[F1ANNEX V U.K. SPECIFIED RISK MATERIAL

Textual Amendments

1. Definition of specified risk material U.K.

The following tissues shall be designated as specified risk material if they come from animals whose origin is in a Member State or third country or of one of their region with a controlled or undetermined BSE risk:

(a)

as regards bovine animals:

(i)

the skull excluding the mandible and including the brain and eyes, and the spinal cord of animals aged over 12 months;

(ii)

[F2the vertebral column excluding the vertebrae of the tail, the spinous and transverse processes of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar vertebrae and the median sacral crest and wings of the sacrum, but including the dorsal root ganglia, of animals aged over 30 months; and]

(iii)

[F3the tonsils, the last four meters of the small intestine, the caecum and the mesentery of animals of all ages.]

(b)

as regards ovine and caprine animals

(i)

the skull including the brain and eyes, the tonsils and the spinal cord of animals aged over 12 months or which have a permanent incisor erupted through the gum, and

(ii)

the spleen and ileum of animals of all ages.

Textual Amendments

[F42. Specific requirements for Member States with negligible BSE risk status U.K.

Tissues listed in point 1.(a)(i) and 1.(b), which are derived from animals whose origin is in Member States with a negligible BSE risk, shall be considered as specified risk material.]

Textual Amendments

3. Marking and disposal U.K.

Specified risk material shall be stained with a dye or, as appropriate, otherwise marked, immediately on removal, and disposed of in accordance with the provisions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002, and in particular in Article 4(2) thereof.

4. Removal of specified risk material U.K.

4.1. Specified risk material shall be removed at: U.K.

(a)

slaughterhouses, or, as appropriate, other places of slaughter;

(b)

cutting plants, in the case of vertebral column of bovine animals;

(c)

where appropriate, in intermediate plants referred to in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 or users and collection centres authorised and registered pursuant to Article 23(2)(c)(iv), (vi) and (vii) of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002.

4.2. By way of derogation from point 4.1, the use of an alternative test to the removal of specified risk material may be authorised under the following conditions: U.K.

(a)

tests must be carried out in slaughterhouses on all animals eligible for the removal of specified risk material;

(b)

no bovine, ovine or caprine product intended for human food or animal feed may leave the slaughterhouse before the competent authority has received and accepted the results of the tests on all slaughtered animals potentially contaminated if BSE has been confirmed in one of them;

(c)

when an alternative test gives a positive result, all bovine, ovine and caprine material which has been potentially contaminated in the slaughterhouse is destroyed in accordance with point 3, unless all parts of the body including the hide of the affected animal can be identified and kept separate.

4.3. By way of derogation from point 4.1, Member States may decide to allow: U.K.

(a)

the removal of spinal cord of ovine and caprine animals in cutting plants specifically authorised for this purpose;

(b)

the removal of bovine vertebral column from carcasses or parts of carcasses in butcher shops specifically authorised, monitored and registered for this purpose;

(c)

the harvesting of head meat from bovine animals in cutting plants specifically authorised for this purpose in accordance with the provisions laid down in point 9.

4.4. The rules on removal of specified risk material laid down in this Chapter shall not apply to Category 1 material as defined in Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 used under the supervision of competent authorities for feeding of endangered and protected species of necrophagous birds. U.K.

5. Measures concerning mechanically separated meat U.K.

Notwithstanding the individual decisions referred to in Article 5(2), and by way of derogation from Article 9(3), it shall be prohibited in all Member States to use bones or bone-in cuts of bovine, ovine and caprine animals for the production of mechanically separated meat.

6. Measures concerning laceration of tissues U.K.

Notwithstanding the individual decisions referred to in Article 5(2), and by way of derogation from Article 8(3), in all Member States, until all Member States are classified as countries with negligible BSE risk, laceration of central nervous tissue by means of an elongated rod-shaped instrument introduced into the cranial cavity after stunning shall be prohibited in bovine, ovine or caprine animals whose meat is intended for human or animal consumption.

7. Harvesting of tongues from bovine animals U.K.

Tongues of bovine animals of all ages intended for human or animal consumption shall be harvested at the slaughterhouse by a transverse cut rostral to the lingual process of the basihyoid bone.

8. Harvesting of bovine head meat U.K.

8.1. Head meat of bovine animals above 12 months of age shall be harvested at slaughterhouses, in accordance with a control system, recognised by the competent authority, to ensure the prevention of possible contamination of head meat with central nervous system tissue. The system shall include at least the following provisions: U.K.

(a)

harvesting shall take place in a dedicated area, physically separated from the other parts of the slaughterline;

(b)

where the heads are removed from the conveyor or hooks before harvesting the head meat, the frontal shot hole and foramen magnum shall be sealed with an impermeable and durable stopper. Where the brainstem is sampled for laboratory testing for BSE, the foramen magnum shall be sealed immediately after that sampling;

(c)

head meat shall not be harvested from heads where the eyes are damaged or lost immediately prior to, or after slaughter, or which are otherwise damaged in a way which might result in contamination of the head with central nervous tissue;

(d)

head meat shall not be harvested from heads which have not been properly sealed in accordance with the second indent;

(e)

without prejudice to general rules on hygiene, specific working instructions shall be in place to prevent contamination of the head meat during the harvesting, in particular in the case when the seal referred to in the second indent is lost or the eyes damaged during the activity:

(f)

a sampling plan using an appropriate laboratory test to detect central nervous system tissue shall be in place to verify that the measures to reduce contamination are properly implemented.

8.2. By way of derogation from the requirements of point 8.1, Member States may decide to apply at the slaughterhouse an alternative control system for the harvesting of bovine head meat, leading to an equivalent reduction in the level of contamination of head meat with central nervous system tissue. A sampling plan using an appropriate laboratory test to detect central nervous system tissue shall be in place to verify that the measures to reduce contamination are properly implemented. Member States using this derogation shall inform the Commission and the other Member States in the framework of the Standing Committee of the Food Chain and Animal Health of their control system and the results of the sampling. U.K.

8.3. If the harvesting is performed without removing the bovine head from the conveyor or hooks, points 8.1 and 8.2 shall not apply. U.K.

9. Harvesting of bovine head meat in authorised cutting plants U.K.

By way of derogation from point 8, Member States may decide to allow the harvesting of head meat from bovine in cutting plants specifically authorised for this purpose and provided that the following conditions are complied with:

(a)

the heads intended for transport to the cutting plant shall be suspended on a rack during the storing period and the transport from the slaughterhouse to the cutting plant;

(b)

the frontal shot hole and the foramen magnum shall be properly sealed with an impermeable and durable stopper before being moved from the conveyor or hooks to the racks. Where the brainstem is sampled for laboratory testing for BSE, the foramen magnum shall be sealed immediately after that sampling;

(c)

the heads which have not been properly sealed in accordance with point (b), where the eyes are damaged or lost immediately prior to or after slaughter or which were otherwise damaged in a way which might result in contamination of the head meat with central nervous tissue shall be excluded from transport to the specifically authorised cutting plants;

(d)

a sampling plan for the slaughterhouse using an appropriate laboratory test to detect central nervous system tissue shall be in place to verify the proper implementation of the measures to reduce contamination;

(e)

the harvesting of head meat shall be carried out in accordance with a control system, recognized by the competent authority, to ensure the prevention of possible contamination of head meat. The system shall include at least:

(i)

all heads shall be visually checked for signs of contamination or damage and proper sealing before the harvesting of the head meat begins;

(ii)

head meat shall not be harvested from heads which have not been properly sealed, where the eyes are damaged or which were otherwise damaged in a way which might result in contamination of the head meat with central nervous tissue. Head meat shall also not be harvested from any head where contamination from such heads is suspected;

(iii)

without prejudice to general rules on hygiene, specific working instructions shall be in place to prevent contamination of the head meat during transport and harvesting, in particular where the seal is lost or the eyes damaged during the activity;

(f)

a sampling plan for the cutting plant using an appropriate laboratory test to detect central nervous system tissue shall be in place to verify that the measures to reduce contamination are properly implemented.

10. Rules on trade and export U.K.

10.1. Member States may allow dispatch of heads or of un-split carcasses containing specified risk material to another Member State only after that Member State has agreed to receive the material and has approved the conditions of dispatch and transport. U.K.

10.2. By way of derogation from point 10.1, carcasses, half carcasses or half carcasses cut into no more than three wholesale cuts, and quarters containing no specified risk material other than the vertebral column, including dorsal root ganglia, may be dispatched from one Member State to another without the latter's prior agreement. U.K.

10.3. Exports outside the Community of heads and of fresh meat of bovine, ovine or caprine animals containing specified risk materials shall be prohibited. U.K.

11. Controls U.K.

11.1. Member States shall carry out frequent official controls to verify the correct application of this Annex and shall ensure that measures are taken to avoid any contamination, particularly in slaughterhouses, cutting plants or other places where specified risk material is removed, such as butcher shops or establishments referred in point 4.1 (c). U.K.

11.2. Member States shall in particular set up a system to ensure and check that specified risk material is handled and disposed of in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 and Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002. U.K.

11.3. A control system shall be put in place for the removal of the vertebral column as specified in point 1(a). The system shall include at least the following measures: U.K.

(a)

when removal of the vertebral column is not required, carcasses or wholesale cuts of carcasses of bovine animals containing vertebral column shall be identified by a clearly visible blue stripe on the label referred to in Regulation (EC) No 1760/2000;

(b)

specific information on the number of bovine carcasses or wholesale cuts of carcasses, from which removal of the vertebral column is required as well as the number where removal of the vertebral column is not required, shall be added on the commercial document relating to consignments of meat. When applicable, the specific information shall be added to the document referred to in Article 2(1) of Commission Regulation (EC) No 136/2004 (1) in the case of imports;

(c)

butcher shops shall keep, for at least one year, the commercial documents referred to in (b).]

Textual Amendments