The Bovine Offal (Prohibition) (Scotland) Regulations 1990

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to Scotland only, come into force on 30th January 1990.

The Regulations apply to the brain, spinal cord, spleen, thymus, tonsils and intestines of bovine animals slaughtered in the United Kingdom (“specified bovine offal”). They do not apply to specified bovine offal of bovine animals not more than 6 months old when slaughtered and to specified bovine offal which is to be removed from any place by, or under the authority of, a veterinary surgeon for examination by him or on his behalf (regulation 3).

These Regulations–

(a) prohibit the sale or use in food for sale for human consumption of any specified bovine offal (regulation 4);

(b) require, subject to certain exemptions (regulations 11 and 12), any specified bovine offal to be either stained or sterilised at a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard or dead stock collection centre (regulation 5-10);

(c) provide for exemption for destinations to which any specified bovine offal may be consigned without being stained (regulation 11);

(d) provide for exemption for destinations to which any specified bovine offal may be consigned without being sterilised (regulation 12);

(e) require the occupier of a specialist boning plant receiving a bovine head, from which the brain has not been removed, to sterilise or stain the skull immediately after removal of the meat (regulation 13);

(f) prohibit the freezing of specified bovine offal unless it has been stained or sterilised except when it is to be delivered to a specified destination (regulation 14);

(g) prohibit, subject to certain exemptions, the removal of any unstained or unsterilised specified bovine offal from a place other than a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard or dead stock collection centre (regulation 15);

(h) prohibit the bringing in of specified bovine offal from England, Wales or Northern Ireland unless it is to be consigned to certain destinations (regulation 16);

(i) specify the content of records which must be kept and the consignment notes which must accompany the movement of unsterilised specified bovine offal from a slaughterhouse, knacker’s yard, dead stock collection centre or other premises (regulations 17–22);

(j) set out the procedure to be followed when there is a change in the destination of a consignment of unsterilised specified bovine offal (regulation 23);

(k) require the occupier of any premises from which specified bovine offal is to be consigned to England, Wales or Northern Ireland to notify the local authority who in turn should inform the receiving local authority (regulation 24);

(l) require consignments of specified bovine offal from England, Wales or Northern Ireland to be accompanied by appropriate movement documents (regulation 25);

(m) specify the requirements for transport, storage and packaging of specified bovine offal (regulations 26–28);

(n) prohibit, subject to exemptions, the possession of specified bovine offal (regulation 29);

(o) empower an authorised officer of a local authority to examine any meat or offal which he has reason to believe is specified bovine offal and to seize it if it has not been dealt with in accordance with the provisions of these Regulations (regulation 30);

(p) empower an authorised officer of a local authority to examine any records or consignment notes (regulation 31);

(q) make provision for offences, penalties and enforcement (regulation 32);

(r) make provision for a defence of due diligence in proceedings against any person accused of an offence under these Regulations (regulation 33); and

(s) provide for the application of specified provisions of the Food and Drugs (Scotland) Act 1956 (regulation 34).