A. Freezing method 1 U.K.
Meat brought in already frozen is to be kept in this condition.
The technical equipment and energy supply of the refrigeration room must be such as to ensure that the required temperature is reached very rapidly and maintained in all parts of the room and of the meat.
Insulated packaging must be removed before freezing, except in the case of meat that is already at the required temperature throughout when it is brought into the refrigeration room or meat so packaged that the packaging will not prevent it from reaching the required temperature within the specified time.
Consignments in the refrigeration room must be kept separately and under lock and key.
The date and time when each consignment is brought into the refrigeration room must be recorded.
The temperature in the refrigeration room must be at least – 25 °C. It must be measured using calibrated thermo-electric instruments and recorded continuously. It may not be measured directly in the cold air flow. The instruments must be kept under lock and key. The temperature charts must include the relevant data from the meat inspection register on import and the date and time of commencement and completion of freezing, and must be retained for one year after compilation.
Meat of a diameter or thickness of up to 25 cm must be frozen for at least 240 consecutive hours, and meat of a diameter or thickness of between 25 and 50 cm must be frozen for at least 480 consecutive hours. This freezing process must not be applied to meat that is thicker or of a larger diameter. The freezing time is calculated from the point when the temperature in the freezing room reaches that specified in point (f).