The Wild Game Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

Interpretation

2.—(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires—

“the Act” means the Food Safety Act 1990;

“carcase”means the eviscerated, and in the case of birds plucked, body of any wild game, with or without the head and lower legs;

“cold store” means a cold store licensed under the Hygiene Regulations;

“collection centre” means any building, premises or place where killed wild game is kept prior to being transported to a wild game processing facility;

“contravention”, in relation to any provision of these Regulations, includes a failure to comply with that provision, and “contravene” has a corresponding meaning;

“cutting up” means—

(a)

cutting meat of large wild game into pieces smaller than half carcases;

(b)

cutting meat of small wild game into pieces smaller than carcases; or

(c)

removing bones from wild game meat;

“disinfect” means to apply hygienically satisfactory chemical or physical agents or processes with the intention of eliminating micro-organisms;

“EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area(1) signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992, as adjusted by the Protocol(2) signed at Brussels on 17 March 1993;

“EEA State” means a State which is a Contracting Party to the EEA Agreement;

“fresh meat” has the meanings given in the Hygiene Regulations;

“frozen”, in relation to wild game meat, means meat which has been reduced to a temperature of not more than -12°C;

“health mark” means a mark of a kind set out in Schedule 7 and applied in accordance with regulation 10 and that Schedule;

“hunter” means any person who kills, or organises the killing of, wild game for human consumption;

“the Hygiene Regulations” means—

(a)

the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995(3); or

(b)

the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995(4);

“inspector” means a person who—

(a)

has been so appointed for the purposes of the Hygiene Regulations; and

(b)

is appointed in accordance with regulation 6(2);

“large wild game” means wild ungulates;

“licensed”, in relation to any wild game processing facility, means licensed by the Minister under regulation 3, and “ licence” has a corresponding meaning;

“occupier” means any person carrying on the business of a wild game processing facility or, in so far as the context requires, a cold store or a re-wrapping centre or his duly authorised representative and, in relation to an application in respect of any wild game processing facility for a licence under regulation 3, includes the owner of those premises, the person proposing to occupy those premises and the duly authorised representative of any such person;

“offal” means wild game meat other than that of the carcase, whether or not naturally connected to the carcase;

“OVS” means an official veterinary surgeon, being a veterinary surgeon designated by the Minister under regulation 6;

“packaging”, in relation to wild game meat, means placing wrapped wild game meat into a receptacle as well as the receptacle itself, and “package” shall be construed accordingly;

“PIA” means a plant inspection assistant, being a person who is authorised in accordance with regulation 9;

“potable water” has the same meaning as in the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995(5);

“premises” means any wild game processing facility;

“relevant EEA State” means an EEA State other than Iceland;

“re-wrapping centre” means any re-wrapping centre licensed under the Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995;

“small wild game” means wild mammals of the Leporidae family and wild birds intended for human consumption;

“third country” means a country which is not a relevant EEA State;

“veterinary officer” means a veterinary officer of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food;

“viscera” means offal from the thoracic, abdominal and pelvic cavities, including the trachea and the oesophagus;

“wild game” means—

(a)

wild land mammals which are hunted (including wild mammals living within an enclosed area under conditions of freedom similar to those enjoyed by wild game); and

(b)

wild birds;

“wild game meat” means all parts of wild game which are suitable for human consumption and which have not undergone any preserving process other than chilling, freezing, vacuum wrapping or wrapping in a controlled atmosphere;

“wild game processing facility” means any establishment used for the purpose of dressing or cutting up wild game, the meat derived from which is intended for sale for human consumption; and

“wrapping”, in relation to the protection of wild game meat, means placing in material which comes into direct contact with such meat as well as the material itself.

(2) Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in these Regulations to a numbered regulation or Schedule shall be construed as a reference to the regulation or Schedule bearing that number in these Regulations.

(3) Nothing in these Regulations shall be construed as derogating from the provisions of the Animal Health Act 1981(6) or of any order made thereunder.

(1)

OJ No. L1, 3.1.94, p.1.

(2)

OJ No. L1, 3.1.94, p.571.

(3)

S.I. 1995/539.

(4)

S.I. 1995/540.

(5)

S.I. 1995/1763.

(6)

1981 c. 22.