ARCHIVESHISTORIQUES
DELACOMMISSION
COLLECTION RELIEEDES
DOCUMENTS "COM"
COM(76)365
Vol.1976/0107

Disclaimer
Conformément aurèglement(CEE,Euratom)n°354/83duConseildu1erfévrier1983
concernantl'ouvertureaupublicdesarchiveshistoriquesdelaCommunauté économique
européenneetdelaCommunautéeuropéennedel'énergieatomique(JOL43du15.2.1983,
p.1),telquemodifiéparlerèglement(CE,Euratom)n°1700/2003du22septembre2003
(JOL243du27.9.2003,p.1),cedossierestouvertaupublic.Lecaséchéant,lesdocuments
classifiésprésentsdanscedossierontétédéclassifiésconformément àl'article5dudit
règlement.
InaccordancewithCouncilRegulation(EEC,Euratom)No354/83of1February1983
concerningtheopeningtothepublicofthehistoricalarchivesoftheEuropeanEconomic
CommunityandtheEuropeanAtomicEnergyCommunity(OJL43,15.2.1983,p.1),as
amendedbyRegulation(EC,Euratom)No1700/2003of22September2003(OJL243,
27.9.2003,p.1),thisfileisopentothepublic.Wherenecessary,classifieddocumentsinthis
filehavebeendeclassified inconformitywithArticle5oftheaforementioned regulation.
InÜbereinstimmung mitderVerordnung(EWG,Euratom)Nr.354/83desRatesvom1.
Februar1983überdieFreigabederhistorischen ArchivederEuropäischen
Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft undderEuropäischen Atomgemeinschaft (ABI.L43vom15.2.1983,
S.1),geändertdurchdieVerordnung(EG,Euratom)Nr.1700/2003vom22.September2003
(ABI.L243vom27.9.2003,S.1),istdieseDateiderÖffentlichkeitzugänglich.Soweit
erforderlich,wurdendieVerschlusssachen indieserDateiinÜbereinstimmung mitArtikel5
dergenanntenVerordnungfreigegeben.

COMMISSION OFTHEEUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
•COM(76)365 final
Brussels,15July1976
,
■\
'-)
REPORT"FROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCILCONCERNING
I *
CULLINGPROCESSES FORSLAUGHTERED POULTRY
:1
PROPOSAL FORACOUNCILDIRECTIVE
supplementing ,withregardto,thechillingprocess,amended/
Directive71/118/EEConhealthproblemsaffectingtradein
freshpoultrymeat .. M
\
,
(submittedtotheCouncilbytheCommission )
/
COM(76)365final

REPORTFROMTHECOMMISSION TOTHECOUNCILCONCERNING
CHILLING PROCESSES FORSLAUGHTERS )POULTRY
1.Afterprohibitingtheuseoftneso-called"Spinchiller"poultrychilling
processcurrentlyinuse,Article14oftheCouncilDirectiveNo71/118/SEC(1)
of15February1971onhealthproblemsaffectingtradeii:freshpoultrymect
aslastamended -byDirectiveNo75/43l/EEC(2)chargedtheCommissionwith
preparingandsubmittingtotheCouncil,before1July1^76~ndafter
consultingtheMemberStateswithintheStandingVeterinaryCommittee,?
reportconcerningthechillingprocesseswhicharenotcoveredbytheabove-
mentionedprohibition ;theprohibitionwillnotbecomebindinguntil
18monthsafterthesubmissionofthereport,andwitheffectfrom1.T;:nuary
1978atthelatest.
2.Theprohibition containedinArticle14wasbasedonthefactthstthe
immersionchillingprocess,intheformwhichittookin1971,didnotoff-jr
satisfactoryresultsasregardshygiene(considerable increaseinbacterial
load,cross-contamination ,development ofbacteriawhichconsiderably rech'ce
thepreservation period,resultinginparticularfromtheabsorptionof
extraneouswater).Bywayofexample,inastudycarriedoutontheproblem
ofchillingbyexpertsfromtheFederalOfficeforMeatResearchatKulmbach
intheFederalRepublicofGermany,onthesystemtheninexistence(see
DocNoR/1242/69(Agri392)),a490%-increasewasrecordedinthetotal
bacterialcountofthecarcasesafterbeingplacedintheSpinchiller
(14500beforebeingplacedintheSpinchiller .(100%)and71170after)and
a120%increaseintheenteroba-cteriaceae count(6430before(10O^b)and
7560after).Inasecondtesttheincreaseswere487%tn<i337/jrespectively ,
Inotherstudies,expertsrecordedthatthebacterialcontamination ofthe
carcasesafterbeingplacedintheSpinchiller wasthreetimeshigherthan
beforeimmersion.
Withregardtowaterabsorption,certainexpertsrecordedanabsorptionrate
of8-10-11%andevenmore.
Itmaybenotedthatthissystemwaspractisedwithoutprovisionsbeinglaid
downasregardstheconditionsoffunctioning ,inordertofssures-:tisf~c+"ry
resultsinrespectofhygiene.
3.Certainexperts,however,hadalreadyobserved,duringdiscussionspreceding
theCouncil'sdecision,that,bymodifyingtheabovementioned processand
adoptingcerta.incriteriawithregardtoinstallation andoperation,itis
possibletoobtainaprocessofchillingbyimmersioninwaterwhichgives
satisfactoryresultsfromthehygienicpointofview.Thesecriteriarelate
inparticulartothewashingofthecarcasesbeforeimmersioninthech".ll
watertanks,theuseofthecounter-currentwatersystem,andtheuseofami';;mm
quantityofwaterataspecifiedtemperature.
1
2OJNoL55,8.3.1971,P.23.
OJNoL192,24.7.1975,P.6.

-2-
Intherecircumstances andowingtothediversityoftheresultsobtained
bytheexpertsconcerningthebacteriological conditionofcarcases
chilledbythedifferentprocessesandinordertopermitthepreparation ■
ofthereportrequestedbytheCouncil,theCommissionconsideredit
advisabletoorganiseatCommunitylevelastudytoms.keitpossible:
1.toknowthecomparativevaluefromthehygienicpointofviewofthe
immersionchillingprocessesusedincertainslau^iterhouses in1975,
andthoseobtainedfromtheoldprocess;
2.tocomparetheresultsobtainedbytheimmersionchillingprocess
withthoseoftheair-chilling processalreadyinuseinindustry.
Thusthestudyshouldoffertheelementsnecessarytoappreciatethe
possibilityofusinganimmersionchillingprocessgivingsatisfactory
resultsinrespectofhygiene.
Thestudywascarriedoutafteratestprogrammehadbeendrawnupsoas
toobtaincomparableresults.
Thestudydidnotrelatetothespray-chilling processesonwhich
experiments ?ndstudieshavebeenconductedintheFederalRepublicof
Germany;thesehavenotreachedthestageofindustrialapplication .
4.ExpertsfromthefollowingMemberStatestookpartinthisstudy:Frcnce,
Italy,theNetherlands ,DenmarkandtheUnitedKingdom.Coordination wcs
undertakenbyaBelgianexpert.TheCommission had.invitedalltheMember
Statestocollaborate inthestudy.TheexpertsintheFederalRepublic
ofGermanydidnotcarryoutanyoftheexperimental work;theydid,
however,collaborateinthedraftingofthetestprogrammeendinthe
discussions ontheresultsobtained.
5.Theimmersionchillingprocesswasstudiedinfiveslaughterhouses and
theairchillingprocesswasstudiedinsix.
Sincechillingisonlyonestageintheslaughterchainforpoultry,it
appearedadvisabletoconductbacteriological researchonotherimportant
sta,gesintheslaughterchain(plucking,evisceration ,spray-cletning ,
packaging).
Thisenablesabroaderpicturetobeobtainedofthehygienicvalueofthe
differentchillingprocesses.Thisstudywasconductedbetween28October
and18December 1975.
TheStridingVeterinaryCommitteewasconsultedconcerningthepresent
reporton17June1976.
6.Themainconclusionsofthestudyareasfollows:
a)Itisgenerallyfoundthatthebacterialload,ofthecarcases,f.itertheeviscerr.tionoperations,isgreaterthanattheprecedingstage(plucking).
Thepassingofthecarcasesunderashowerbeforebeingplacedinthe
chillingunithasafavourableeffectonthestand?rdofhygiene.

-3-
b)Onthebasisoftheresultsobtained,itdoesnotappearthattheprocess
ofchillingbyimmersioninwater,providedthatitiscorrectlyused,
has,inrelationtotheair-chilling 1process,anunfavourable influence
onthestandardofhygieneofthepoultrycarcases.
Onthecontrary,thisprocess,inadditiontothechillin0effect,hasa
washingeffectwhichresultsinareductioninthecontamination ofthe
surfaceofthecarcasesandconsequently animprovementintheirstandard
ofhygiene.Thiswashingeffectdoesnotexistinthesir-chilling process.
Nevertheless ,anacceptablestandardofhygienecanbeobtainedinthe
finishedproductbyair-chilling aswellasbyimmersi i>r..>/idedthatthe
hygienicconditionsappliedduringtheoperationsprecedingchillingare
adequate.Tothatend,thesystemofspray-cleaning carcasesbefore
chillingshouldbegeneralised .
c)Thebacteriological qualityofthefinalproductinbothprocessesdepends
toalargeextentonthebacteriological qualityofthepoultryandonthe
standardofhygieneduringthedifferentstagesprecedingchilling,erd
inparticularduringpluckingandevisceration .
d)Inbothprocesses,thereductionofthetemperatureofthecarcasesin
suchawayastoavoidtherapidmultiplication ofbacteriamaybe
obtainedwithinanacceptabletime.
e)Certainpartialresultsfromair-orwater-chilling plantsareless
favourablethanothers,orevenunsatisfactory ;thisshowsthat
improvements oralterations mustbemadetotheplantortotheopera/ting
procedures.
f)Waterabsorption:unliketheair-chilling process,whichcausesaslight
weightlossinthecarcases,theimmersionchillingprocesscausesa
weightincreaseowingtotheabsorptionofextraneouswater.Inthe
studyeffected,theweightincreaseduringspray-washing andimmersion
variedfromaminimumof4.1%0slaughterhouse )toamaximumof3.9/s
(1slaughterhouse );inthreeslaughterhouses ,theratevariedfrom
5.3£to6.65S.
Theabsorptionofwaterdependsonseveralfactors;thprateistoo
highincertainslaughterhouses ;thisshowsthatthe'chillingsystem
mustbeimproved.Itcan,however,bestatedwithregardtothisproblen
thc.tthewaterabsorptionrateinenimprovedandcorrectlyapplied
immersionchillingprocesscanbemaintainedatalowlevel.
g)Thestudydoesnotprovidesjayconclusiveresultsconcerningtheproblem
ofcrosscontamination .Itshould,however,beborneinmindinthis
respectthct:
-theproblemofcrosscontamination isnotrestrictedtochilling;itcan
happenthroughouttheslaughterchain;
-thisproblemmustbejudgedinthelightoftheeffectofcrosscontainnrtio;.
onthefinalproductfromthepointofviewofhygienec\ndconsequently o~
theincreaseinthebacterialloadendtherisktotheconsumerfrom+h&
increaseinthenumberofanimalscontaminated bypr.thot;enicb.-.ct»sii;

-4-
-asnessmertofthedegreeofcrosscontamination shouldbebasedonthe
useoftechnicallyprecisemethodsandprocedures;
-itisaboveallbyintroducingpreventivemeasuresagainstsalmonella
inpoultryfarmsthatthedangerofcontamination ofcarersesby
salmonellainslaughterhouses canbereducedoravoided.
,.Onthebasisoftheresultsobtainedbythisstudyitmaybeconcluded
thatitispossible,bymakingcertainalterationstotheprevioussystem,
byadoptingcertaincriteriawithrespecttotheconstruction of
installations endtheiroperation,toobtsinachillingprocessbyimmersion
inwaterwhichwillgivesatisfactoryresultsrsfarashygieneisconcerned.
However,theguaranteeofobtainingsuchresultsmustbebssedonthe
introduction ofsystematiccontrol,whichmustbecarriedoutbymeansof
apparatusallowingapermanentverification ofthecorrectfunctioningof
achillingplantandbymeansofmicrobiological examinations .Itmcybe
notedthatthecontrolofcorrectfunctioningofachillingplantisunder
theresponsibility oftheofficialveterinarian ,accordingtotheDirective
mentionedunderpoint1.
Thecriteriaconcerningthechillingplantanditsfunctioning,aswellcs
theprovisionsforcontrolwhichassurethatsatisfactory andreliable
resultsasregardshygiereareobtained,arethefollowing:
a)Theimmersionchillingprocessconsistsinpassingthecarcasesthrough
oneormoretanksofwaterorofice-,ndwaterwhichiscontinuously
renewed.
Asystemwherebythecarcasesarepushedalongbymechanicalmeans
throu^iacounterflowofwaterisacceptable.
b)Thetemperatureofthewaterinthetrnkmeasured^attheplaceofentry
andexitofthecarcasesmustnotbemorethan+14Cand4Crespectively .
Atoleranceof2°Cisallowed.
c)Theimmersionchillingprocessmustbecarriedoutinsuchawaythat
theaveragetemperatureofthecarcasesonexitisnotmorethan+8°C.
Thetemperature shouldbemeasuredinthefollowingway:10carerses
areplacedinaboxofsuitt.bledimensions andmadeofinsulated
material.Thetemperatureismeasuredinthecentrebetweenthe
carcasesafter30minutes.
d)Thewatermustbeofdrinkingquality.Theicemustbeobtainedfrom
drinkingwater.
e)Immediatelypriortoimmersionthecarcasesmustbewashedbyspraying.
Hieminimumquantityofwatertobeusedperkiloofcarcaseisone
litre.
f)Theminimumflowofwatermustbe2.5litresperkiloofcarcaseand
mustberegulatedinsuchawayastoensureacontinuousflowfrom
eachtank.Theminimumflowofwaterfromthel?sttankmustbe
0.5litresperkiloofcarcase.Thewaterusedforthefirstfilling
ofthetanksmustnotbeincludedinthecalculation ofquantity.

-5-
g)Theequipmentusedforchillingbyimmersionmust"bemadeofstainless
steel.Hiecarcasesmustonnoaccountremaininthefirstpartof
theapparatusorthefirsttankformorethanonehalfhour.During
eachpauseofmorethanonehalfhour"bytheelevatorsorconveyors
usedtoremovethepoultryfromthechillingunitsagitationmust
cease,whetheritisproducedmechanically orbydisplacement ofair.
h)Attheendofthedayeachpieceofequipmentmustbeentirelyemptied,
cleanedandthoroughlydisinfected inaccordancewiththerulesof
hygiene.
i)Thechillingprocessmustbeprovidedwithcontrolequipmentto:
-measureandrecordthetemperature ofthewaterinthetankatthe
folloitfingplaces:entranceandexitofthecarcases;
-measureandrecordwaterconsumptionduringspraywashingbefore
immersion;
-measureandrecordwaterconsumptionduringimmersion ^
-recordthenumberofcarcasesthatpassthroughthetankortanks.
j)Thecorrectfunctioningofthechillingplantmustbecheckedbya
standardised microbiological controlofthecarcases.Thiscontrol
mustbecarriedoutwhenitisfirstbroughtintouseandafterthat
periodically andinanyce.seea.chtimeenyalterations arenrde.
Thefunctioningofthevariouspartsoftheplantmustberegulated
soastoensureasatisfactory standardofhygiene.
-Theeffectofthechillingequipmentonthehygienelevelisevaluated
bycomparingthecontamination ofthecarcasesbytotaland
enterobacteriaceae bacteriabeforeandafterimmersion.
8.AccountshouHbetakenofthefactthatatpresenttheprocessesof
chillingbyairandbyimmersioninwateraretheonlyprocesseswhich
canbeemployedbyindustry.Chillingbyimmersionisthemorecommon
inmostMemberStates.Abolitionofthisprocesswouldthereforecreate
seriouseconomicproblemsforthepoultrymeatindustrywithoutimproving
hygiene.For,althoughasfarascrosscontamination isconcerned
chillingbyairhasanadvantage,asregardsthetotalbacterialsurface
loadtheimmersionsystemgivesthebestresults.
Ontheotherhand,theoldSpinchillerprocessmustcontinuetobebanned.
9.Inconclusion,theCommissionconsidersthattheimmersionchilling
processperformedincompliancewiththeconditionssetoutabove(point7)
doesnotfallunderthebaninArticle14(1)oftheDirectivereferred
toinpoint1ofthisReport.
Theintroductionoftheprincipleofcontrol,asmentionedinpoint7,
willenableaneva.lua.tiontobemade,whetherachillingplantis
acceptableinrespectofhygiene.
10.TheCommissionthereforeproposesthattheCounciladopttheproposalfor
■■directivecontainedinAnnexI.

Proposal for aCouncil Directive
of
supplementing ,asregards thechilling process ,
Directive 71/118/EEConhealth problems s.ffecting tre.de in
fresh poultrymeat1-
TheCouncil oftheEuropean Communities ,
Having regard totheTreaty establishing theEuropean Economic Community ,
and .inparticular Articles 43 «-nd100thereof ,
Having regard totheproposal from theCommission ,
Having regard totheOpinion oftheEuropean Parliament ,
Whereas Article 14ofCouncil Directive Ho71/118/EECof
15February 1971 onhealth problems affecting trade infresh poultrymeat
aslast amended byDirective No75/43l/EEC(2 ),
theuse ofacertain process forchilling poultry which isnot satisfactory
from thepoint ofview ofhygiene ;
Whereas such prohibition will notbebinding until 18months cfter the
Commission has submitted areport onchilling processes which arenot
covered bytheprohibition oruntil 1January 1973 atthelatest ;
Whereas theCommission ,after consulting theMember States within the
Standing Veterinary Committee ,submitted totheCouncil on
areport laying down theconditions governing plant ,operation mdcontrol
which theprocess ofchilling byimmersion inwster must meet inorder
nottobeconsidered tofall within the said prohibition ;whereas this
Directive isbased ontheconclusions ofthat report ;
Whereas itwould beuseful toprovide for arapid endefficient procedure
toamend the said conditions inthe light oftechnological developments
andofexperience acquired ;
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE :
TheCouncil Directive of15February 1971 ishereby amended inaccordance
with thefollowing Articles .Article 1
(1)OJNoL55,8.3.1971 ,p.23.
(2)OJNoL192,24.7.1975 ,P.6.

-2-
Article2
Article 1/ramendedtoreadasfollows:
"TheMemberStatesshallprohibittheuseoftheprocessofpoultry-
chillingbyimmersioninwater,withtheexceptionoftheprocesscarried
outinaccordancewiththeconditionslaiddo™inpoint28aofChapterV
ofAnnexI."
Article3
ThefollowingsentenceisaddedtoArticle3(l)(A)(c):
"Theprovisionscontainedinpoint28aofthatchaptermaybeamendedor
supplemented inaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddowninArticle12&."
Article4
Thefollowingpoint28aisaddedtoChapterVofAnnexI,afterpoint28:
a)Theimmersionchillingprocessconsistsinpassingthecarcasesthrough
oneormoretanksofwateroroficeandwaterwhichiscontinuously
renewed.Asystemwherebythecarcasesarepushedalongbymechanical
meansthroughacounterflowofwaterisacceptable.
b)Thetemperatureofthewaterinthetankmeasured_attheplaceofentry
andexitofthecarcasesmustnotbemorethan+14°Cand4°Crespectively.
Atoleranceof2Cisallowed.
c)Theimmersionchillingprocessmustbecarriedoutinsuchawaythat
theaveragetemperatureofthecarcasesonexitisnotmorethan+8°C.
Thetemperature shouldbemeasuredinthefollowingway:10carcases
areplacedinaboxofsuitabledimensions madeofinsulatedmaterial.
Thetemperatureismeasuredinthecentrebetweenthecarcasesafter30
minutes.
d)Thewaterusedmustbeofdrinkingquality.Theiceusedmustbeobtained
fromdrinkingwater.
e)Immediatelypriortoimmersionthecarcasesmustbewashedbyspraying.
Theminimumquantityofwatertobeusedperkiloofcarcaseisonelitre.
f)Theminimumflowofwatermustbe2.5litresperkiloofcarcase?nd
mustberegulatedinsuchawayastoensureacontinuousflowfromeach
tank.Theminimumflowofwaterfromthelasttankmustbe0.5litres
perkiloofcarcase.Thewaterusedforthefirstfillingofthetanks
mustnotbeincludedinthecalculation ofthesequantities.
g)Theequipmentusedforchillingbyimmersionmustbemadeofstainless
steel.Thecarcasesmustonnoaccountremainthefirstpartofthe
apparatusorthefirsttankformorethanhalfanhour.Duringeach
pauseofoverhalfanhourbytheelevatorsorconveyorsusedto
removethepoultryfromthechillingunitstheagitationmustcesse,
whetheritisproducedmechanically orbydisplacement ofair.

-3-
h)Attheendofthedayeach piece ofequipment must beentirely emptied ,
cleaned andthoroughly disinfected inaccordance with therules ofhygiene .
i)Thechilling process must beprovided with control equipment to:
-measure andrecord water consumption during spray-washing before immersion ,
-measure and record thetemperature ofthewater inthetank atthe
following places :entrance andexit ofthecarcases ;
{ -measure andrecord water consumption during immersion ,
record thenumber ofcarcases that pass through the tsxik ortanks .
j)-Thecorrect functioning ofthechilling plant must bechecked bya
standardised microbiological control ofthecarcases .This control must
becarried outwhen itisfirst brought into use andafter that
periodically and inany case each time anyalterations aremade .
Hiefunctioning ofthevarious parts ofthe plant must beregulated so
astoensure asatisfactory standard ofhygiene .
"-Theeffect ofthechilling equipment onthehygiene level isevaluated
bycomparing thecontamination ofthecarcases bytotal andenterobs.cteriscese
bacteria before and after immersion .
Article 5
TheMember States shall bring into force thelaws ,regulations andadministrative
provisions required inorder tocomply with this Directive by 1Janur-.ry 1978 .
Article 6
This Directive isaddressed tothe Member States .
Done atBrussels ,
For the Counci L
The President