Brussels, 12/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EU is soon to have new traceability rules for animal by-products, guaranteeing improvements in food safety.
In Brussels on 12 September, the Standing Committee for the Food Chain and Animal Health approved a new scheme which will in future mean improved traceability of animal by-products, moved from one member state to another, by requiring them to be kept in colour-coded packaging or vehicles.
Under this identification system, black will be reserved for Category 1 material, such as carcasses from which specific risk material (SRM) has not been removed, yellow for Category 2 material, such as animals found dead, and green for Category 3 material, such as meat fit for human consumption, but removed from the food chain for commercial reasons.
Member states will be free to introduce complementary colour-coding systems, but only for animal by-products being transported within the country. Rules relating to the commercial documentation that must accompany animal by-products being transported within the EU will also be slightly amended to further enhance traceability.
In addition, meat and bone meal and animal fat from rendering plants which process Categories 1 and 2 animal by-products will have to be marked using glyceroltriheptanoate (GTH). Member states will be able to introduce national marking requirements for other animal by-products (such as for Category 3 meat or normal slaughterhouse waste) which will remain within the country.
These new rules will be introduced by amending regulation 1774/2002 on animal by-products. The green light from member states will allow the Commission to adopt the decision formally in the near future, and it will come into effect on 1 July 2008. (an)