The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

PART IIIGENERAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO LOW THROUGHPUT FARMED GAME PROCESSING FACILITIES

1.  All low throughput farmed game processing facilities shall have—

(a)a clearly defined boundary;

(b)at places readily accessible to the work stations and sanitary conveniences, suitable facilities, that is to say—

(i)an adequate supply of hot and cold running water, or pre-mixed running water at a suitable temperature, and sufficient supplies of soap or other detergent for the cleaning and disinfection of hands by persons handling fresh meat; and

(ii)an hygienic means of drying hands;

(c)in rooms where work on farmed game meat is undertaken, suitable and sufficient facilities, situated as close as possible to or readily accessible to the work stations, for the disinfection of knives and other hand tools, such facilities to be adequately supplied with water which shall be maintained at a temperature of not less that +82°C:

(d)adequate space and facilities for the efficient performance at any time of inspections required by these Regulations;

(e)equipment and fittings—

(i)of a durable, impermeable and corrosion-resistant material (not being made of wood) not liable to taint meat and of such construction as to enable them to be kept clean and disinfected;

(ii)if to be used for handling, storing or transporting farmed game meat, to be so constructed that farmed game meat and the base of any receptacles containing such meat do not come into contact with the floor;

(f)suitable an sufficient receptacles with closely fitting covers for collecting and removing all waste and farmed game meat not intended for human consumption;

(g)subject to paragraph 2 below, suitable refrigeration equipment to enable the internal temperature of farmed game meat to be maintained at not more than +7°C for carcases and cuts, +3°C for offal and -12°C for frozen farmed game meat; such equipment to have a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat;

(h)subject to paragraph 2 below, a suitable and sufficiently large refrigerated room or rooms for the cooling and storage of farmed game meat equipped with corrosion-resistant fittings which prevent such meat from coming into contact with the floor and walls;

(i)water, that is to say—

(i)a sufficient, clean and wholesome supply of hot and cold water, or water premixed to a suitable temperature, available at an adequate pressure, and in each case meeting the requirements of Council Directive 80/778/EEC;

(ii)the separation of any other water so that it may be used only for the purpose of fire fighting or the operation of refrigerators or steam boilers, and so that pipes carrying such water shall be arranged so as not to allow any such water to be used for any other purpose; and that all such pipes shall clearly be distinguished from those used for water which is clean and wholesome and shall present no risk of contamination to farmed game meat; and

(iii)if water is stored, in fully covered tanks to contain it, which tanks shall be of such construction as to enable them to be emptied and kept clean;

(j)satisfactory drainage, fitted with gratings and traps for solids, which shall be maintained in proper working order; save that, in rooms provided for the cooling or storage of fresh meat, gratings and traps shall not be required;

(k)a sanitary convenience; the room in which the convenience is situated shall not communicate directly with any room or area in which farmed game meat is being produced, cut up, handled, worked on or stored or in any such room as is referred to in sub-paragraph 1(q) below;

(l)adequate protection against the entry of insects, vermin and birds;

(m)a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of carcases of farmed game;

(n)a suitable system of overhead rails for the hygienic dressing and further handling of carcases; save that such a system shall not be required for the dressing of carcases where such a process can be carried out hygienically in a cradle or other equipment suitable for this purpose;

(o)suitable and sufficient facilities, capable of being securely locked, for the isolation of farmed game meat requiring further examination by an OVS or inspector; such facilities to be refrigerated so as to enable the requirements of paragraph 1(q) of Schedule 9 to be complied with and to be provided with a drainage system which avoids risk of contamination of farmed game meat except that refrigeration facilities shall not be required where farmed game meat is removed from any low throughput farmed game processing facility within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers' shops and such transportation can be completed within one hour;

(p)a suitable and sufficient room or rooms capable of being securely locked for the retention of farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption unless—

(i)such meat is removed or destroyed as often as may be necessary, and in any case at least once daily, and the quantity of such meat is not sufficient to require the provision of a separate room or rooms;

(ii)suitable and sufficient receptacles with closely fittings covers shall be provided which are capable of being securely locked and which shall be used only for holding farmed game meat rejected as being unfit for human consumption and are clearly marked to that effect;

(iii)any chutes or receptacles used to transport such meat are so constructed and installed and maintained as to avoid risk of contamination of farmed game meat intended for human consumption;

(q)a suitable and sufficient room and facilities for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines; save that such a room and facilities shall not be required if—

(i)stomachs and intestines are removed unopened from the dressing room immediately after the post-mortem inspection and taken to the room or receptacles referred to in sub-paragraph (p) above (save that where there is a significant delay between slaughter and post-mortem inspection stomachs and intestines shall be placed in suitable and sufficient facilities, and protected from the risk of contamination, whilst awaiting post-mortem inspection); or

(ii)the closed-circuit mechanical equipment referred to in paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 is provided;

(r)a suitable and sufficient room for the dressing of guts and tripe if this is carried out in the premises; save that where a room is provided in accordance with sub-paragraph (q) above for the emptying and cleaning of stomachs and intestines, that room shall be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the dressing of guts and tripe provided such dressing can be carried out in a manner avoiding cross-contamination;

(s)a suitable and sufficient room or place for the wrapping and packaging of offal if this is done in the premises during dressing operations, save that preparation, cleaning, wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room provided the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Schedule 13 are observed;

(t)a suitable and sufficient room or place for the preparation and cleaning of offal if this is done in the premises during dressing operation;

(u)suitable facilities for the storage under hygienic conditions of wrapping and packaging material where offal is wrapped or packaged in the premises; save that preparation, cleaning wrapping and packaging of offal may take place in the same room provided the requirements of paragraph 2 of Part II of Schedule 13 are observed;

(v)a suitable and sufficient leakproof facility for the storage of hides and skins unless they are to be collected and taken away daily;

(w)a suitable and sufficient room or rooms for the storage of antlers, hooves, fat and other waste material unless these are to be collected and taken away daily; save that where a facility is provided in accordance with subparagraph (v) above for the storage of hides and skins, that facility shall also be regarded as suitable and sufficient for the storage of antlers, hooves, fat and other waste material; and

(x)OVS facilities.

2.  The equipment and rooms referred to in sub-paragraphs 1(g) and (h) above shall not be required where fresh meat is removed from any low throughput farmed game processing facility within 24 hours of slaughter for delivery to cutting premises or butchers' shops and such transportation can be completed within one hour.

(3)  Every room in which farmed game meat is produced, worked on, handled or stored and any area through which farmed game meat is transported shall have—

(a)floors and floor surfaces of impermeable, rot proof non-slip and durable material, which shall be so constructed and kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable them to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected; such floors shall be laid in such a way as to facilitate the drainage of water;

(b)interior wall surfaces faced with a smooth, durable, impermeable and washable material (which shall be of a light colour) to the following heights—

(i)in any of the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(m), (p), (q), (r), (s) and (t) above up to a height of not less than 3 metres or the full height of the room, whichever is lower;

(ii)in any rooms used for the cooling or storage of farmed game meat, up to a height of not less than the usable storage height;

(iii)in any other room in which unpackaged farmed game meat is handled, up to a height of not less than 2 metres;

(c)doors and door frames of a hard wearing, corrosion-resistant material or, if made of wood, with a smooth, impermeable covering on all surfaces;

(d)a ceiling, or where there is no ceiling the interior surface of the roof, which is so constructed and finished as to minimise condensation, mould development, flaking and the lodgement of dirt, and which shall be kept in such good order, repair and condition as to enable it to be thoroughly cleaned;

(e)insulation materials which are rotproof and odourless;

(f)suitable and sufficient means of ventilation to the external air (except in the case of a humidity-controlled or temperature controlled chamber) including, where necessary, adequate means of steam extraction; (all ventilation systems to be kept at all times in good working order); and

(g)adequate artificial lighting throughout the workrooms; which lighting shall not distort colours and shall be an overall intensity of not less than 220 lux; save that at places where inspection of farmed game meat is normally carried out the overall intensity shall be not less than 540 lux.

4.  The occupier of every low throughput farmed game processing facility shall ensure that the requirements of Schedule 7 are observed.