[F18. 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.
harvesting shall take place in a dedicated area, physically separated from the other parts of the slaughterline;
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;
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;
head meat shall not be harvested from heads which have not been properly sealed in accordance with the second indent;
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:
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.
Textual Amendments
F1 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EC) No 722/2007 of 25 June 2007 amending Annexes II, V, VI, VIII, IX and XI to Regulation (EC) No 999/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down rules for the prevention, control and eradication of certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (Text with EEA relevance).