COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 
C0MC89) 671 final 
Brussels, 1 Febraury 1990 
Proposal for a 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
laying down the health rules for the production and placing 
on the market of minced meat, meat preparations and 
comminuted meat for industrial use 
(presented by the Commission) 
- 2 - COM(89)671 final-EN 
EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 
The Community must adopt, before 31 December 1992, the measures aimed at 
establishing the internal market. The need of assuring the free circulation 
of products of animal origin must be reconciled with the need of protection of 
the public health. 
The objective of the present proposal is to harmonize the health rules 
applying to minced meat, meat preparations and other comminuted meat. 
The Council has adopted Directive 88/657/EEC laying down the requirements for 
the production of, and trade in minced meat, meat in pieces of less than 
100 grams and meat preparations and amending Directives 64/433/EEC, 71/118/EEC 
and 72/462/EEC. 
The present proposal extends to all the Communitory production the principles 
established in the above referred Directive. In this framework it is however 
necessary to amend some technical rules. 
It is opportune to regulate the case of establishments that will not be in 
position to comply with the envisaged rules by 1.1.1993 in a general framework. 
The proposal envisages also some derogations for small establishments. In any 
case, the general hygienic rules laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) 
No of laying down general health rules for the production 
and placing on the market of products of animal origin and specific health 
rules for certain products of animal origin will apply. 
The Commission proposes, for certain applicatory measures, the Regulatory 
Committee procedures. 
This choice is justified in this case by a desire not to disrupt the 
management process in the veterinary field. It is without prejudice to the 
Commission*s preference for the Consultative Committee formula. 
This proposal appears in the timetable in the Annex to the White Paper on 
completing the internal market. 
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PROPOSAL FOR A 
COUNCIL REGULATION (EEC) 
laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market 
of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and 
in particular Article 43 thereof; 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission; 
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament; 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee; 
Whereas minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for induatiral use 
are included in the list of products in Annex II to the Treaty; whereas the 
production of and trade in minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat 
for industrial use constitute an important source of income for part of the 
farming population; 
Whereas in order to ensure the rational development of the industry producing 
such meat and to increase productivity, public health rules for the production 
and placing on the market of such meat must be laid down at Community level; 
Whereas the Community must adopt the measures intended to progressively 
establish the internal market over a period expiring on 31 December 1992; 
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Whereas the laying down of such rules improves the protection of public health and 
consequently facilitates the completion of internal market; 
Whereas, to achieve this purpose, it is necessary to extend the principal health 
rules laid down in Council Directive 88/657/EEC of 16 December 1988 laying down 
the requirements for the production of, and trade in, minced meat, meat in pieces 
of less than 100 grams and meat preparations and amending Directives 64/433/EEC, 
71/118/EEC and 72/462/EECCL) to all production and placing on the market of minced 
meat and meat preparations in the Community; 
Whereas it is possible that, due to certain particular circumstances, some 
establishment operating prior to 1 January 1992 will not be able to comply with 
all the rules laid down in this regulation; whereas the question of whether 
limited and temporary derogations may be granted to such establishments within the 
general framework laid down in Council Decision .../.../EEC [on the granting of 
temporary and limited derogations from specific Community health rules on the 
production and marketing of products of animal origin](2) should be resolved; 
Whereas it should be stressed that the granting of derogations from the health 
rules laid down in this Regulation is without prejudice to the submission of all 
operations of production and placing on the market of minced meat, meat 
preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use to the general health rules 
laid down by Council Regulation (EEC) N*.../... [laying down general health rules 
applicable to the production and placing on the market of products of animal 
origin and specific health rules applicable to certain products of animal 
origin] (3); 
Whereas Council Directive 79/112/EEC of 18 December 1978 on the approximation of 
the laws of the Member States relating to the labelling, preservation and 
advertising of foodstuffs (4) as last amended by Council Directive 89/395/EEC, (5) 
and Council Directive 89/396/EEC of 14 June 1989 on indications or marks 
identifying the lot to which a foodstuff belongs (6) are applicable; 
Whereas the Commission should be entrusted with the task of adopting certain 
measures for implementing this Regulation; whereas, to that end, procedures 
should be laid down establishing close and effective cooperation between the 
Commission and the Member States within the Standing Veterinary Committee, 
(1) O.J. No L 382, 31.12.1988, p. 3 
(2) O.J. No 
(3) O.J. No L , p. 
(4) O.J. No L 33, 08.02.1979, p. 1 
(5) O.J. No L 186, 30.06.1989, p. 17 
(6) O.J. No L 186, 30.06.1989, p. 21 
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HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION : 
Article 1 
1. This Regulation lays down health rules for the production and placing on 
the market in the Community of minced meat, meat preparations and 
comminuted meat for industrial use. 
2. This Regulation shall not apply to minced meat and meat preparations 
obtained in retail shops or in premises adjacent to sale points, prepared 
on the spot at the request of the purchaser or to such meat obtained in 
establishments selling directly to the consumer where transport and 
packaging are not involved. 
3. This Regulation shall not apply to comminuted meat for industrial use 
produced in establishments approved according to Regulation 
(EEC) No .../... (1) [or health conditions for the production and placing 
on the market of meat products] where the transformation into meat products 
is performed in the establishment of production. 
4. If necessary, the Commission, shall adopt appropriate rules for a uniform 
application of paragraph 2 and 3, in accordance with the procedure referred 
to in Article 9. 
Article 2 
For the purposes of this Regulation: 
1) "minced meat" means preparations obtained by mincing into fragments or 
passing through a spiral-screw mincer fresh meat as defined in Regulation 
(EEC) No .../... (2) [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh meat]. 
(1) OJ No L , , p, 
(2) OJ No L , , p. 
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2) **meat preparations** means preparations made wholly or partly from fresh 
meat as defined in 
(a) Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of fresh meat] 
(b) Regulation (EEC) No .../... (1) [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat] 
or from minced meat. 
Meat preparations are preparations which have undergone 
- either a treatment other than those referred to in Regulation 
(EEC) No .../... [laying down health rules for the production and 
placing on the market of meat products]; 
- or been prepared by addition of foodstuffs, seasoning or additives; 
- or undergone a combination of the above. 
The preparation must be such that the cellular structure of the meat is 
unaffected and the finished product contains no fragments of bone. 
Minced meat and fresh meat which have undergone only cold treatment shall 
not be regarded as meat preparations. 
3) "Seasoning" means salt intended for human consumption, mustard, spices and 
spice extracts, aromatic herbs and extracts thereof. 
4) **Food8tuffs** means any product of animal or vegetable origin considered fit 
for human consumption. 
5) "Products for direct consumption** means minced meat or meat preparations 
intended to be consumed directly without undergoing any further treatment. 
(1) OJ No L , , p. 
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6) "comminuted meat for industrial use** means minced meat or mechanically 
recovered meat intended to undergo one of the treatments referred to in 
Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production 
and placing on the market of meat products]. 
7) "Establishment" means a processing plant for production of minced meat 
and/or meat preparations and/or comminuted meat for industrial use. 
The definitions given in Articles 2 of 
- Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh meat] 
- Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh poultry meat] 
- Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of meat products] 
shall apply where necessary. 
Article 3 
Minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use must 
meet the following conditions: 
A. Minced meat must 
(a) have been prepared from fresh meat 
i) either in compliance with Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down 
the health rules for producion and placing on the market of fresh 
meat] 
ii) or in compliance with Directive 72/462/BEC (1) and coming from a 
third country either directly or via another Member State. In the 
case of fresh pigmeat it must have been examined for trichinae in 
accordance with Article 2 of Directive 77/96/BEC (2). 
(1) OJ No L 302, 31.12.1972, p. 28 
(2) OJ NO L 26, 31.01.1977, p. 67 
8 -
(b) have been prepared in 
i) either a cutting plant approved according to Regulation 
(EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh meat] 
ii) or an establishment approved according to Article 5 for this 
purpose ; 
(c) have been prepared, packaged and stored in accordance with Chapter III 
of Annex I; 
(d) have been inspected in accordance with Chapters V and VI of Annex I; 
(e) have been marked in accordance with Chapter VII of Annex I; 
(f) have been transported in accordance with Chapter VIII of Annex I; 
(g) comply with the microbiological standards referred to in Annex II, in 
case of products for direct consumption or as ingredient for meat 
preparations. 
B. Meat preparations must 
(a) have been prepared from fresh meat 
(i) either in compliance with point A; 
(ii) or in compliance with Regulation (EEC) No /... [laying down 
the health rules for production and placing on the market of 
fresh meat]; 
(Hi) or in compliance with Directive 72/462/EEC and coming from a 
third country either directly or via another Member State. 
In the case of fresh pigmeat it must have been examined for 
trichinae in accordance with Article 2 of Directive 77/96/EEC; 
(iv) or in compliance with Regulation (EEC) N* .../... [laying down 
the health rules of producton and placing on the market of fresh 
poultry meat]. In this case the mincing of poultry meat shall be 
performed in the establishment of production of meat preparations, 
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(b) have been prepared in an establishment approved according to Article 5 
for this purpose; 
(c) have been prepared, packaged and stored in accordance with Chapter II 
of Annex I; 
(d) have been inspected in accordance with Chapters V and VI of Annex I; 
(e) have been marked in accordance with Chapter VII of Annex I; 
(f) have been transported in accordance with Chapter VIII of Annex I; 
(g) comply with the microbiological standards referred to in Annex II in 
case of products for direct consumption. However, derogations can be 
established according to the procedure referred to in Article 9 for 
some products not obtained from minced meat or for some products 
obtained from poultry meat. 
C Comminuted meat for industrial use must 
(a) have come from fresh meat 
i) either in compliance with Regulation (BBC) No .../... [laying down 
the health rules for producion and placing on the market of fresh 
meat]; 
ii) or in compliance with Directive 72/462/BBC and coming from a third 
country either directly or via another Member State; 
iii) or in compliance with Regulation (BBC) No .../... [laying down the 
health rules for production and placing on the market of fresh 
poultry meat]; 
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(b) have been prepared, as appropriate, in 
i) either a cutting plant approved according to Regulation (EEC) 
No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh meat]; 
ii) or a cutting plant approved according to Regulation (EEC) 
No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh poultry meat]; 
iii) or an establishment approved according to Regulation (EEC) 
No .../... [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of meat products]; 
iv) or an establishment approved according to Article 5 for this 
purpose; 
(c) have been prepared, packaged and stored in accordance with Chapter IV 
of Annex I; 
(d) have been inspected in accordance with Chapters V and VI of Annex I; 
(e) have been marked in accordance with Chapter VII of Annex I; 
(f) have been transported in accordance with Chapter VIII of Annex I; 
Article 4 
1. In addition to the general conditions laid down in Article 3, minced meat 
and, insofar they contain such meat, meat preparations must 
(a) (i) either be obtained from chilled fresh meat, within a maximum of 
six days after the slaughter of the animal of origin, compliance 
with this requirement being guaranteed by a method of 
identification to be specified by the competent authority 
(ii) or be obtained from frozen or quick frozen boneless meat. 
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(b) undergo cold treatment referred in subparagraph (c) within a maximum of 
one hour after cutting into portions and wrapping except where 
processes requiring the lowering of internal temperature of the meat 
during preparation are used; 
(c) be placed on the market 
(i) either chilled and wrapped for the final consumer and cooled at an 
internal temperature below +2*C in a period of not more than one 
hour. 
In this case they must be obtained from the meat referred to in 
subparagraph (a)(i). 
(ii) or quick frozen and wrapped for the final consumer, in this case 
they must conform with the Council Directive 89/108/EEC (1); 
2. The additives used must be in conformity with Community rules. 
Article 5 
1. Each Member State shall draw up a list of the establishments manufacturing 
- minced meat 
- meat preparations 
- comminuted meat for industrial use 
approved by it. 
This list shall be forwarded to the other Member States and the Commission, 
stating whether these establishments are connected to establishments 
approved according to the Regulations referred to in (a), (b) or (c) or are 
independent establishments. 
(1) O.J. No. L 40, 11.02.1989, p. 43 
12 -
Each establishment shall receive an approval number, which in the first 
case shall be that of the establishment that has been approved, indicating 
that it has been approved for the production of minced meat, meat 
preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use. 
Establishments thus approved shall be entered in a separate column either 
on the list of establishments referred to in 
(a) Regulation (EEC) No .../— [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of fresh meat] or 
(b) Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat] or 
(c) Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of meat products] 
(d) or, in case of independent establishments, on a separate list drawn up 
according to the same criteria. 
2. A Member State shall not include an establishment on the list referred to 
in paragraph 1 unless it is sure that the establishment satisfies the 
conditions laid down in this Regulation. 
Member States shall withdraw the approval if the conditions cease to be met. 
If a check has been made in accordance with Article 6, the Member State 
concerned shall take account of the conclusions thereof. The other Member 
States and the Commission shall be informed in the event of approval being 
withdrawn. 
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3. The inspection and supervision of establishments shall be carried out under 
the responsibility of the competent authority which may be assisted in 
purely practical tasks by staff specially trained for the purpose. The 
competent authority must at all times have free access to all parts of the 
establishments in order to ensure that this Regulation is being complied 
with. 
The detailed rules governing this assistance shall be determined in 
accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 10. 
4. The production of the health mark and sealing material referred to in 
Chapter VII of Annex I must be authorized by the authorities of the Member 
State which supervise their use. 
Article 6 
1. Veterinary experts from the Commission may, in so far as is necessary to 
ensure uniform application of this Regulation, make on-the-spot checks; 
they may verify whether establishments are actually complying with this 
Regulation. The Commission shall inform the Member States of the results 
of the investigation. 
A Member State in whose territory a check is being carried out shall give 
all the necessary assistance to the experts in carrying out their duties. 
2. If necessary, the general provisions for implementing this Article shall be 
determined in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 10. In 
accordance with the same procedure, a code containing the rules to be 
followed for the purpose of the checks provided for in paragraph 1 may be 
established. 
Article 7 
The rules laid down in Council Regulation (EEC) No (1) [concerning 
veterinary checks on intra-Community trade in view of completing the internal 
market], shall apply in particular with respect to the organization of and the 
action to be taken following the checks carried out by the country of 
destination and the safeguard measures to be applied in relation to health 
problems affecting production and distribution of fresh meat in the territory 
of the Community. 
14 
Article 8 
The Annexes in particular to adapt them to advances in science and technology, 
shall be amended by the Commission in accordance with the procedure referred 
to in Article 9. 
Article 9 
1. The Commission shall be assisted by the Standing Veterinary Committee, set 
up by the Council Decision 68/361/EEC (1), hereinafter referred to as "the 
Committee**. 
2. Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, the 
following provisions shall apply. 
The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft 
of the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on 
the draft within a time limit which the Chairman may lay down according to 
the urgency of the matter. The opinion shall be delivered by the majority 
laid down in Article 148(2) of the Treaty in the case of decisions which 
the Council is required to adopt on a proposal from the Commission. The 
votes of the representatives of the Member States within the Committee 
shall be weighted in the manner set out in that Article. The Chairman 
shall not vote. 
The Commission shall adopt the measures envisaged if they are in accordance 
with the opinion of the Committee. 
If the measures envisaged are not in accordance with the opinion of the 
Committee, or if no opinion is delivered, the Commission shall, without 
delay, submit to the Council a proposal relating to the measures to be 
taken. The Council shall act by a qualified majority. 
(1) OJ No L 255, 18.10.1968, p. 23 
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If, on the expiry of a period of three months from the date of referral to 
the Council, the Council has not acted, the proposed measures shall be 
adopted by the Commission. 
Article 10 
Where the procedure laid down in this Article is to be followed, the following 
provisions shall apply. 
The representative of the Commission shall submit to the Committee a draft of 
the measures to be taken. The Committee shall deliver its opinion on the 
draft within a time-limit which the Chairman may lay down according to the 
urgency of the matter, if necessary by taking a vote. 
The opinion shall be recorded in the minutes; in addition, each Member State 
shall have the right to ask to have its position recorded in the minutes. 
The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion delivered by the 
Committee. It shall inform the Committee of the manner in which its opinion 
has been taken into account. 
Article 11 
1. In accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 9, derogations from 
the rules referred to in the Annexes may be granted in favour of 
establishments which have small production. 
2. When examing the derogations referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission 
shall take into account the information and the criteria referred to in 
Articles 2 and 3 of Council Decision .../.../EEC [on the granting of 
temporary and limited derogations from specific Community health rules on 
the production and marketing of products of animal origin]. 
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3. When granting the derogations referred to in paragraph 1, the Commission 
shall establish in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 9, 
the general and particular conditions applicable to the enforcement of each 
derogation. 
Article 12 
The Commission may in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 10, 
draw up recommendations containing guidelines concerning good manufacturing 
practices applicable to different stages of production and placing on the 
market. 
Article 13 
1. Directive 88/657/EEC is hereby repealed with effect from 1 January 1993. 
2. However, the implementing provisions adopted under Directive 88/657/EEC 
shall remain valid for the purposes of this Regulation. 
Article 14 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the thirtieth day following its 
publication in the Official Journal of the European Communities. 
It shall apply with effect from 1 January. 
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in 
all Member States. 
Done at Brussels, For the Council 
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ANNEX I 
CHAPTER I 
SPECIAL CONDITIONS FOR THE APPROVAL OF ESTABLISHMENTS PRODUCING 
MINCED MEAT. MEAT PREPARATIONS. COMMINUTED MEAT FOR INDUSTRIAL USE 
1. Over and above the general conditions laid down in, respectively Annex I, 
points 1 to 12 and points 14, 15 and 16 of Regulation (EEC) No / 
(laying down the health rules for production and placing on the market of 
fresh meat and repealing Directive 64/433/EEC) and Chapter I of Annex A to 
Regulation (EEC) No / [laying down the health rules for the 
production and placing on the market of meat products and repealing 
Directive 77/99/EEC] and points 1 to 12 and points 14, 15 and 16 of 
Regulation (EEC) No .../... [laying down the health rules for production 
and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat and repealing Directive 
71/118/EBC], production plants or independent production units shall have 
at least : 
(a) a room separate from the cutting room for mincing, wrapping and for the 
addition of other foodstuffs, equipped with a recording thermometer or 
recording telethermometer. 
However, the competent authority may authorize the mincing of meat in 
the cutting room provided that the mincing is carried out in a separate 
area and does not involve the addition of seasonings and other 
foodstuffs; 
(b) a room for packaging, unless the conditions laid down in point 62 of 
Chapter XI of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) No / [laying down 
the health rules for production and placing on the market of fresh meat 
and repealing Directive 64/433/EEC] are fulfilled; 
(c) a room for storing seasonings and other cleaned foodstuffs ready for 
use; 
(d) refrigeration equipment enabling the temperatures laid down in this 
Regulation to be adhered to. 
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Establishments producing meat preparations shall also comply with the 
relevant requirements of Chapter I of Annex B to Regulation (EEC) 
No /.... [laying down the health rules for the production and placing 
on the market of meat products and repealing Directive 77/99/EEC]. 
2. The rules laid down in Chapter IV of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) 
No / [laying down the health rules for production and placing on 
the market of fresh meat and repealing Directive 64/433/EEC] shall apply as 
regards the hygiene of the staff, premises and equipment in the 
establishments. 
Staff engaged in the manual preparation of minced meat shall also wear 
masks covering their noses and mouths and surgical-type gloves. 
CHAPTER II 
CONDITIONS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMMUNITED MEAT 
FOR INDUSTRIAL USB 
3. Meat shall be examined before cutting. All soiled or suspect parts shall 
be removed and condemned before the meat is cut up. 
4. Communited meat for industrial use shall not be obtained from contaminated 
meat. In particular, mechanically recovered meat shall be obtained from 
flesh bearing bones apart from the bones of the head, extremities of the 
limbs below the carpal and tarsal joints and, in case of swine, the 
coccydeal vertebrae. 
5. Where the operations carried out from the time when the meat enters the 
room referred to in Chapter I, point 1(a) to the time when the finished 
product undergoes the chilling or freezing process, the internal 
temperature of the meat shall be no higher than + 7°C for fresh meat and 
+ 4°C for fresh poultry meat and the temperature of the production premises 
shall be no higher than + 12*C. 
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6. Immediately after production, comminuted meat shall be hygienically wrapped 
and packaged and stored at a temperature of not more than + 2°C in the case 
of chilled meat and not more than - 12*C in the case of frozen meat. 
CHAPTER III 
CONDITIONS FOR PRODUCTION OF MINCED MEAT 
7. Meat shall be examined before mincing. All soiled and suspect parts shall 
be removed and condemned before the meat is minced. 
8. Minced meat shall not be obtained from scrap cuttings or scrap trimmings. 
In particular, it shall not be prepared from meat from the following parts 
of bovine animals, pigs, sheep or goats : fragments of muscles from the 
head, boned shin meat, the point at which the sticking of the animal took 
place, injection areas, diaphragm and the central part of the belly muscles 
and bone scrapings. It shall not contain any bone fragments. 
9. Where the operations carried out from the time when the meat enters the 
room referred to in Chapter I, point 1(a) to the time when the finished 
product undergoes the chilling or freezing process are performed within a 
maximum period of one hour, the internal temperature of the meat shall be 
no higher than + 7°C and the temperature of the production premises shall 
be no higher than + 12°C. The competent authority may authorize a longer 
time limit in individual cases where the addition of seasonings or 
foodstuffs justifies this on technical grounds, provided hygiene rules are 
not affected by that derogation. 
Where the duration of these operations is over one hour or over the period 
authorized by the competent authority in accordance with the preceding 
subparagraph, the fresh meat may not be used until the internal temperature 
of the meat has been reduced to a maximum of + 4*C. 
Immediately after production the minced meat shall be hygienically wrapped 
and packaged and stored at the temperatures prescribed in Article 4(1)(c). 
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CHAPTER IV 
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MEAT PREPARATIONS 
10. Over and above the general requirements of Chapter I, and depending on the 
type of production concerned : 
(a) the production of meat preparations shall take place under conditions 
of temperature control. Immediately after production, meat 
preparations must be forthwith cooled to a temperature below + 2°C; if 
they contain minced meat, they shall be cooled to the temperatures 
provided for in Article 4(1)(c); 
(b) meat preparations intended for direct sale to the final consumer shall 
be wrapped in indivisible commercial portions; 
(c) refreezing of meat preparations shall be prohibited. 
CHAPTER V 
INSPECTION 
11. Establishments which produce the minced meat or meat preparations or 
comminuted meat for industrial use shall be subject to inspection by the 
official service. The official service shall be present when work is 
undertaken. 
12. Inspection by the official service shall include the following tasks : 
- inspecting the entries of fresh meat, 
- inspecting the outgoing products, 
- hygiene inspection of the premises, facilities and instruments, 
- taking of any necessary samples and in particular those required for the 
microbiological tests referred to in Chapter VI. 
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CHAPTER VI 
MICROBIOLOGICAL TESTS 
13. The production of minced meat, comminuted meat for industrial use and meat 
preparations shall be monitored by means of daily microbiological tests in 
the production establishment or in an approved laboratory. 
To that end, the operator or proprietor of the establishment or his 
representative shall conduct a regular check on the general hygiene of 
conditions of production in his establishment, in particular by micro­
biological controls. 
These controls shall cover utensils, fittings and machinery at all stages 
of production and, according to the type of production concerned, products, 
He shall be in a position, upon request from the official service, to 
inform the competent authority or the Commission*s veterinary experts of 
the nature, frequency and results of the controls conducted to this end, 
together with the name of the investigating laboratory if need be. 
The competent authority shall regularly analyse the results of the 
monitoring provided for in the first subparagraph. It may, on the basis 
of this analysis, conduct further microbiological examinations at all 
stages of production or on the products. 
The results of these analyses shall be written up in a report, the 
conclusions and recommendations of which shall be notified to the 
operator, who shall see to the rectification of shortcomings noted with a 
view to improving hygiene. 
14. The sample taken for analysis shall comprise five units weighing 100 grams 
each. Where minced meat is being produced in portions intended for the 
final consumer, the sample shall be taken from wrapped products. The 
samples shall be representative of daily production. 
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15. According to the type of production concerned, samples shall be examined 
every day for aerobic mesophile bacteria and salmonella and every week for 
staphylococci, Escherichia coli and sulphite-reducing anaerobes. 
However, 
- for comminuted meat for industrial use, the competent authority, taking 
into account the intended utilization of the product, may require only 
the examination for aerobic mesophile bacteria, 
- where the standards for salmonella have been adhered to over a 
three-month period, the competent authority may authorize weekly 
examinations, 
- in the case of products to be placed on the market frozen or deep-
frozen, the competent authority may waive the test for staphylococci. 
16. In spot checks carried out by production plants or independent production 
units, production of the minced meat and meat preparations shall, 
depending on the type of meat used, comply with the standards laid down in 
Annex II. 
17. The results of the microbiological tests shall be at the official 
veterinarian*s disposal. 
The establishment shall inform the official veterinarian when the 
standards laid down in Annex II are reached. The official veterinarian 
shall take the appropriate measures. 
If, after the expiry of 15 days starting from the time of sampling, the 
output from production plants or independent production units does not 
meet the standards prescribed, products from such establishments shall be 
excluded from human consumption. 
CHAPTER VII 
MARKING AND LABELLING 
18. - Minced meat shall be marked on the packaging with the health mark of the 
establishment as defined in Chapter X of Annex I to Regulation (EEC) 
No / [laying down the health rules for production and 
placing on the market of fresh meat and repealing Directive 64/433/EEC]. 
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- Meat preparations shall be marked on the packaging with the health mark 
of the establishment as defined in Chapter V of Annex A to Regulation 
(EEC) No / [laying down the health rules for the production 
and placing on the market of meat products and repealing Directive 
77/99/EEC]. 
- Comminuted meat for industrial use shall be marked on the packaging with 
the health mark of the establishment of production. 
19. Without prejudice to Directive 79/112/EEC, for inspection purposes that 
the following information is visibly and legibly displayed on the 
packaging of minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for 
industrial preparation, 
- where it is not clear from the sales description or from the list of 
ingredients in accordance with Directive 79/112/EEC, the species from 
which the meat was obtained, and, in the case of a mixture, the 
percentage of each species, 
- for packaging not intended for the final consumer, the date of 
preparation, 
20. Without prejudice to points 18 and 19, for minced meat or meat prepara­
tions wrapped in commercial portions intended for direct sale to the 
consumer, a printed reproduction of the informations referred to in 
point 19 and of the mark provided for in paragraph 18 shall appear on the 
wrapping or on a label applied to the wrapping. The mark shall include 
the establishment's approval number. The dimensions laid down in 
Regulation (BBC) No /.... [laying down the health rules for 
production and placing on the market of fresh meat and repealing Directive 
64/433/BRC] and Regulation (BBC) No .../ [laying down the health rules 
for production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat and 
repealing Directive 71/118/EEC] and Regulation (BBC) No / 
[laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market 
of meat products and repealing Directive 77/99/EEC], shall not apply to 
the marking referred to in this paragraph, provided that the required 
information is legible. 
- 24 -
CHAPTER VIII 
TRANSPORT 
21. The minced meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use 
must be dispatched in such a way that during transport it is protected 
from anything liable to contaminate it or to affect it unfavourably, 
having regard to the duration and conditions of transport and to the means 
of transport employed. In particular, vehicles used to transport minced 
meat, meat preparations and comminuted meat for industrial use, shall be 
equipped in such a way as to ensure that the temperatures laid down in 
this Regulation are not exceeded and for long-distance trade they must be 
equipped with a recording thermometer to ensure that the latter 
requirement is fulfilled. 
- 25 -
ANNEX II 
MICROBIOLOGICAL STANDARDS 
1. MICROBIOLOGICAL STANDARDS 
Establishments must ensure that, in accordance with Chapter VI of Annex I 
and with the methods of interpretation set out below, minced meat intended 
to be marketed without further processing or as an ingredient in meat 
preparations, comply with the following standards : 
: M (1) : m (2) : 
: Aerobic mesophile bacteria 5 x 106/g 5 x 105/g 
: n (3) » 5 c (4) * 2 : : : 
: Escherichia coli 5 x 102/g : 50/g 
: n = 5 c = 2 : : : 
: Sulphite-reducing anaerobes 102/g 10/g 
: n * 5 c = 1 : : : 
: Staphylococci 5 x 102/g : 50/g : 
: n = 5 c * 1 : : : 
: Salmonella 
: n = 5 c * 0 absence in 25 g 
: (1) M * acceptability threshold, above which results are no longer 
considered satisfactory where M equals 10 m where the count is 
made in a solid medium and M equals 30 m where the count is 
made in a liquid medium. 
: (2) m = threshold below which all results are considered satisfactory. 
: (3) Number of units making up the sample. 
: (4) Number of units in the sample giving values between m and M. 
A. Three categories of contamination for aerobic mesophile bacteria, 
Escherichia coli, sulphite-reducing anaerobes and staphylococci, viz, 
- up to and including the criterion m, 
- between the criterion m and the threshold M, 
- above the threshold M. 
- 26 -
1. The quality of the consignment shall be considered : 
(a) satisfactory, where all the values observed are equal to or less 
than 3 m where a solid medium has been used or 10 m where a 
liquid medium has been used; 
(o) acceptable, where all the values observed are between : 
(i) 3m and 10 m (= M) in a solid medium; 
(ii) 10 m and 30 M (* M) in a liquid medium 
and where c/n is equal to or less than 2/5 where n * 5 und c * 2 
or any other figures of equivalent or greater reliability to be 
recognized according to the procedure referred to in Article 9. 
2. The quality of the consignment shall be considered unsatisfactory : 
- in all cases where values in excess of M are observed, 
- when c/n is > 2/5. 
However, where this latter threshold has been exceeded for aerobic 
micro-organisms at + 30°C while all the other criteria have been 
fulfilled, this exceeding of the threshold must be the subject of a 
further interpretation, in particular in the case of raw products. 
In any event, the product must be considered toxic or tainted when 
contamination reaches the microbic limit value S, which for general 
3 purposes is set at 10 m. 
In the case of Staphylococcus aureus, the value of S must never be 
A 
allowed to exceed 5 x 10 . 
Tolerances related to analytical techniques shall not apply to the 
values M and S. 
- 27 -
B. Two categories for salmonella, with no category tolerance permitted : 
- "Absence in** : the result is considered satisfactory, 
- "Presence in** : the result is considered unsatisfactory. 
2. The microbiological methods for examination will be established according 
to the procedure referred to in Article 9. 
- 28 -
'FINANCIAL STATEMENT concerning: 
Draft proposal for a Council Regulation laying down the health rules for the production and 
piocing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations 
and repealing Directive 88/657/EEC. 
1. Budget heading: 
HI B Item: 
382 (1) Title: 
Controls in agriculture 
2. Legal basis: 
Article 43 of the Treaty 
3. Classification: Non-compulsory expenditure 
4. Purpose/description of the measure: 
-Verification of the implementation of the Regulation 
(Article 6) 
5. Method of calculation 
5.1 Form of expenditure: 
5.2 Community contribution: 
5.3 Calculation: Mission expenses 
100 X 
100 days of mission per year at 170 ECU per day 
(actual cost of inspections) 
- 17.000 ECU 
6. Financial implication as regards operating appropriations 
$.1 Schedule of appropriations (m ECU) 
Year 
1991 
1992 
1993 
1994 
1995 0.017 
0.017 
0.017 
0.017 
0.017 
Total 0.085 
6.2 Financing during current year: None 
7. Observations: 
(1) When the preliminary draft budget is prepared, an examination wi11 be made to see where 
this category of expenditure is to be charged in the budget. 
This proposal also calls for 1 addtlonal A7/6 post. 
Staff requirements set out above must be met either by redeployment within the Commission 
or by the budget procedure for the year concerned 
Task Force PME 
- 29 -
COMPETITIVENESS AND EMPLOYMENT IMPACT STATEMENT 
I. What is the main reason for Introducing the measure? 
To have a uniform level of healthy and hygienic guarantees for minced 
meat and meat preparation produced In the Community In order to allow 
the free trade between Member States. 
II. Features of the businesses in question. In particular: 
a) Are they many SMEs? 
Yes 
b) Are they concentrated In regions which are: 
I. eligible for regional atd In the Member States? 
No 
II. eligible under the ERDF? 
No 
III. What direct obligations does this measure Impose on businesses? 
Respect hygiene rules and in particular control measures established 
at Community level. 
IV. What indirect obligations are local authorities likely to impose on 
businesses? 
Being this text a regulation, all the requirements are imposed 
directly at Community level. 
V. Are there any special measures In respect of SMEs? Please specify. 
Yes. derogations can be established according to the proposed Council 
Decision on the granting of derogations from specific Community health 
rules on the production and marketing of products of animal origin. 
VI. What is the likely effect on: 
a) the competitiveness of businesses? 
PosItIve 
b) employment? 
Positive 
VII. Have both sides of industry been consulted? Please indicate their 
opinions ' 
Yes. Favourable. 

ISSN 0254-1475 - 30 -
COM (89) 671 final 
DOCUMENTS 
03 EN 
Catalogue number : CB-CO-90-006-EN-C 
ISBN 92-77-56524-1 
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
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