The Poultry Meat, Farmed Game Bird Meat and Rabbit Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995

Regulations 4(2)(a), 8(1)(d)

SCHEDULE 10PROVISIONS CONCERNING MEAT INTENDED FOR CUTTING

1.  The carcase shall be cut up into parts and boned only in licensed cutting premises.

2.  The occupier shall facilitate operations for the supervision of the plant, in particular any handling which is considered necessary, and shall place the necessary facilities at the disposal of the persons carrying out such supervision under these Regulations. In particular, he shall on request inform the official veterinary surgeon responsible for supervision, of the source of the meat brought into his cutting plant and the origin of the birds or rabbits slaughtered.

3.  Meat which does not fulfil the requirements of these Regulations shall not be placed in licensed cutting premises except in special storage areas; it shall be cut up in other places or at other times than meat which fulfils those requirements. The official veterinary surgeon shall at all times have access to all storage rooms and work rooms in order to satisfy himself that the preceding provisions of this Schedule are rigorously observed.

4.  Fresh meat intended for cutting shall, as soon as it is brought in, be placed in the cutting room or, until cut up, in the room provided for in paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 3. However, notwithstanding paragraph 9 of Schedule 8, meat may be transported directly from the slaughter room to the cutting room. In such cases the slaughter room and the cutting room shall be sufficiently near to each other and located in the same group of buildings, since the meat to be cut shall be transferred in one operation from one room to the other by means of an extension of the mechanical handling system from the slaughter room, and cutting shall be carried out immediately. As soon as the prescribed cutting and packaging are completed, the meat shall be transported to the chilling room provided for in paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 3.

5.  Meat shall be brought into the rooms referred to in paragraph 1(b) of Schedule 3 as required. As soon as cutting and, where appropriate, packaging are completed, the meat shall be transported to the chilling room provided for in paragraph 1(a) of Schedule 3.

6.  Except in the case of meat cut while warm in accordance with paragraph 4 above, cutting may take place only if the meat has reached a temperature not exceeding +4°C.

7.  Fresh meat shall not be cleaned by wiping with a cloth.

8.  Cutting shall be carried out in such a way so as to avoid any soiling of the meat. Splinters of bone and clots of blood shall be removed. Meat obtained from cutting and not intended for human consumption shall be collected in the containers or rooms referred to in paragraph 4(d) of Schedule 1 as it is cut.