EN 1  EN EN 
ANNEX I  
 
DETERMINATION OF THE TOTAL WATER CONTENT OF CHICKENS 
REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 5(1) 
(Chemical test)  
1. Object and scope  
The method to determine the total water content of frozen and quick -frozen chickens involves 
determination of the water and protein contents of samples from homogenised poultry 
carcases. The total water content as determined is compared with the limit value given by the 
formulae indicated in Annex VI I to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/XXX  
[PLAN/2022/1902, to be completed by OP] , to determine whether or not excess water has 
been taken up during processing. If the analyst suspects the presence of any substance which 
may interfere with the assessment, it is for him or her to take the necessary appropriate 
precautions.  
2. Definitions  
‘Carcase’: the poultry carcase with bones, cartilage and any additional offal.  
‘Offal’: liver, heart, gizzard and oviduct, yolks and eggs (with or without shell) obtained from 
spent hens at the slaughterhouse.  
3. Principle  
Water and protein contents are deter mined in accordance with recognised ISO (International 
Organisation for Standardisation) methods or other methods of analysis approved by the 
Council of the European Union.  
The maximum total water content of the carcase is determined from the protein conte nt of the 
carcase, which can be related to the physiological water content.  
4. Apparatus and reagents  
4.1. Scales for weighing the carcase and wrappings, accurate to at least 1 g.  
4.2. Meat -axe or saw for cutting carcases into pieces of appropriate size for the mincer.  
4.3. Heavy -duty mincing machine and blender capable of homogenising complete frozen 
or quick -frozen poultry pieces.  
NB: 
No special mincer is recommended. It should have sufficient power to mince frozen 
or quick -frozen meat and bones to produce a homogeneous mi xture corresponding to 
that obtained from a mincer fitted with a 4 -mm hole disc.  
4.4. Apparatus as specified in ISO 1442, for the determination of water content.  
4.5. Apparatus as specified in ISO 937, for the determination of protein content.  EN 2  EN 5. Method  
5.1. Seven carcases are taken at random from the quantity of poultry to be checked and in 
each case kept frozen until analysis in accordance with points 5.2 to 5.6 begins.  
The analysis shall be carried out either on each of the seven carcases separately or on 
a composite sample of the seven carcases.  
5.2. The preparation is commenced within the one hour following the removal of the 
carcases from the freezer.  
5.3.  
(a) The outside of the pack is wiped to remove superficial ice and water. Each 
carcase is weighed and removed from any wrapp ing material. After cutting up 
of the carcase into smaller pieces, any wrapping material around the edible 
offal is removed. The total weight of the carcase, including the edible offal and 
ice adhering to the carcase, is determined to the nearest gram afte r deduction of 
the weight of any wrapping material removed, to give ‘P 1’. 
(b) In the case of a composite sample analysis, the total weight of the seven 
carcases, prepared in accordance with point 5.3(a), is determined to give ‘P 7’. 
5.4.  
(a) The whole carcase of which the weight is P 1 is minced in a mincer as specified 
under point 4.3 (and, if necessary, mixed with the use of a blender as well) to 
obtain a homogeneous material from which a sample representative of each 
carcase shall then be taken.  
(b) In the case of a compo site sample analysis, all seven carcases of which the 
weight is P 7 are minced in a mincer as specified under point 4.3 (and, if 
necessary, mixed with the use of a blender as well) to obtain a homogeneous 
material from which two samples representative of th e seven carcases shall 
then be taken. The two samples are analysed as described in points 5.5 and 5.6.  
5.5. A sample of the homogenised material is taken and used immediately to determine 
the water content in accordance with ISO 1442 to give the water content ‘ a %’.  
5.6. A sample of the homogenised material is also taken and used immediately to 
determine the nitrogen content in accordance with ISO 937. This nitrogen content is 
converted to crude protein content ‘b %’ by multiplying it by the factor 6,25.  
6. Calculation of results  
6.1.  
(a) The weight of water (W) in each carcase is given by aP 1/100 and the weight of 
protein (RP) by bP 1/100, both of which are expressed in grams. The sums of 
the weights of water (W 7) and the weights of protein (RP 7) in the seven 
carcases analysed a re determined.  
(b) In the case of a composite sample analysis, the average content of water and 
protein from the two samples analysed is determined to give a % and b %, 
respectively. The weight of the water (W 7) in the seven carcases is given by 
aP7/100, and t he weight of protein (RP 7) by bP 7/100, both of which are 
expressed in grams.  
6.2. The average weight of water (W A) and protein (RP A) is calculated by dividing W 7 
and RP 7, respectively, by seven.  EN 3  EN 6.3. The theoretical physiological water content in grams as determined  by this method 
may be calculated by the following formula:  
chickens: 3,53 × RP A + 23.  EN 4  EN ANNEX II  
 
DETERMINATION OF THE TOTAL WATER CONTENT OF POULTRYMEAT  
CUTS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 8(1) 
(Chemical test)  
1. Object and scope  
The method to determine the total water content of certain poultry cuts involves 
determination of the water and protein contents of samples from the homogenised  poultry 
cuts. The total water content as determined is compared with the limit value given by the 
formulae indicated in Annex VIII to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/XXX  
[PLAN/2022/1902, to be completed by OP] , to determine whether or not excess water has 
been taken up during processing. If the analyst suspects the presence of any substance 
which may interfere with the assessment, it is for him or her to take the necessary 
appropriate precautions.  
2. Definitions and sampling procedures  
The definitions provided for in Article 2, point (2), of Delegated Regulation (EU) 
2023/XXX [PLAN/2022/1902, to be completed by OP] are applicable to the poultry cuts 
referred to in Article 15 of that Delegated Regulation. Sample sizes for different types of 
poultry meat correspond to the following shares:  
(a) chicken breast: half of the breast;  
(b) chicken breast fillet: half of the boned breast without skin;  
(c) turkey breast, turkey breast fillet and boned leg meat: portions of about 100 g;  
(d) other cuts: whole cut as  defined in Article 2, point (2), of Delegated Regulation 
(EU) 2023/XXX  [PLAN/2022/1902, to be completed by OP] .  
In the case of frozen or quick -frozen bulk products (cuts not individually packed) the large 
packs from which samples are to be taken shall be  kept at 0 °C until individual cuts can be 
removed.  
3. Principle  
Water and protein contents are determined in accordance with recognised ISO (International 
Organisation for Standardisation) methods or other methods of analysis approved by the 
Council of the European Union.  
The highest permissible total water content of  the poultry cuts is determined from the protein 
content of the cuts, which can be related to the physiological water content.  
4. Apparatus and reagents  
4.1. Scales for weighing the cuts and wrappings, accurate to at least 1 g.  
4.2. Meat -axe or saw for cutting cuts into pieces of appropriate size for the mincer.  EN 5  EN 4.3. Heavy -duty mincing machine and blender capable of homogenising poultry cuts or 
parts thereof.  
NB:  
No special mincer is recommended. It should have sufficient power to mince frozen 
or quick -frozen meat and b ones to produce a homogeneous mixture corresponding to 
that obtained from a mincer fitted with a 4 -mm hole disc.  
4.4. Apparatus as specified in ISO 1442, for the determination of water content.  
4.5. Apparatus as specified in ISO 937, for the determination of protein  content.  
5. Method  
5.1. Five cuts are taken at random from the quantity of poultry cuts to be checked and 
kept frozen or refrigerated as the case may be until analysis in accordance with 
points 5.2 to 5.6 begins.  
Samples from frozen or quick -frozen bulk product s referred to under point 2 shall be 
kept at 0 °C until analysis begins.  
The analysis shall concern either each of the five cuts separately or a composite 
sample of the five cuts.  
5.2. The preparation is commenced within one hour following the removal of the cuts 
from the freezer or refrigerator.  
5.3.  
(a) The outside of the pack is wiped to remove superficial ice and water. Each cut 
is weighed and removed from any wrapping material. After cutting up the cuts 
into smaller pieces, the weight of the poultry cut is determ ined to the nearest 
gram after deduction of the weight of any wrapping material removed, to give 
‘P1’. 
(b) In the case of a composite sample analysis, the total weight of the five cuts, 
prepared in accordance with point 5.3(a), is determined to give ‘P 5’.  
5.4.  
(a) The whole cut of which the weight is P 1, is minced in a mincer as specified 
under point 4.3 (and, if necessary, mixed with the use of a blender as well) to 
obtain a homogeneous material from which a sample representative of each cut 
shall then be taken.  
(b) In the case of a composite sample analysis, all five cuts of which the weight is 
P5 are minced in a mincer as specified under point 4.3 (and, if necessary, mixed 
with the use of a blender as well) to obtain a homogeneous material from 
which two samples repres entative of the five cuts shall then be taken.  
The two samples are analysed as described in points 5.5 and 5.6.  
5.5. A sample of the homogenised material is taken and used immediately to determine 
the water content in accordance with ISO 1442 to give the water content ‘a %’.  
5.6. A sample of the homogenised material is also taken and used immediately to 
determine the nitrogen content in accordance with ISO 937. This nitrogen content is 
converted to crude protein content ‘b %’ by multiplying it by the factor 6,2 5. 
6. Calculation of results  EN 6  EN 6.1.  
(a) The weight of water (W) in each cut is given by aP 1/100 and the weight of 
protein (RP) by bP 1/100, both of which are expressed in grams.  
The sums of the weights of water (W 5) and the weights of protein (RP 5) in the 
five cuts an alysed are determined.  
(b) In the case of a composite sample analysis, the average content of water and 
protein from the two samples analysed is determined to give a % and b %, 
respectively. The weight of the water (W 5) in the five cuts is given by aP 5/100, 
and the weight of protein (RP 5) by bP 5/100, both of which are expressed in 
grams.  
6.2. The average weight of water (W A) and protein (RP A) is calculated by dividing W 5 
and RP 5 respectively, by five.  
6.3. The mean physiological W/RP ratio as determined by this method is as follows:  
chicken breast fillet: 3,19 ± 0,12,  
chicken legs and leg quarters: 3,78 ± 0,19,  
turkey breast fillet: 3,05 ± 0,15,  
turkey legs: 3,58 ± 0,15,  
deboned turkey leg meat: 3,65 ± 0,17.   EN 7  EN ANNEX III  
 
CHECK ON WATER ABSORBED IN THE PRODUCTION ESTABLISHMENT 
REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 6(1) 
(Slaughterhouse test)  
1. Select at random 25 carcases from the evisceration line immediately after 
evisceration and the removal of the offal and fat and before the first subse quent 
washing.  
2. If necessary, remove the neck by cutting, leaving the neck skin attached to the 
carcase.  
3. Identify each carcase individually. Weigh each carcase and record its weight to the 
nearest gram.  
4. Re-hang the test carcases on the evisceration line to  continue through the normal 
processes of washing, chilling, dripping, etc.  
5. Remove identified carcases at the end of the drip line without allowing them any 
longer time to drip than that allowed normally for poultry from the lot from which 
the sample was t aken.  
6. The sample consists of the first 20 carcases recovered (from the carcasses identified 
in previous step). The test is declared void if less than 20 identified carcases are 
recovered. The recovered carcasses are re -weighed. Their weight to the nearest gram 
is recorded against the weight recorded on first weighing.  
7. Remove identification from sample carcases and allow the carcases to proceed 
through normal packing operations.  
8. Determine percentage moisture absorption by subtracting the total weight of thes e 
same carcases after washing, chilling and dripping, dividing the difference by the 
initial weight and multiplying by 100.  
9. Instead of manual weighing as described under points 1 to 8, automatic weighing 
lines may be used for the determination of the perc entage of moisture absorption for 
the same number of carcases and according to the same principles, provided that the 
automatic weighing line is approved in advance for this purpose by the competent 
authority.  EN 8  EN ANNEX IV  
TASKS OF NATIO NAL REFERENCE LABORATORIES REFERRED TO IN 
ARTICLE 7(3) 
The national reference laboratories are responsible for the following tasks:  
(a) coordinating the activities of the national laboratories responsible for analyses of 
water content in poultrymeat;  
(b) assisti ng the competent authority in the Member State in organising the system for 
monitoring water content in poultrymeat;  
(c) participating in comparative testing (proficiency testing) between the various 
national laboratories referred to in point (a);  
(d) ensuring th at the information supplied by the board of experts is disseminated to the 
competent authority in the relevant Member State and to the national laboratories 
referred to in point (a);  
(e) collaborating with the board of experts and, if appointed to join the bo ard of experts, 
preparing the necessary test samples, including homogeneity testing, and arranging 
appropriate shipping.