On Monday 6 October, the European Commission presented a delegated regulation aimed at completing the rules on marketing standards applicable to poultrymeat.
These provisions concern classification criteria, marking and packaging requirements, the type of farming and production method, the use of optional reserved terms, tolerance levels and import and export conditions.
The provisions relating to foie gras remain based on the minimum weight criterion, with no change to the regulations governing force-feeding. Duck livers must have a net weight of at least 300 grams and goose livers a net weight of at least 400 grams.
The text also stipulates that the temperature of frozen poultry meat must be maintained at a stable maximum of -12°C, with occasional fluctuations of up to +3°C.
Frozen or quick-frozen poultry carcasses may be marketed within the Union only if their water content does not exceed the unavoidable technical values defined in an annex. In addition, a committee of experts responsible for monitoring the water content in poultrymeat has been set up to coordinate the testing activities of the national reference laboratories.
The regulation also regulates the use of optional terms in order to maintain a balance between traditional farming methods and new practices.
The Commission stresses that these provisions will also help to reduce food waste and support the transition to sustainable agricultural production.
Link to the proposed rules: https://aeur.eu/f/isj (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)