule 2 and be brought progressively to an internal temperature of not more than +7°C for cut meat and +3°C for offal;

• (e) ensure that meat is brought into the room provided in accordance with paragraph 1(b) of Part I of Schedule 2 as and when required, that it remains in that room only for the minimum time required to carry out the necessary cutting up operations, and that on completion of cutting up, wrapping and packing the meat is transferred without undue delay to the refrigerated accommodation referred to in paragraph 1(a)(ii) of Part I of Schedule 2 and there maintained at an internal temperature of not more than +7°C for cut meat and +3°C for offal;

• (f) ensure that cutting up does not take place until the meat has reached an internal temperature of not more than +7°C for carcases, half carcases, half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts and quarter carcases and +3°C for offal, that during cutting up, wrapping and packing the meat is kept at an internal temperature of not more than +7°C for carcases and cuts and +3°C for offal, and that while cutting up is taking place the temperature of the room does not exceed +12°C;

• (g) ensure that any splinters of bone and clots of blood are removed from meat during cutting up;

• (h) ensure that no carcase, offal or cut meat is wiped down;

• (i) ensure that meat obtained from cutting up and not intended for human consumption is collected in the receptacles referred to in paragraph 1(h) of Part I of Schedule 2 as it is cut;

• (j) ensure that no implement is left in the meat;

• (k) ensure that when cutting, boning, wrapping and packing operations take place in the same room, the following conditions are observed:—

• (i) the packing and wrapping materials shall, during storage, be enclosed in a protective cover under hygienic conditions in a separate room;

• (ii) packing and wrapping material shall not be stored on the floor;

• (iii) packing material shall be assembled under hygienic conditions before being brought into the cutting room;

• (iv) packing and wrapping material shall be brought into the room hygienically and shall be used without delay; packing shall not be handled by persons who handle fresh meat;

• (v) immediately after wrapping and packing, the meat shall be placed in the storage rooms, referred to in paragraph 1(a)(ii) of Part I of Schedule 2;

• (l) ensure that fresh meat intended for freezing is frozen only by a rapid method and is stored at a temperature of not more than −12°C.

SCHEDULE 10 — HEALTH CONTROL IN EXPORT CUTTING PREMISES

1

The official veterinary surgeon shall be responsible for the supervision of cutting premises while meat intended for export is being cut up and shall ensure that the requirements of these Regulations are observed. In particular he shall—

• (a) supervise the maintenance of a register for fresh meat entering and leaving the premises;

• (b) be responsible for the inspection of fresh meat intended for export held in the premises and at the time of its despatch;

• (c) issue the certificate provided for in paragraph 1 of Schedule 14;

• (d) be responsible for the maintenance of hygiene standards in the premises, with particular reference to the requirements of Schedule 5;

• (e) be responsible for the taking of all samples necessary for any laboratory tests which may be required and all the recording of the results of such tests in a register; these results shall be made available to the owner of the meat on request.

2

The official veterinary surgeon may be assisted by inspectors in the discharge of the responsibilities set out in paragraph 1(a), (b), (d) and (e) of this Schedule.

SCHEDULE 11 — HEALTH MARKING

1

The health mark shall be applied by or under the supervision and responsibility of the official veterinary surgeon.

2

The health mark shall consist of an oval mark 6.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high containing in legible form in letters 0.8 cm high and figures 1 cm high the following information:—

• (a) on the upper part, the letters “UK”;

• (b) in the centre, the approval number of the export slaughterhouse or export cutting premises;

• (c) on the lower part, the letters “EEC”;

• (d) in addition, for fresh meat from boars and cryptorchid or hermaphrodite swine, the oval mark shall be covered along the main diameter by two parallel straight lines as evident as the external edge of the mark with a distance apart of at least 1.0 cm.

3

Carcases weighing more than 65 kg shall have the health and mark applied in ink or hot-branded on each half carcase in at least the following places — external surface of the thigh, loins, back, breast and shoulder. Other carcases shall have the health mark applied in ink or hot-branded in at least four places — on the shoulders and on the external surface of the thighs.

4

Livers of bovine animals, swine and solipeds shall be hot-branded with the health mark.

5

Heads, tongues, hearts and lungs unless they are wrapped or packed in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 12 shall have the health mark applied in ink or hot-branded, but in the case of bovine animals under three months old, and swine, sheep and goats, health marking of tongues and hearts shall not be compulsory.

6

Cuts, other than cuts weighing less than 100g each, obtained in export cutting premises from carcases marked with the health mark and which do not bear a health mark shall, unless they are wrapped or packed in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 12, have that mark applied in ink or hot-branded.

7

Cuts of pig belly and back fat from which the rind has been removed may be grouped into lots containing not more than five cuts; each lot and each piece, if it is separate, shall be sealed under the supervision of the official veterinary surgeon and be provided with a label which meets the requirements of paragraph 3 of Part II of Schedule 12.

8

Only methyl violet shall be used for marking meat in ink in accordance with this Schedule.

SCHEDULE 12 — WRAPPING AND PACKING OF CUT MEAT AND OFFAL

PART I — wrapping

1

The occupier shall ensure that any material for wrapping meat is strong enough to protect the meat during the course of handling and transport and does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of the meat or transmit to it any substance harmful to human health and that only transparent and uncoloured wrapping material is used except where the wrapping material used conforms to the requirements of paragraph 5 of this Part of this Schedule.

2

The occupier shall ensure that the wrapping operation is carried out immediately after cutting and in a hygenic manner and that wrapping material is not re-used for wrapping meat.

3

The occupier shall ensure that cut meat, other than cuts of pig belly and pork fat, is wrapped in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Part of this Schedule unless it is transported hanging up.

4

The occupier shall ensure that wrappings contain meat of only one animal species.

5

The occupier shall ensure that wrapped meat is packed in accordance with the requirements of Part II of this Schedule, save that where the wrapping material used fulfils the requirement of packing in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 3 of Part II of this Schedule, it does not in addition require to be packed.

6

The occupier shall ensure that all meat wrapped in commercial portions intended for direct sale to the consumer bears a reproduction of the health mark on the wrapping material or on a clearly visible label affixed to the wrapping material.

PART II — packing

1

The occupier shall ensure that any material used for packing meat is strong enough to protect the meat during the course of handling and transport and does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of the meat or transmit to it any substance harmful to human health.

2

The occupier shall ensure that any material used for packing meat is not re-used for this purpose unless it is made of a non-corrodible and impervious substance which is easy to clean and has been cleaned and disinfected prior to re-use for packing meat.

3

The occupier shall ensure that every package bears the health mark either on the package or on a clearly visible label affixed to the packing or wrapping material which fulfils the requirements of paragaraph 5 of Part I of this Schedule. The health mark shall include the veterinary number of the export cutting premises except that in the case of offal wrapped or packed in an export slaughterhouse it shall bear the approval number of that slaughterhouse and it shall be applied in such a way that it is torn when the package is opened. Labels must be serially numbered.

4

The occupier shall ensure that packages contain meat of only one animal species.

SCHEDULE 13 — STORAGE OF MEAT

1

The occupier of the cold store shall facilitate supervision of the store and handling and inspection of the meat and shall place the necessary facilities at the disposal of an authorised officer of the Council.

2

The owner of the meat and the occupier of the cold store shall secure arrangements for supervision of meat during movement into the store and during storage as follows:—

• (a) unwrapped meat, meat wrapped in stockinette and all intervention meat owned by the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce shall be supervised during movement into the store and during storage by an authorised officer of the Council; however, for privately-owned, packed and wrapped meat supervision during movement into the store and during storage may be waived at the owner’s discretion;

• (b) for all meat there shall be maintained at the store adequate records including the accompanying veterinry health certificate in the form prescribed in paragraph 2 of Schedule 14, and thermographs (identified and validated) to record the time and date when the meat was taken into store, its location in the store and the storage conditions. These records shall be made available on request to an authorised officer of the Council and shall be sufficient to provide the information necessary to enable the official veterinary surgeon to issue the health certificate provided for in paragraph 1 of Schedule 14.

3

The occupier shall ensure that fresh meat intended for export is—

• (a) kept at a constant internal temperture of not more than +7°C for carcases and cuts, +3°C for offal and −12°C for frozen meat;

• (b) supervised by an authorised officer of the Council at the time of loading for despatch;

• (c) handled, loaded and unloaded, stored and, if freezing is carried out, frozen in a hygienic manner, and in particular that it is loaded and unloaded under cover;

• (d) adequately protected during storage from the risk of contamination including taint;

• (e) stored separately from meat which is not eligible for export in accordance with these Regulations;

• (f) identifiable as to origin while it is being stored;

• (g) made available for inspection on request by an authorised officer of the Council;

• (h) if frozen, so frozen by a rapid method.

4

The occupier shall ensure that where unwrapped meat or meat wrapped only in stockinette is brought into the cold store for freezing it is not stored on wooden pallets and that during freezing it is suspended from either a rail system or suitable frames of a material resistant to corrosion.

SCHEDULE 14 — HEALTH CERTIFICATE

1

The official veterinary surgeon shall sign the health certificate which will accompany the meat to the country of destination at the time when the meat is loaded into the means of transport in which it is to travel.

2

The health certificate shall be provided by the appropriate Minister and shall correspond in form to, and contain the information specified in, the model in the Annex to this Schedule. It shall be expressed at least in English and in the language of the country of destination.

ANNEX

Health certificate for fresh meat intended for consignment to a Member State (1) of the EEC

SCHEDULE 15 — TRANSPORT OF FRESH MEAT INTENDED FOR EXPORT

1

Fresh meat shall be loaded at and shall be transported in sealed vehicles so designed and equipped that the meat is maintained at a temperature of not more than +7°C for carcases and cuts and +3°C for offal and −12°C for frozen meat throughout the period of transport; however when fresh meat is transported from an export slaughterhouse to export cutting premises in the United Kingdom sealing of vehicles shall not be required.

2

The interior surfaces of vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat and any other parts of the vehicles which may come into contact with the meat shall be so finished as to enable them effectively to be kept clean and disinfected and shall be constructed of material resistant to corrosion which does not cause a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of the meat or render it harmful to human health.

3

Vehicles used for the transport of fresh meat shall be provided with efficient devices for protecting the meat against the entry of insects and dust and shall be watertight: where such vehicles are used for the transport of carcases, half carcases, quarter carcases and unpacked cut meat they shall be equipped with fittings of material resistant to corrosion for hanging the meat fixed at such a height that the meat cannot come into contact with the floor except that fittings for hanging such meat shall not be required where the meat is transported by aircraft in which suitable facilities resistant to corrosion have been provided for hygienically loading, holding and unloading the meat.

4

Vehicles used for conveying live animals or any substance which may be detrimental to, or contaminate fresh meat, shall not be used for the transport of fresh meat.

5

Fresh meat shall not be transported in the same vehicle at the same time as any other product likely to affect the hygiene of the meat or to contaminate it unless it is transported in such a manner that it will not contaminate the fresh meat.

6

Stomachs shall be scalded or cleaned and feet and heads skinned or scalded and depilated before being transported in a vehicle containing other fresh meat.

7

Fresh meat shall not be transported in vehicles which are not properly cleaned and disinfected.

8

Carcases, half carcases and quarter carcases, other than frozen meat packed in a hygienic manner, shall be suspended throughout the period of transport except where such meat is transported by aircraft in which suitable facilities resistant to corrosion have been provided for hygienically loading, holding and unloading the meat. Other cuts and offal, other than the viscera, shall be hung or placed on supports if not placed in packages of material resistant to corrosion. The supports and packages shall be hygienically satisfactory and where appropriate shall meet the requirements of Schedule 12.

9

The viscera may only be transported in strong, clean and impervious packages which may only be re-used after being cleaned and disinfected.

10

The official veterinary surgeon shall be satisfied before despatch that the loading bay is clean and that transport vehicles comply with the requirements of this Schedule.

SCHEDULE 16 — PERMITTED COST FACTORS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF CHARGES FOR INSPECTIONS AND SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS BY A LOCAL AUTHORITY

General

1

The use made by each export premises of the local authority’s facilities required to carry out inspections and supervisory functions at those premises, account being taken in respect of an export slaughterhouse of economies in inspection resources made possible by its scale or mode of operation.

Salaries and related costs

2

• (1) The salaries or fees, together with overtime payments and employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions, of official veterinary surgeons and inspectors engaged in carrying out inspections and supervisory functions (or the relevant proportion thereof in so far as those inspections or functions do not occupy their full working day). In determining the amount chargeable in respect of these costs the following shall apply:—

• (a) If the hours required for the carrying out of inspections and supervisory functions at an export slaughterhouse occupy less than the full working day of an official veterinary surgeon or inspector but the remaining period is too short for it to be practicable to employ that person fully on other duties, the full day (other than time actually spent on other duties) may be charged. In particular, if inspection is required at two or more distinct periods of the working day, the full time from the start of the first period of inspection to the end of the final period may be charged, other than any time actually spent on other duties.

• (b) Where, because of a change in the scale or mode of operation of an export slaughterhouse, the number of hours required for inspections and supervisory functions at that slaughterhouse falls below the number envisaged when the charges applicable to that slaughterhouse were determined and the occupier thereof has given written notice to the local authority of that change of circumstance, the charges applicable to that slaughterhouse shall be correspondingly reduced on or before the expiry of a period of two months from the date of that notice.

• (2) Travelling and related incidental expenses incurred by staff engaged in the carrying out of inspections and supervisory functions (including subsistence and car user allowances where these are paid) except that such expenses shall not be charged where an inspector is employed exclusively at one export slaughterhouse, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the local authority and the occupier of that slaughterhouse.

Stationery and printing etc.

3

The invoice price paid for record sheets and labels used in connection with meat inspection, and ink for marking meat.

Protective clothing and working equipment.

4

The invoice price paid for protective clothing and equipment used for the carrying out of inspections and supervisory functions to the extent that they are paid for by the local authority.

Laundry

5

The cost of laundering protective clothing at the local authority’s expense.

Telephone

6

Costs incurred by the local authority in respect of telephone calls to and from any export premises in relation to inspections and supervisory functions carried out there.

Training and recruitment

7

Costs incurred by the local authority in connection with the recruitment of trainee inspectors and their training where the local authority intend to employ them as inspectors in their area following completion of training and have given a written statement to that effect to the occupier. The chargeable costs are those relating to advertisements for trainee meat inspectors, their interview expenses, course and examination fees, salaries, and travelling, subsistence and other expenses incidental to the training.

Other costs

8

The cost of accounting and collecting charges and of providing pay-roll and personnel services in connection with the employment of official veterinary surgeons and inspectors, including the cost to the local authority of arranging the provision, and ensuring the proper carrying out, of the inspections and supervisory functions required by these Regulations.

Signed

In Witness whereof the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is hereunto affixed on 10th December 1987.

John MacGregor — Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

John Moore — Secretary of State for Social Services — 10th December 1987

Peter Walker — Secretary of State for Wales — 10th December 1987

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to England and Wales only, come into force on 5th February 1988. They re-enact with amendments the Fresh Meat Export (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1981, as amended.

They implement in part the provisions of Council Directive No. 86/587/EEC (OJ No. L339, 2.12.86, p.26. Corrigendum at OJ No. L178, 2.7.87, p.12) which last amended Council Directive No. 64/433/EEC (OJ No. L121, 29.7.1964; OJ/SE 1963—64, p.185) on health problems affecting intra-Community trade in fresh meat, while continuing to implement other provisions of Directive No. 64/433/EEC.

The principal changes are—

• (a) the relaxation of the restriction on removal of parts from a carcase so as to allow heads of sheep and goats and penises to be discarded, in specified circumstances, immediately after slaughter (Schedule 7, paragraph 1(h));

• (b) the replacement of Schedule 8 to the Regulations with a new Schedule which specifies in eight parts the requirements for post-mortem health inspections. Part I sets out the general instructions; Parts II, III, IV, V and VI contain the detailed instructions for bovine animals over six week old, bovine animals under six weeks old, swine, sheep and goats, and solipeds, respectively; Part VII contains additional instructions where tuberculosis is suspected and Part VIII describes indications of unfitness for human consumption;

• (c) the specification of the temperatures at which carcases, cuts and offal intended for export should be stored (Schedule 13, paragraph 3(a)) and at which frozen meat should be transported (Schedule 15, paragraph 1).

The Regulations apply to fresh meat of domestic bovine animals (including buffalo), swine, sheep, goats and solipeds, but not to minced meat or meat which is similarly finely divided. They prescribe conditions which must be satisfied for the production, cutting up, storage and transport of such meat when it is intended for export, or for sale for export, to a Member State of the EEC for human consumption.

In particular, the Regulations—

• (a) provide that only premises which are approved by the appropriate Minister may be used for the production, cutting up, storage and loading of fresh meat for intra-Community trade, and that such premises must comply with prescribed requirements as to structure and hygiene (regulations 4 to 7 and 10 and Schedules 1 to 4); and

• (b) lay down requirements as to slaughter, dressing and cutting practices, ante-and post-mortem inspection, hygiene, health control of cut meat, health marking, certification, storage, wrapping, packing and transport of such meat (regulations 8 to 11 and Schedules 5 to 15).

Apart from the approval, suspension and revocation of approval of premises for intra-Community trade (regulations 4 and 6), which are functions of the appropriate Minister, enforcement of the Regulations is the responsibility of local authorities (regulation 17(2)). They are required to provide the necessary supervision and inspection resources at approved premises (regulation 12), for which they may make charges (regulation 13).

The Regulations also make provision for powers of entry by persons authorised by the appropriate Minister or local authorities (regulation 14); offences, and penalties (regulation 17(1)).

The Regulations do not affect the application to export-approved premises of the provisions of the Slaughterhouses (Hygiene) Regulations 1977 and the Slaughter of Animals (Prevention of Cruelty) Regulations 1958 or the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970, as appropriate, but they disapply certain provisions of the Meat Inspection Regulations 1987 (regulation 7(8)).

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1984 c. 30.

[^f00002]: S.I. 1972/1811.

[^f00003]: 1972 c. 68; section 2 is subject to Schedule 2 to that Act and is to be read with section 40 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48) and S.I. 1984/447.

[^f00004]: S.I. 1987/133.

[^f00005]: S.I. 1977/1805, amended by S.I. 1987/2235.

[^f00006]: S.I. 1981/454, as amended by S.I. 1982/1727, 1983/173, 1985/67, 216.

[^f00007]: S.I. 1977/1805, amended by S.I. 1987/2235.

[^f00008]: S.I. 1958/2166, to which there is an amendment not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00009]: S.I. 1970/1172, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00010]: S.I. 1987/2236.

[^f00011]: OJ No. L26, 31.1.77, p. 85.

[^f00012]: S.I. 1977/1805, amended by S.I. 1987/2235.

[^f00013]: 1981 c. 22.

[^f00014]: S.I. 1981/454.

[^f00015]: S.I. 1983/173.

[^f00016]: S.I. 1985/216.

[^f00017]: S.I. 1982/1727.

[^f00018]: S.I. 1985/67.

[^f00019]: S.I. 1977/1805, amended by S.I. 1987/2235.

[^f00020]: OJ No. L229, 30.8.80, p. 11.

[^f00021]: S.I. 1977/1805, amended by S.I. 1987/2235.

[^f00022]: S.I. 1970/1172, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00023]: S.I. 1970/1172, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations.

[^f00024]: OJ No. L229, 30.8.80, p. 11.