The Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations 1995

General conditions for the marketing of meat preparations

8.—(1) No person shall consign or sell for consignment to a relevant EEA State for human consumption any meat preparation unless—

(a)it has been produced in approved premises;

(b)where it is derived from pig meat, such meat has been examined for trichinae (trichinella spiralis) or has undergone the appropriate treatment as described in Council Directive 77/96/EEC;

(c)where the meat from which it is derived has been deep frozen, such meat has been used within, in the case of beef and veal, 18 months of slaughter, in the case of sheep meat, goat meat, poultry meat, rabbit meat and farmed game meat, 12 months thereof and, in the case of other meat, six months thereof;

(d)where it is packaged and presented chilled, it has been cooled as quickly as reasonably possible to an internal temperature below—

(i)2°C where it contains minced meat;

(ii)7°C where it contains fresh meat;

(iii)4°C where it contains poultry meat; and

(iv)3°C where it contains offal;

(e)where it is packaged and presented deep frozen, it complies with the conditions specified in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Quick-frozen Foodstuffs Regulations 1990;

(f)it has been produced in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 5;

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

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

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

(j)it has been transported in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 10; and

(k)it has not been treated by ionising radiation, save where this has taken place for medical purposes.

(2) No person shall consign or sell for consignment to a relevant EEA State for human comsumption meat preparations containing pre-prepared minced meat of bovine animals, pigs, sheep or goats unless such minced meat satisfied the requirements of regulation 7(1), except that this provision shall not apply to fresh sausage and sausage meat.

(3) No person shall sell for human consumption in Great Britain any meat preparation 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 2 or Schedule 3, as appropriate;

(b)it has been produced in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 1 and 2 (ii) of Schedule 5;

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

(d)it has been stored in a cold store in accordance with the requirements of paragraphs 4 and 5 of Schedule 9, or, where it is unpackaged, in a licensed cold store; and

(e)it has not been treated by ionising radiation save where this has taken place for medical purposes.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (2) above shall not apply to meat preparations orginating in a relevant EEA State or a third country, save that such meat preparations shall be handled and transported in accordance with these Regulations.

(5) No person shall affix the health mark to any meat preparation which does not satisfy the requirements specified in paragraph (1) above.