ARCHIVES HISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(75)593
Vol.1975/0222

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COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
COM(75)593 final
Brussels,3december 1975
Amendedproposal
fora
COUNCIL REGULATION
layingdowncommonstandards forthewater
contentoffrozenanddeepfrozen fowlcarcases
(submittedtotheCouncil "bytheCommission
pursuanttothesecondparagraph ofArticle 149
oftheEECTreaty)
COM(75 )593final

-3-
E^lanatory .nernorandum
The "dry"preparation ofpoultry isimpossible inmodern slaughterhouses andthe
useofwater atthevarious stages oftreatment (plucking ,evisceration and
cooling )means inevitably that somewater penetrates thetissues andcavities of
the carcases .
Inorder toimprove thequality offoodstuffs andtoprevent distortions ofcompe­
tition within theEuropean Economic Community ,itisnecessary tofixthemaximum
quantities ofextraneous water which maybeabsorbed bychilled andfrozen poultry
carcases during preparation .
Thescientific andtechnical documentation onthewater content offrozen anddeep-
frozen poultry carcases provides thefollowing information :
1.Thedeepfreezing ,freezing andstorage ofcarcases result inthedehydration of
theproduct ,which isdetrimental toitsorganoleptic qualities .Theintroduce 3
ofwater during preparation oftHepoultry thus constitutes animpco'vement int/.
.•quality oftheproduct ,provided .'Viat thequantity added isnotexcessive .The
desijied result isobtained bythiaddition of .aquantity ofwater representing
6-8/'oftheweight ofthecarcase .
2.Poultry carcases normally contain alarge proportion ofphysiological liquid
largely composed ofwater .Theproportion ofthis water totheweight ofthe
carcase isnot constant butvaries largely according tothequantity offat
which thecarcase contains ,Puri "aer.no rc,itisimpossible tomake achemical
distinction between this physiological liquid andtheextraneous water added
intentionally orotherwise during preparation .
Thase considerations made itnecessary tocarry outastudy ,inwhich research
laboratories ofalltheMember States participated .Theconclusions ofthis wor
maybesummarized asfollows :
(.;)Laboratory experiments have shown ,that about 60"foofthe
-c'at&r introduce odinto thcarcase atthetina ofpreparation
icexpelled atthemoment ofdetermining thewater content by
thedrip method .This 'percentage includes aquaatitjr of
physiological liquid .

-4-
(b)Thequantity ofphysiological water contained inthe .
eviscerated carcases offowls treated "dry","with or
without offal ,frozen ordeepfrozen ,isconstant inrelation
tothequantity ofproteins ofwhich thecarcase iscomposed ,
(c)Intheeviscerated carcases offowls treated according to ;
present trade practices ,theconstant ratios indicated
above arealtered ,and thedifference thus ascertained permits
thedetermination oftheaverage quantity ofextraneous water
absorbed bythe carcases during preparation .
Itistherefore possible todetermine with -accuracy whether the
quantity offoreign water absorbed bythecarcase during preparation
exceeds thelimit fixed bytheCouncil ,TheCommission proposes
that theCouncil should adopt theannexed modified proposal which
isbased ontheresults ofresearch conducted bylaboratories of
theMember States *This' modified proposition adapts thedraft
regulation putbefore theCouncil on4February 1974 .These rules
could beapplied ,separately from themarketing standards ,from
the 1May 1976 . '•

DGVI-C-3 -5-
.Draft
Amenc-ed proposal foraCouncil Ifegulation
Laying down common standards forthewater ;
content offrozen anddeepfroaen fov/lcar­
cases
(submitted inaccordance with thesecond paragraph ofArticle 149
oftheEECTreaty )
THECOUNCIL OFTHEEUROFEAH COMMETTIES ,
Having regard tothoTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community }
Having regard toCouncil Regulation (pec).MO2777/75^of1November 1975onthe
common organization ofthemarket inpoultrymeat .aslast amended on.....
.and
inparticular Article 2 (2)thereof }
Having regard tothoproposal from theCommission }
IJhereas themarketing standards provided forinArticle 2 (2)of Regulat ion
(-JJ..C)Ho2777/7^^ >,eaided atimproving thequality ofproducts andhence promote
sales }whereas ,pending theadoption ofmore comprehensive Community rules inthe
matter ,themaximum extraneous water content of ■frozen anddeopfrosGn whole
fovls should bodefined ,since most oftheproducts ,marketed' in
T.rhich water content inasignificant factor would thus becovered ;
Whereas amethod ofrapid detection Bhould beestablished forcontrol purposes ,
together with areliable method fortheprecise determination ofthecontent of
water added during thepreparation ofthecarcases }whereas nodistinction should
bemade between physiological liquid andextraneous water from carcase preparation ,
since such adistinction would present practical difficulties }
^OJHoL232,1.11.1975 ,p.77. /

1
Uhereas..it isforeachMemberStatetodesignate theagencyoragencies
responsible forcontrolandtor>rt?ccrib<s theT^T^ltieo forinfr-ixi' -ononis {
ι
Whereasprovision shouldbemadefortheadoptionofcommonrulesinthis
matter,notablywithaviewtoensuringthatmarketing standards areuniformly
applied;
Whereastheprovisions ofthisRegulation innowayprejudice ;Community
provisions adoptedwithaviewtoharmonizing veterinary ,andfoodstuffs
legislation andtoprotecting humanandanimalhealthandpreventing adulte­
rationandfrauds

HAD ADOPTED THIS REGULATION :
.Article 1 '
1,Frozen ordeepfrOzen fowls may bemarketed bywayoftrade
within theCommunity only iftheir extraneous water content
absorbed during preparation isnotmore than 8$oftheweight
ofthe .carcase .
2. "theterm "marketing "comprises every kind ofmarketing ,including
inparticular possession with aview toselling ,putting upfor
sale ,sale ,delivery aridimportation .
Article 2
1.Controls may beeffected inrespect ofanyquantity offowls of
notless than 1000kginstorage prior -toorduring marketing ,
andalso upon -importation from third countries .
2.Thequantity tobecontrolled shall bedevided into lots of
from 1000kg^o5000kg.Asample oftwelve carcases ,selected
atrandom shall betaken from each lot .
The .control may cover all orpart ofthelotmade up .from the
total quantity instorage . ,
Article 3
1.Thecarcases selected shall begiven anidentification marlc
showing the'lotfrom which they were obtained and'shall ,be
dispatched foranalysis inthemanner appropriate tothestate
-...dnwhich they have been --jputupforsale .
2;-The -extraneous water content shall bedetermined bytherapid
detection method laid down inAnnex I,•'•• 1 ' -
Ifthelimit laid down inparagraph 12ofAnnex Iisexceeded ,
•ananlysis shall bemade bythemetiod laid down inAnnex II.
However ,ifthere aregrounds forsupposing that usewasmade
during preparation ofabsorbent substances which cause extraneous
water toberetained inthecarcase ,determination ofthewater
content need notbebytherapid detection method .

3.Iftheresultoftheanalysisrevealsanextraneous watercontentof
morethan8$ofthototalweightofthecarcasesexaminedfromonelot,
theholdermayrequestthat *a-cotai'lrerannlysxs benadc-.
Inthatevent,thesampleofcarcases'shall "betaken'fromthelotin
questioninaccordance withtheforegoing provisions ,'
IfunderArticle-6(b)oneormoreaiterna-tive ,-methodsof
analysis are'accepted ,theco^mte^analysis ,,shallbeeffected
.byamethodotherthan,that,usedforthefirstanalysis .
Article 4
1.Iftheresultofthecontrolrevealsthatalothasanextraneous water
contentofmorethan8$oftheweightofthecarcases,thelotinquestion
maynotbemarketedinitsexistingstate.
2.Thecostsofcontrol,andinparticular .oftheanalyses,shall "beborn©
bytheholderofthelotonlyifthecontrolresultsinmarketing being
prohibited inaccordance withparagraph 1.
3»MemberStatesshalltakeallstepsnecessary topenalizeinfringements of
thoprovisions ofthisRegulation . .
Article 5
MemberStatesandtheCommission shallconductregularexchanges ofvrews *--
concerning thooperation :ofthisRegulation ,inparticular undertheprocedure
providedforinArticle18ofRegulation (EEC)HO.2777/73.
IfalotfromaMemberStatecannotbemarketed following controlcarriedout
inanotherMemberState,thelattershallirimediatelyrso.informthe-firs^
ilcrab^rState, ..
Article .6 - .„..:–" '•(EEC)No2777/75
Inaccordance withtheprocedure laiddowninArticle17ofRegulation
(a)technical adjustments maybemadetotheAnnexestotakeaccountofprogress
madeinmethodsofdetection andanalysis : '

-9-
(b)oneormore methods ofanalysis alternative tothose laid
down inAnnex IImay "beaccepted ,provided that they offer
equivalent guarantees .
(c)implementing provisions forthis Regulation maybeadopted .
Article 7
This Regulation shall enter into force on1May 1976 .
This Regulation shall bebinding initsentirety anddirectly
applicable inallMember States .
For the Council
The President
\

-10-
AK1TSXI
Driptechnique
Rapiddetection method-
1.Wipetheoutsideoftheindividual packandweighthebirdinthepack.
2.Removethe"birdfromthepackandweighthepack.
3.Establish thebasicweight,whichisthedifference betweenweights 1and2.
4.Placethebirdinadry,waterproof plasticbaginsuchawaythattheab­
dominalcavityistowardstheclosedendofthebag.
5.Plungethebagintoabasinofwateratatemperature ofbetween 40and
45°C*Holditinsuchawaythattheknotclosingthebagallowsxn6air
toescape,takingcaretoensurethatwaterfromthebasindoesnotenter
thebagandthatthesidesofthebaglieagainstthebird.
6.Thethawingtimeshouldbeasfollows,according tothesizeofthecarcase:
andthereafter increases of7*Per100
7.Emptythebasin.Piercethebottomofthebagtoallowwaterproducedby
thawingtoescape.
8.Allowthebirdtodrainforonehour.
9.Removethebirdfromthebaganddrythecarcaseinsideandout-withfilter1000g
1100g
1200g
1300g
1400gS00g
900g65'
72»
78'
85'
91»
98»
105'
paper.

-11-
10.Weighthebirdtoobtainthefinalweight.
11*Expressthedifference betweenthefinalweightendthebasicweightasa
percentage ofthebasicweight# .-.
12.Ifthatpercentage exceeds5.6 "thecarcr,sesselected shouldbeanalysed
byoneofthemethodslaiddowninAnnexIE.Ifthepercentage is%6"joor
less,thelotinquestionshallbeconsidered ascomplying withthelimits
♦>■set.
Ilotes;
A«Whereedibleoffalisincludedwiththebirdintheindividual pack,the
weightofsuchoffalisaddedtothefinalweightofthecarcasefollowing
thawing,evacuation ofwateranddryingwithfilterpaper.
B.Thebagmustmeetthefollowing specifications :
«thickness :0.05nun
-height:-forbirdsofanetweightof1250gorless:
31cm:circumference :34cm
forbirdsofanetweightofmorethan1250g:
40cm;circumferenoe :44cm.
C.Ifthebirclisnotinanindividual pack,thetestmustestablish thatthe
basicweightcorresponds totheweightofthebird.
/•

AENEXII
Methodsofanalysis
Thewatercontentofcocksendhensorchickens may"beanalysedbythefollowing
method:
"Measurement ofthewaterandproteins contained inwholecarcases.11
I,Measurement ofthewaterandproteins contained inwholecarcases
Inthismethod,thewholecarcase,asputupforsale(frozenordeepfrozen),
iscrushed. '■
(a)Determinationofmoisture
Thisanalysisisconducted inaccordance withInternational Standard
ISO1442-1973(l).
Thepercentage ofmoistureobtainedbythismethodismultiplied bythe
massofeachcarcasefromwhichtheanalysed samplesweretakenandthe
resultobtained expresses ingramsthequantityofwatercontained in
eachcarcase.
(b)Determination ofproteins
Thedetermination ofproteinsiseffected bymeasuring thenitrogen as
laidclowninISORecommendation R937/1969(l)«
Thepercentage ofproteinobtained bythismethodismultiplied bythe
massofeachcarcasefromwhichtheanalysed samplesweretakenandthe
resultobtainedexpresses ingramsthequantityofproteinscontained in
eachcarcase.
Conclusion tobodrawn
If,for-allthocarcasesanalysed,theweightofwaterexceedsthefollowing
values :
(1)Intheversionexistingatenteringintoforceofthisregulation .

-inrespectofchickens:y«3»82x+47|69(2)
~*»'*":,v".*^-inrespectofhcnsand
cooks: »-,3^T3x+4,62(2)
thelotofcarcasescontrolled contains morethanB°/oof,extraneous water
anddoesnotcomplywiththestandards laiddowninthisRegulation# Ifthe
lotofcarcases containslessthan8itshallbeconsidered ascomplying
withthestandards laidC.o\minthisRegulation .
(2)y=weightofwateringrains
x«=weightofproteins ingrams.