1997D0028 — EN — 11.07.1997 — 001.001 — 1
This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents
►B COMMISSIONDECISION
of13December 1996
authorizingamethodforgradingpigcarcasesinFrance
(OnlytheFrenchtextisauthentic)
(97/28/EC)
(OJ L 12, 15.1.1997, p. 30)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1Commission Decision of 10 July 1997 (97/473/EC) L 200 64 29.7.1997
▼B
COMMISSIONDECISION
of13December 1996
authorizingamethodforgradingpigcarcases inFrance
(OnlytheFrenchtextisauthentic)
(97/28/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 of 13
November 1984 determining the Community scale for grading pigcarcases(
1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3513/93(2), and
in particular Article 5 (2) thereof,
Whereas Article 2 (3) of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 provides that
the grading of pig carcases must be determined by estimating thecontent of lean meat in accordance withstatistically proven assessment
methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical
parts of the pig carcase; whereas the authorization of grading methodsis subject to compliance witha maximum tolerance for statistical errorin assessment; whereas this tolerance has been defined in Article 3 ofCommission Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85 of 24 October 1985 layingdown detailed rules for the application of the Community scale for
grading pig carcases(
3), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 3127/
94(4);
Whereas the Commission, by Decision 89/50/EEC(5), as last amended
by Decision 94/565/EC(6), has authorized a number of methods for
grading pig carcases in France;
Whereas, with a view to improving the transparency of the market, the
French Government has requested the Commission to authorize the useof one main method on its territory consisting in the fixing ofmeasuring points and of a single formula for estimating the lean meatcontent and to that end has presented the information required under
Article 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85; whereas an examination
of the request has disclosed that the conditions for authorizing thegrading method concerned are met;
Whereas, however, the method to be authorized is based on the use of
a slide gauge measuring cold carcases at seven different measuringpoints, the widespread use of which in slaughterhouses does not seemto be possible in practice; whereas authorization should be given there-fore, subject to supervision by the Commission, for the use of
alternative methods for grading pig carcases once they satisfy a calibra-
tion procedure by giving equivalent results, for estimates of thepercentage of lean meat, to those obtained using the method referredto above;
Whereas, for the sake of clarity, a new decision should be adopted;
whereas Decision 89/50/EEC should therefore be repealed;
Whereas no adjustments to grading methods may be authorized except
by means of a Commission decision adopted in the light of experiencegained;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance
with the opinion of the Management Committee for Pigmeat,1997D0028 — EN — 11.07.1997 — 001.001 — 2
(1) OJ No L 301, 20. 11. 1984, p. 1.
(2) OJ No L 320, 22. 12. 1993, p. 5.
(3) OJ No L 285, 25. 10. 1985, p. 39.
(4) OJ No L 330, 21. 12. 1994, p. 43.
(5) OJ No L 20, 25. 1. 1989, p. 27.
(6) OJ No L 215, 20. 8. 1994, p. 26.
▼B
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
1. The method of assessing lean meat content described in the
Annex hereto is hereby authorized as a method for the grading of pigcarcases.
2. The use of any other method for grading pig carcases shall be
subject to the requirement that the results given for the assessment of
lean meat content are equivalent to those given by the method referredto in paragraph1.
To that end, the method must satisfy as part of a calibration procedure
carried out by the French authorities, a test for the accuracy ofmeasurements x
1to x7referred to in the Annex hereto.
3. Where a method for grading pig carcases satisfies the calibration
procedure referred to in paragraph 2, the Government shall notify the
Commission thereof before it is used for the first time and shallprovide all relevant details.
In suchcase th e procedure laid down in Article 25 of Regulation
(EEC) No 2759/75 shall be applied.
4. The calibration procedure referred to in paragraph 2 shall be
conducted on the basis of specifications laid down by the competentFrenchauth orities.
Article 2
Notwithstanding the standard presentation referred to in Article 2 of
Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84, pig carcases may be presented withthe tongue during weighing and grading. In such cases, in order toestablishquotations for pig carcases on a comparable basis, th erecorded warm weight shall be reduced by 0,5 %.
Article 3
Modifications of assessment methods (apparatus, measuring points and
formulae) shall not be authorized.
Article 4
Decision 89/50/EEC is hereby repealed.However, up to 30 June 1997, the French Republic may continue to
apply the methods for grading pig carcases provided for in Decision
89/50/EEC in place of the method determined by this Decision.
Article 5
This Decision is addressed to the French Republic.1997D0028 — EN — 11.07.1997 — 001.001 — 3
▼M1
▼B
▼B
ANNEX
1. Grading of pig carcases shall be carried out by means of a slide gauge using
the assessment method set out in paragraph 2 below based on measurements
obtained on cold carcases on the day following slaughter.
Apparatus used in slaughterhouses must be calibrated by reference to the
method referred to above.
The results of the measurements are converted into estimated lean meat
content.
2. The lean meat content of carcases shall be calculated according to the
following formula:
ŷ= 53,28 − 0,102 x1− 0,119 x2− 0,299 x3− 0,231 x4+ 0,076 x5+ 0,058
x6+ 0,135 x7
where:
ŷ= the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase
x1= the minimum thickness of fat (including rind) in millimetres, visible
on the midline of the split carcase, at the level of the gluteus medius
muscle
x2= the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 6
cm off the midline of the carcase, between the second and third last
ribs
x3= the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 6
cm off the midline of the carcase, between the third and fourth last
ribs
x4= the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 8
cm off the midline of the carcase, between the third and fourth last
lumbar vertebrae
x5= the minimum thickness of the lumbar muscle in millimetres,
measured between the anterior extremity of the gluteus medius
muscle and the dorsal surface of the spinal canal
x6= the thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle in millimetres,
measured at 6 cm off the midline of the carcase, between the second
and third last ribs
x7= the thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle in millimetres,
measured at 6 cm off the midline of the carcase, between the third
and fourthlast ribs
The formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 45 and 125 kilo-
grams.1997D0028 — EN — 11.07.1997 — 001.001 — 4