Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 (repealed)Show full title

B. Community scale for the classification of pig carcasses

I. Definition

’carcass’ shall mean the body of a slaughtered pig, bled and eviscerated, whole or divided down the mid-line.

II. Classification

Carcasses shall be divided into classes according to their estimated lean-meat content and classified accordingly:

a Member States may introduce, for pigs slaughtered in their territory, a separate class of 60 % or more of lean meat designated with the letter S.
Classes	Lean meat as percentage of carcass weight
S	60 or morea
E	55 or more
U	50 or more but less than 55
R	45 or more but less than 50
O	40 or more but less than 45
P	less than 40

III. Presentation

Carcasses shall be presented without tongue, bristles, hooves, genital organs, flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm.

With regard to pigs slaughtered in their territory, the Member States may be authorised to provide for a different presentation of pig carcasses if one of the following conditions is fulfilled:

1.

if normal commercial practice in their territory differs from the standard presentation defined in the first subparagraph,

2.

if technical requirements warrant it,

3.

if carcasses are dehided in a uniform manner.

IV. Lean-meat content

1. The lean-meat content shall be assessed by means grading methods authorised by the Commission. Only statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcass may be authorised. Authorisation of grading methods shall be subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance for statistical error in assessment.

2. However, the commercial value of the carcasses shall not be determined solely by their estimated lean-meat content.

V. Identification of carcasses

Unless otherwise provided for by the Commission, classified carcasses shall be identified by marking in accordance with the Community scale.