The Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations 1995

General conditions for the marketing of minced meat

7.—(1) No person shall consign or sell for consignment to a relevant EEA State for human consumption any minced meat produced in Great Britain unless it is derived from meat of bovine animals, pigs, sheep or goats, and—

(a)it has been produced in approved premises;

(b)it has been prepared from striated muscle (other than heart muscle), including the adjoining fatty tissues, which, in the case of pigmeat, has been examined for trichinae (trichinella spiralis) or has undergone the appropriate treatment as described in Council Directive 77/96/EEC(1) on the examination for trichinae upon importation from third countries of fresh meat derived from domestic swine;

(c)it has been produced in accordance with the appropriate requirements of Schedule 4;

(d)it has been checked in accordance with the relevant provisions of paragraph 1 of Schedule 6;

(e)it has been labelled and given a health mark in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 7;

(f)it has been wrapped and packaged in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 8 and stored in a cold store in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 9;

(g)it is transported in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 10;

(h)it is accompanied during transportation by a commercial document and, where appropriate, by a health certificate in accordance with regulation 9;

(i)where the meat from which it is derived has been frozen or deep frozen, such meat was de-boned prior to freezing or deep-freezing and, after freezing or deep-freezing, was stored for not more than 18 months in the case of beef or veal, 12 months in the case of sheep meat or goat meat and 6 months in the case of pig meat, except that the boning of sheep meat and pig meat may have taken place immediately before mincing provided that this operation was carried out under hygienic conditions;

(j)where the meat from which it is derived has been chilled, such meat has been minced within 6 days of slaughter or, in the case of boned, vacuum-packed beef or veal, within 15 days thereof;

(k)it has undergone cold treatment within one hour of portioning and wrapping, except where processes were used requiring the lowering of the internal temperature of the meat during production;

(l)where it is packaged and presented chilled, it is obtained from meat as described in sub-paragraph (j) above and cooled to an internal temperature below 2°C as quickly as reasonably possible, except that a limited quantity of frozen meat as described in sub-paragraph (i) above may be added to the meat before mincing to accelerate the refrigeration process, provided that this addition is mentioned on the label and the cooling time referred to above does not exceed one hour;

(m)where it is packaged and presented deep frozen, it is obtained from meat as described in sub-paragraph (i) or (j) above and complies with the conditions specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs Regulations 1990(2);

(n)it has not been treated by ionising or ultraviolet radiation; and

(o)where any of the designations specified in the table in paragraph 1 of Schedule 11 are used as described in that table on the packaging, the requirements as to total fat content, and collagen content of meat protein, appearing opposite that designation in that table are met.

(2) No person shall sell for human consumption in Great Britain minced meat produced in the United Kingdom unless—

(a)it has been produced in approved premises or in registered premises which comply with the requirements of Schedule 1 or Schedule 3, as appropriate;

(b)it has been produced in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 1, 2 and 6 of Schedule 4;

(c)it has been checked in accordance with the relevant provisions of paragraph 1 of Schedule 6;

(d)it has been wrapped and packaged in accordance with the requirements of Schedule 8 and stored in a cold store in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9; and

(e)where any of the first three designations specified in the table in paragraph 1 of Schedule 11 are used as described in that table on the packaging, the requirements as to total fat content, and collagen content of meat protein, appearing opposite that designation in that table are met.

(3) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to minced meat originating in a relevant EEA State or a third country, save that such minced meat shall be handled and transported in accordance with these Regulations.

(4) No person shall affix the health mark to any minced meat which does not satisfy the requirements specifed in paragraph (1) above.