Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the CouncilShow full title

[X1 SECTION I: U.K. MEAT OF DOMESTIC UNGULATES

CHAPTER I: U.K. TRANSPORT OF LIVE ANIMALS TO THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Food business operators transporting live animals to slaughterhouses must ensure compliance with the following requirements.

1.

During collection and transport, animals must be handled carefully without causing unnecessary distress.

2.

Animals showing symptoms of disease or originating in herds known to be contaminated with agents of public health importance may only be transported to the slaughterhouse when the competent authority so permits.

CHAPTER II: U.K. REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES

Food business operators must ensure that the construction, layout and equipment of slaughterhouses in which domestic ungulates are slaughtered meet the following requirements.

1.

(a)

Slaughterhouses must have adequate and hygienic lairage facilities or, climate permitting, waiting pens that are easy to clean and disinfect. These facilities must be equipped for watering the animals and, if necessary, feeding them. The drainage of the wastewater must not compromise food safety.

(b)

They must also have separate lockable facilities or, climate permitting, pens for sick or suspect animals with separate draining and sited in such a way as to avoid contamination of other animals, unless the competent authority considers that such facilities are unnecessary.

(c)

The size of the lairage facilities must ensure that the welfare of the animals is respected. Their layout must facilitate ante-mortem inspections, including the identification of the animals or groups of animals.

2.

To avoid contaminating meat, they must:

(a)

have a sufficient number of rooms, appropriate to the operations being carried out;

(b)

have a separate room for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, unless the competent authority authorises the separation in time of these operations within a specific slaughterhouse on a case-by-case basis;

(c)

ensure separation in space or time of the following operations:

(i)

stunning and bleeding;

(ii)

in the case of porcine animals, scalding, depilation, scraping and singeing;

(iii)

evisceration and further dressing;

(iv)

handling clean guts and tripe;

(v)

preparation and cleaning of other offal, particularly the handling of skinned heads if it does not take place at the slaughter line;

(vi)

packaging offal;

and

(vii)

dispatching meat;

(d)

have installations that prevent contact between the meat and the floors, walls and fixtures;

and

(e)

have slaughter lines (where operated) that are designed to allow constant progress of the slaughter process and to avoid cross-contamination between the different parts of the slaughter line. Where more than one slaughter line is operated in the same premises, there must be adequate separation of the lines to prevent cross-contamination.

3.

They must have facilities for disinfecting tools with hot water supplied at not less than 82 °C, or an alternative system having an equivalent effect.

4.

The equipment for washing hands used by the staff engaged in handling exposed meat must have taps designed to prevent the spread of contamination.

5.

There must be lockable facilities for the refrigerated storage of detained meat and separate lockable facilities for the storage of meat declared unfit for human consumption.

6.

There must be a separate place with appropriate facilities for the cleaning, washing and disinfection of means of transport for livestock. However, slaughterhouses need not have these places and facilities if the competent authority so permits and official authorised places and facilities exist nearby.

7.

They must have lockable facilities reserved for the slaughter of sick and suspect animals. This is not essential if this slaughter takes place in other establishments authorised by the competent authority for this purpose, or at the end of the normal slaughter period.

8.

If manure or digestive tract content is stored in the slaughterhouse, there must be a special area or place for that purpose.

9.

They must have an adequately equipped lockable facility or, where needed, room for the exclusive use of the veterinary service.

CHAPTER III: U.K. REQUIREMENTS FOR CUTTING PLANTS

Food business operators must ensure that cutting plants handling meat of domestic ungulates:

1.

are constructed so as to avoid contamination of meat, in particular by:

(a)

allowing constant progress of the operations;

or

(b)

ensuring separation between the different production batches;

2.

have rooms for the separate storage of packaged and exposed meat, unless stored at different times or in such a way that the packaging material and the manner of storage cannot be a source of contamination for the meat;

3.

have cutting rooms equipped to ensure compliance with the requirements laid down in Chapter V;

4.

have equipment for washing hands with taps designed to prevent the spread of contamination, for use by staff engaged in handling exposed meat; and

5.

have facilities for disinfecting tools with hot water supplied at not less than 82 °C, or an alternative system having an equivalent effect.

CHAPTER IV: U.K. SLAUGHTER HYGIENE

Food business operators operating slaughterhouses in which domestic ungulates are slaughtered must ensure compliance with the following requirements.

1.

After arrival in the slaughterhouse, the slaughter of the animals must not be unduly delayed. However, where required for welfare reasons, animals must be given a resting period before slaughter.

2.

(a)

Meat from animals other than those referred to in subparagraphs (b) and (c) must not be used for human consumption if they die otherwise than by being slaughtered in the slaughterhouse.

(b)

Only live animals intended for slaughter may be brought into the slaughter premises, with the exception of:

(i)

animals that have undergone emergency slaughter outside the slaughterhouse in accordance with Chapter VI;

(ii)

animals slaughtered at the place of production in accordance with Section III;

and

(iii)

wild game, in compliance with Section IV, Chapter II.

(c)

Meat from animals that undergo slaughter following an accident in a slaughterhouse may be used for human consumption if, on inspection, no serious lesions other than those due to the accident are found.

3.

The animals or, where appropriate, each batch of animals sent for slaughter must be identified so that their origin can be traced.

4.

Animals must be clean.

5.

Slaughterhouse operators must follow the instructions of the veterinarian appointed by the competent authority in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 to ensure that ante-mortem inspection of every animal to be slaughtered is carried out under suitable conditions.

6.

Animals brought into the slaughter hall must be slaughtered without undue delay.

7.

Stunning, bleeding, skinning, evisceration and other dressing must be carried out without undue delay and in a manner that avoids contaminating the meat. In particular:

(a)

the trachea and oesophagus must remain intact during bleeding, except in the case of slaughter according to a religious custom;

(b)

during the removal of hides and fleece:

(i)

contact between the outside of the skin and the carcase must be prevented;

and

(ii)

operators and equipment coming into contact with the outer surface of hides and fleece must not touch the meat;

(c)

measures must be taken to prevent the spillage of digestive tract content during and after evisceration and to ensure that evisceration is completed as soon as possible after stunning;

and

(d)

removal of the udder must not result in contamination of the carcase with milk or colostrum.

8.

[F1 Carcases and other parts of the body intended for human consumption must be completely skinned, except in the case of porcine animals, the heads of ovine and caprine animals and calves, the muzzle and lips of bovine animals and the feet of bovine, ovine and caprine animals. Heads, including muzzle and lips, and feet must be handled in such a way as to avoid contamination.]

9.

When not skinned, porcine animals must have their bristles removed immediately. The risk of contamination of the meat with scalding water must be minimised. Only approved additives may be used for this operation. Porcine animals must be thoroughly rinsed afterwards with potable water.

10.

The carcases must not contain visible faecal contamination. Any visible contamination must be removed without delay by trimming or alternative means having an equivalent effect.

11.

Carcases and offal must not come into contact with floors, walls or work stands.

12.

Slaughterhouse operators must follow the instructions of the competent authority to ensure that post-mortem inspection of all slaughtered animals is carried out under suitable conditions in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 854/2004.

13.

Until post-mortem inspection is completed, parts of a slaughtered animal subject to such inspection must:

(a)

remain identifiable as belonging to a given carcase;

and

(b)

come into contact with no other carcase, offal or viscera, including those that have already undergone post-mortem inspection.

However, provided that it shows no pathological lesion, the penis may be discarded immediately.

14.

Both kidneys must be removed from their fatty covering. In the case of bovine and porcine animals, and solipeds, the peri-renal capsule must also be removed.

15.

If the blood or other offal of several animals is collected in the same container before completion of post-mortem inspection, the entire contents must be declared unfit for human consumption if the carcase of one or more of the animals concerned has been declared unfit for human consumption.

16.

After post-mortem inspection:

(a)

[F1 the tonsils of bovine animals, porcine animals and solipeds must be removed hygienically;]

(b)

parts unfit for human consumption must be removed as soon as possible from the clean sector of the establishment;

(c)

meat detained or declared unfit for human consumption and inedible by-products must not come into contact with meat declared fit for human consumption;

and

(d)

viscera or parts of viscera remaining in the carcase, except for the kidneys, must be removed entirely and as soon as possible, unless the competent authority authorises otherwise.

17.

After completion of slaughter and post-mortem inspection, the meat must be stored in accordance with the requirements laid down in Chapter VII.

18.

[F2 When destined for further handling:

(a)

stomachs must be scalded or cleaned; however, in the case of stomachs of young ruminants intended for rennet production, the stomachs need only be emptied;

(b)

intestines must be emptied and cleaned;

(c)

heads and feet must be skinned or scalded and depilated; however, when authorised by the competent authority, visibly clean feet may be transported to and skinned or scalded and depilated in an approved establishment further handling the feet for processing into food.]

19.

Where establishments are approved for the slaughter of different animal species or for the handling of carcases of farmed game and wild game, precautions must be taken to prevent cross-contamination by separation either in time or in space of operations carried out on the different species. Separate facilities for the reception and storage of unskinned carcases of farmed game slaughtered at the farm and for wild game must be available.

20.

If the slaughterhouse does not have lockable facilities reserved for the slaughter of sick or suspect animals, the facilities used to slaughter such animals must be cleaned, washed and disinfected under official supervision before the slaughter of other animals is resumed.

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1662/2006 of 6 November 2006 amending Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (Text with EEA relevance).

F2 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1137/2014 of 27 October 2014 amending Annex III of Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the handling of certain offal from animals intended for human consumption (Text with EEA relevance).

CHAPTER V: U.K. HYGIENE DURING CUTTING AND BONING

Food business operators must ensure that cutting and boning of meat of domestic ungulates takes place in accordance with the following requirements.

1.

Carcases of domestic ungulates may be cut into half-carcases or quarters, and half carcases into no more than three wholesale cuts, in slaughterhouses. Further cutting and boning must be carried out in a cutting plant.

2.

The work on meat must be organised in such a way as to prevent or minimise contamination. To this end, food business operators must ensure in particular that:

(a)

meat intended for cutting is brought into the workrooms progressively as needed;

(b)

during cutting, boning, trimming, slicing, dicing, wrapping and packaging, the meat is maintained at not more than 3 °C for offal and 7 °C for other meat, by means of an ambient temperature of not more than 12 °C or an alternative system having an equivalent effect;

and

(c)

where the premises are approved for the cutting of meat of different animal species, precautions are taken to avoid cross-contamination, where necessary by separation of the operations on the different species in either space or time.

3.

However, meat may be boned and cut before it reaches the temperature referred to in point 2(b) in accordance with Chapter VII, point 3.

4.

Meat may also be boned and cut prior to reaching the temperature referred to in point 2(b) when the cutting room is on the same site as the slaughter premises. In this case, the meat must be transferred to the cutting room either directly from the slaughter premises or after a waiting period in a chilling or refrigerating room. As soon as it is cut and, where appropriate, packaged, the meat must be chilled to the temperature referred to in point 2(b).

5.

[F3 Carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into no more than three wholesale cuts may be boned and cut prior to reaching the temperature referred to in point 2(b) when they have been transported under the derogation set out in point 3(b) of Chapter VII of Section I. In this case, throughout cutting or boning, the meat must be subjected to air temperatures that ensure a continuous decrease of the temperature of the meat. As soon as it is cut and, where appropriate, packaged, the meat must be chilled to the temperature referred to in point 2(b) if it is not already below this temperature.]

Textual Amendments

F3 Inserted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1981 of 31 October 2017 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards temperature conditions during transport of meat (Text with EEA relevance).

CHAPTER VI: U.K. EMERGENCY SLAUGHTER OUTSIDE THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Food business operators must ensure that meat from domestic ungulates that have undergone emergency slaughter outside the slaughterhouse may be used for human consumption only if it complies with all the following requirements.

1.

An otherwise healthy animal must have suffered an accident that prevented its transport to the slaughterhouse for welfare reasons.

2.

A veterinarian must carry out an ante-mortem inspection of the animal.

3.

The slaughtered and bled animal must be transported to the slaughterhouse hygienically and without undue delay. Removal of the stomach and intestines, but no other dressing, may take place on the spot, under the supervision of the veterinarian. Any viscera removed must accompany the slaughtered animal to the slaughterhouse and be identified as belonging to that animal.

4.

If more than two hours elapse between slaughter and arrival at the slaughterhouse, the animal must be refrigerated. Where climatic conditions so permit, active chilling is not necessary.

5.

A declaration by the food business operator who reared the animal, stating the identity of the animal and indicating any veterinary products or other treatments administered to the animal, dates of administration and withdrawal periods, must accompany the slaughtered animal to the slaughterhouse.

6.

A declaration issued by the veterinarian recording the favourable outcome of the ante-mortem inspection, the date and time of, and reason for, emergency slaughter, and the nature of any treatment administered by the veterinarian to the animal, must accompany the slaughtered animal to the slaughterhouse.

7.

The slaughtered animal must be fit for human consumption following post-mortem inspection carried out in the slaughterhouse in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 854/2004, including any additional tests required in the case of emergency slaughter.

8.

Food business operators must follow any instructions that the official veterinarian may give after post-mortem inspection concerning the use of the meat.

9.

[F4 . . . . .]

Textual Amendments

F4 Deleted by Commission Regulation (EU) No 218/2014 of 7 March 2014 amending Annexes to Regulations (EC) No 853/2004 and (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 (Text with EEA relevance).

CHAPTER VII: U.K. STORAGE AND TRANSPORT

Food business operators must ensure that the storage and transport of meat of domestic ungulates takes place in accordance with the following requirements.

1.

(a)

Unless other specific provisions provide otherwise, post-mortem inspection must be followed immediately by chilling in the slaughterhouse to ensure a temperature throughout the meat of not more than 3 °C for offal and 7 °C for other meat along a chilling curve that ensures a continuous decrease of the temperature. However, meat may be cut and boned during chilling in accordance with Chapter V, point 4.

(b)

During the chilling operations, there must be adequate ventilation to prevent condensation on the surface of the meat.

2.

Meat must attain the temperature specified in point 1 and remain at that temperature during storage.

3.

[F5 Meat must attain the temperature specified in point 1 before transport, and remain at that temperature during transport.

However, following points (a) and (b) shall apply.

(a)

Transport of meat for the production of specific products may take place before the temperature specified in point 1 is attained if the competent authority so authorises, provided that:

(i)

such transport takes place in accordance with the requirements that the competent authorities of origin and destination specify in respect of transport from one given establishment to another;

(ii)

the meat leaves the slaughterhouse, or a cutting room on the same site as the slaughter premises, immediately and transport takes no more than 2 hours;

and,

(iii)

such transport is justified for technological reasons.

(b)

Transport of carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts of ovine and caprine animals, bovine animals and porcine animals may commence before the temperature specified in point 1 is attained, provided that all of the following conditions are fulfilled:

(i)

the temperature is monitored and recorded within the framework of procedures based on the HACCP principles;

(ii)

food business operators dispatching and transporting the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts have received documented authorisation from the competent authority at the place of departure to make use of this derogation;

(iii)

the vehicle transporting the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts are fitted with an instrument that monitors and records air temperatures to which the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts are subjected in such a way that competent authorities are enabled to verify compliance with the time and temperature conditions set out in point (viii);

(iv)

the vehicle transporting the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts collects meat from only one slaughterhouse per transport;

(v)

carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts subject to this derogation must have a core temperature of 15 degrees at the start of the transport if they are to be transported in the same compartment as carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts which meets the temperature requirement at Point 1 (i.e. 7 degrees);

(vi)

a declaration by the food business operator accompanies the consignment; that declaration must state the duration of chilling before loading, the time at which loading of the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts were started, the surface temperature at that time, the maximum transportation air temperature to which carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts may be subjected, the maximum transport time permitted, the date of authorisation and the name of the competent authority providing the derogation;

(vii)

the food business operator of destination must notify the competent authorities before he receives for the first time carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts, not attaining the temperature specified in point 1 before transport;

(viii)

such meat is transported in accordance with the following parameters:

• for a maximum transport time (1)F6 of 6 hours:

  a Maximum surface temperature allowed at loading and thereafter measures at the thickest part of the carcase, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts.
  b Maximum time allowed from the moment of killing until the reaching of the maximum surface temperature allowed at loading.
  c The maximum air temperature to which the meat is allowed to be subjected from the moment loading begins, and throughout the whole duration of the transport.
  d Slaughterhouse maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count using a rolling window of 10 weeks, allowed for carcases of the relevant species, as assessed by the operator to the satisfaction of the competent authority, according to the sampling and testing procedures laid out in points 2.1.1, 2.1.2 of Chapter 2, and point 3.2 of Chapter 3, of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs ( OJ L 338, 22.12.2005, p. 1 ).
  Species	Surface temperature a	Maximum time to chill to surface temperature b	Maximum transportation air temperature c	Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count d
  Ovine and caprine animals	7 °C	8 hours	6 °C	log 10  3,5 cfu/cm 2
  Bovine animals		20 hours		log 10  3,5 cfu/cm 2
  Porcine animals		16 hours		log 10  4 cfu/cm 2

• for a maximum transport time (1) of 30 hours:

  a The maximum core temperature of the meat allowed at the time of loading, and thereafter.
  Species	Surface temperature ( 2 )	Maximum time to chill to surface temperature ( 3 )	Core temperature a	Maximum transportation air temperature ( 4 )	Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count ( 5 )
  Porcine animals	7 °C	16 hours	15 °C	6 °C	log 10  4 cfu/cm 2

• for a maximum transport time (1) of 60 hours:

  Species	Surface temperature ( 2 )	Maximum time to chill to surface temperature ( 3 )	Core temperature ( 6 )	Maximum transportation air temperature ( 4 )	Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count ( 5 )
  Ovine and caprine animals	4 °C	12 hours	15 °C	3 °C	log 10  3 cfu/cm 2
  Bovine animals		24 hours]

4.

Meat intended for freezing must be frozen without undue delay, taking into account where necessary a stabilisation period before freezing.

5.

Exposed meat must be stored and transported separately from packaged meat, unless stored or transported at different times or in such a way that the packaging material and the manner of storage or transport cannot be a source of contamination for the meat.]

Textual Amendments

F5 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1981 of 31 October 2017 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards temperature conditions during transport of meat (Text with EEA relevance).

F6 Words in Annex 3 Section 1 Ch. 7 para. 3(b)(viii) footnote omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Specific Food Hygiene (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/640), regs. 1, 19(1); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)

Editorial Information

X1 Substituted by Corrigendum to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (Official Journal of the European Union L 139 of 30 April 2004).

(1)

[X1 [F5 Maximum time allowed from the start of loading of meat into the vehicle until the completion of the final delivery. Loading of the meat into the vehicle may be postponed beyond the maximum time allowed for chilling of the meat to its specified surface temperature. If this happens, then the maximum transport time allowed must be shortened by the same length of time by which the loading was postponed. The competent authority [F6 ...] of destination may limit the number of delivery points.]]

Editorial Information

X1 Substituted by Corrigendum to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (Official Journal of the European Union L 139 of 30 April 2004).

Textual Amendments

F5 Substituted by Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/1981 of 31 October 2017 amending Annex III to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards temperature conditions during transport of meat (Text with EEA relevance).

F6 Words in Annex 3 Section 1 Ch. 7 para. 3(b)(viii) footnote omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Specific Food Hygiene (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/640), regs. 1, 19(1); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)