Meat Products (Hygiene) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Part VIHealth Mark

Descriptions of health mark

1.  The United Kingdom EC health mark shall consist of an oval mark containing in legible form and in printed capital letters the following information—

(a)in the upper part, the letters “UK” followed by the meat products premises code and in the lower part the letters “EEC”; or

(b)in the upper part the words “United Kingdom”, in the centre, the meat products premises code and in the lower part, the letters “EEC”.

2.  The Northern Ireland regional health mark shall consist of a square surround containing in legible form and in printed capital letters the following information—

in the upper part, the letters “UK” followed by the meat products premises code and in the lower part the letters “NI”.

3.  In the case of meat products from premises approved under regulation 4(5)(b), the United Kingdom EC health mark or Northern Ireland regional health mark (in addition to complying with paragraph 1 or 2) shall include the figure 8 and a hyphen, which shall precede the number which forms part of the premises approval code.

Other provisions

4.  Subject to paragraph 6, meat products shall carry the United Kingdom EC health mark or Northern Ireland regional health mark in an easily visible place. Marking shall be carried out during or immediately after manufacture in the meat products premises or wrapping in a re-wrapping centre. The mark shall be legible, indelible and its characters easily distinguishable. The mark may be applied to the product or to the wrapping, if the meat product is individually wrapped, or to a label affixed to the wrapping in accordance with paragraph 7.

5.  Subject to paragraph 6, where meat products marked in accordance with paragraph 4 are subsequently placed in a packaging, the health mark shall also be applied to the packaging. Where a meat product is individually wrapped and packaged, it shall be sufficient for the mark to be applied to the packaging.

6.  The health marking of meat products is not necessary—

(a)where those products are wrapped and packaged individually and the health mark is applied to the packaging;

(b)where those products are contained in a sales unit and the health mark is applied to the external surface of that unit;

(c)where—

(i)those products form a consignment intended for further processing or wrapping in an approved establishment;

(ii)the consignment bears the health mark of the approved establishment consigning it in a place visible from the external surface, together with a clear indication of the intended destination; and

(iii)the recipient establishment maintains a record of the quantities, type and origin of meat products received in accordance with this paragraph and keeps that record for the period laid down in regulation 13(3); or

(d)where those products which are not wrapped or packaged but sold in bulk by the manufacturer directly to a retailer—

(i)the health mark is applied to the container carrying them in accordance with paragraph 4; and

(ii)the manufacturer maintains a record of the quantities and type of the meat products consigned in accordance with this point and of the name of the recipient and keeps that record for the period laid down in regulation 13(3).

7.  The United Kingdom EC health mark or Northern Ireland regional health mark may be applied directly to the product by means acceptable to the enforcement authority or be pre-printed on its wrapping or packaging or to a label fixed to the product, its wrapping or packaging. Where it is applied to the wrapping, the health mark must be applied in such a way that either the health mark or the wrapping to which it is affixed is destroyed when the wrapping is opened.

8.  The mark may also be on an irremovable plate of resistant material complying with the hygiene requirements laid down in these Regulations.

9.  Where a meat product contains other foodstuffs of animal origin such as fishery products, dairy products or egg products, only one health mark must be applied.