1997D0107 — EN — 01.03.2008 — 002.001

This document is meant purely as a documentation tool and the institutions do not assume any liability for its contents

►B COMMISSION DECISION of 16 January 1997 authorizing methods for grading pig carcases in Belgium (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (97/107/EC) (OJ L 039, 8.2.1997, p.17)

Amended by:









▼B

COMMISSION DECISION

of 16 January 1997

authorizing methods for grading pig carcases in Belgium

(Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic)

(97/107/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 pig carcases ( 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 the content of lean meat in accordance with statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcase; whereas the authorization of grading methods is subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance for statistical error in assessment; whereas this tolerance was defined in Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85 of 24 October 1985 laying down detailed rules for the application of the Community scale for grading pig carcases ( 3 ), as amended by Regulation (EC) No 3127/94 ( 4 ); Whereas by Decision 88/184/EEC ( 5 ), amended by Decision 93/703/EC ( 6 ), the Commission authorized a method for grading pig carcases in Belgium; Whereas the Government of Belgium has requested the Commission to authorize two new methods for grading pig carcases and has submitted the details required by Article 3 of Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85; whereas an examination of this request has revealed that the conditions for authorizing the two grading methods are fulfilled; Whereas Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 authorizes the Member States to provide for a presentation different from the one specified in that Article if commercial practice or technical requirements so warrant; Whereas in Belgium technical requirements, relating to the use of the method of grading and thus, commercial practice, result in the flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm being left attached to the carcase; whereas this should be taken into account in adjusting the weight to the standard presentation; Whereas, for the sake of clarity, a new Decision should be adopted; whereas Decision 88/184/EEC should therefore be repealed; Whereas no alteration to methods may be authorized except by Commission Decision adopted in the light of experience; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Pigmeat, HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:







Article 1

Use of the following methods is hereby authorized for grading pig carcases pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 in Belgium:

— the apparatus called ‘Capteur Gras/Maigre - Sydel’ (CGM) and assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 1 of the Annex,

— the apparatus called ‘Giralda Choirometer PG 200’ and assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 2 of the Annex,

▼M2

— the apparatus called ‘VCS 2000’ and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 3 of the Annex,

— the apparatus called ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP4)’ and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 4 of the Annex,

— the apparatus called ‘Optiscan-TP’ and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 5 of the Annex.

▼B

Article 2

Notwithstanding the standard presentation set out in Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84, pig carcases shall be presented for weighing and grading with flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm attached. In order to establish quotations for pig carcases on a common basis, the hot weight shall be reduced by 2,6 %.

Article 3

No modifications of assessment methods (apparatus, measuring points and formulas) shall be authorized.

Article 4

Decision 88/184/EEC is hereby repealed.

However, until ►M1 31 October 1998 ◄ , Belgium may continue to apply the method of grading pig carcases set out in Decision 88/184/EEC instead of the method set out in this Decision.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium.









ANNEX

PART 1

CAPTEUR GRAS/MAIGRE — SYDEL (CGM)

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Capteur Gras/Maigre — Sydel (CGM)’.

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a high-definition Sydel probe 8 mm in width, a light-emitting infra-red diode (Honeywell) and two light sensors (Honeywell). The operating distance is between 0 and 105 mm. The values measured will be converted into estimated lean meat content by the CGM itself.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula: ŷ = 59,902386 - 1,060750 x1 + 0,229324 x2 where: ŷ = the estimated lean meat of the carcase x1 = the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres measured at 6 cm off the midline of the carcase between the third and fourth last rib x2 = the thickness of the muscle in millimetres measured at the same time and in the same place as x1. This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 60 and 120 kilograms.

PART 2

GIRALDA CHOIROMETER PG 200

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus known as a ‘GIRALDA CHOIROMETER PG 200’.

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe (Siemens KOM 2110) 6 mm in width, a light diode (LED Siemens F 28) and a light sensor (Siemens F 232). The operating distance is between 0 and 125 mm. The values measured will be converted into estimated lean meat content by the PG 200 itself.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula: ŷ = 48,605031 - 0,822075 x1 + 0,378669 x2 where: ŷ = the estimated lean meat of the carcase x1 = the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres measured at 6 cm off the midline of the carcase between the third and fourth last rib x2 = the thickness of the muscle in millimetres measured at the same time and in the same place as x1. This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 60 and 120 kilograms.

▼M2

PART 3

VCS 2000

1. Grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘VCS 2000’.

2. The apparatus VCS 2000 is a picture-processing system for automatically determining the trade values of pork-carcass-halves. The system is used online within the slaughtering production system where via a camera system the carcass halves are automatically filmed. The picture data is then processed in a computer by special picture processing software.

3. The lean meat content of the carcasses shall be calculated on the basis of 38 variables according to the following formula: Ŷ = 54,078892 + 0,037085 * X5 + 0,256113 * X15 + 0,021655 * X16 + 33,97699 * X59 – 0,149103 * X88 – 0,106705 * X90 – 0,0768985 * X91 – 0,079832 * X95 – 0,079042 * X96 – 0,084983 * X97 + 0,039831 * X107 – 0,681172 * X108 + 0,234541 * X109 – 0,059871 * X113 – 4,149651 * X120 – 36,8824 * X147 – 19,9219 * X149 – 7,512613 * X156 – 0,086669 * X168 – 0,545069 * X171 – 0,386719 * X173 – 0,025001 * X175 – 1,410422 * X186 – 0,32873 * X192 – 0,260074 * X193 – 0,08137 * X196 + 141,2392 * X198 -141 236 * X199 – 12,7862 * X222 – 27,3973 * X227 – 289 576 * X228 + 425,3549 * X233 + 14,62961 * X234 – 0,97067 * X242 – 2,084821 * X243 – 3,11945 * X259 + 14,72706 * X270 – 0,949448 * X273 Where Ŷ = the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcasses X5, X15 … X273 are the variables measured by VCS 2000.

4. Descriptions of the measurement points and the statistical method can be found in Part II of the Belgian protocol forwarded to the Commission in accordance with Article 3(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85. This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 130 kilograms.

PART 4

HENNESSY GRADING PROBE (HGP4)

1. Grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus termed ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP4)’.

2. The HGP4 apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 5,95 millimetres diameter (and of 6,3 millimetres at the blade on top of the probe) containing a photodiode and photodetector and having an operating distance of between 0 and 120 millimetres. The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP4 itself or a computer linked to it.

3. The lean meat content of carcasses shall be calculated according to the following formula: Ŷ = 65,42464 – 1,06279 * X1 + 0,17920 * X2 where Ŷ = the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcasses X1 = fat depth (including skin) in millimetres, measured 6 cm off the split line between the third and fourth last rib X2 = muscle depth in millimetres, measured 6 cm off the split line between the third and fourth last rib This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 130 kilograms.

PART 5

OPTISCAN-TP

1. Grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus termed ‘Optiscan-TP’.

2. The Optiscan-TP apparatus shall be equipped with a digital imager taking an illuminated photo of the two measurement points on the carcasses. The images are the base for the calculation of fat and muscle thickness according to the two points method ‘Zwei-Punkte Messverfahren (ZP)’. The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the Optiscan-TP apparatus itself. The photos are saved and later can be controlled. The integrated Bluetooth® interface permits easy data transfer.

3. The lean meat content of the carcasses shall be calculated according to the following formula: Ŷ = 53,04153 – 0,68318 * X1 + 0,23131 * X2 where Ŷ = the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcasses X1 = smallest fat depth (including skin) over the musculus gluteus medius in millimetres X2 = lumbar muscle depth in millimetres, measured as the shortest distance from the front (cranial) end of the musculus gluteus medius to the upper (dorsal) edge of the spinal canal This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 130 kilograms.