The Beef Bones Regulations 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to Great Britain, make provision under the Food Safety Act 1990 in relation to bones, bone-in beef and other food and ingredients for human consumption derived from bovine animals aged over six months at slaughter. The age of a bovine animal at slaughter is presumed to be over six months in the absence of available records as to its age at slaughter. Expressions used in the Regulations not already defined in the Act are defined for the purposes of the Regulations in regulation 2(1).

Regulation 3(1) prohibits the sale of bone-in beef to the ultimate consumer and regulation 3(2) prohibits the use of bone-in beef in the preparation of any food or ingredient for sale direct to the ultimate consumer. Regulation 4 contains prohibitions in relation to the sale of bones and the use of bones in the preparation of food and ingredients for sale for human consumption. Regulation 5 prohibits the sale of food containing ingredients consisting of or derived from bones removed from bone-in beef deboned in Great Britain. It also prohibits the sale of substances derived from those bones for use in the preparation of food and ingredients for sale for human consumption and the use of those substances for that purpose. There is a three month period before this regulation applies to food other than bone-in beef and bones.

Regulation 6 prohibits the deboning of bone-in beef in the course of a business for preparation, preparation for sale or sale for human consumption except at food premises. It requires the occupier of food premises to ensure that deboning of bone-in beef at those premises is carried out so as to avoid risk of contamination of food. Regulation 7 imposes requirements in relation to the storage of bones on food premises. Regulation 8 requires bones removed from bone-in beef deboned in Great Britain to be disposed of as if they were animal by-products referred to in Part II of Schedule 1 to the Animal By-Products Order 1992.

Regulation 9 requires the occupier of food premises to keep records on the premises relating to any bones removed from bone-in beef, used or stored there. These records must contain sufficient information to ensure that the origin of bones removed from bone-in beef, used or stored at the premises, and any commercial operations previously carried out in relation to the bones (whether or not at those premises and whether or not in Great Britain), can be clearly traced and identified by an authorised officer.

Regulation 10 provides offences and penalties and regulation 11 applies provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 for the purposes of the Regulations. Regulation 12 makes provision for the enforcement of the Regulations.

A Regulatory Appraisal in relation to these Regulations has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. Copies can be obtained from the Meat Hygiene Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR.