Proposal for a COUNCIL DECISION laying down the rules for the microbiological test by sampling of fresh meat intended for Finland, Norway and Sweden
Date: 1994-11-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Finland, Sweden, animal disease, fresh meat, health control, meat processing industry

COMVIISSION  OF  THE  EUROPEAN  COMMUNITIES 

C0M(94) 491 final 
Brussels,  17.11.1994 

Proposal  for a 

COUNCIL DECISION 

laying down the rules for the microbiological test by sampling of fresh meat intended 

for Finland, Norway and Sweden 

(presented  by the Commission) 

EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 

In application of article 5, 3 (a) of Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June  1964 on 
health conditions for the production and marketing of fresh meat*'), as amended by the 
Act  concerning  the  conditions  of  accession  and the  adjustments  to  the  Treaties on 
which the Union  is founded*2*, the Council  acting on a proposal  of  the Commission 
shall  lay  down  the  rules  for  the  microbiological  test  by  sampling  of  fresh  meat 
intended  for Finland, Norway  and Sweden.  This  should  be done  before  the date  of 
entry into force of the Accession Treaty. 

This proposal is presented with this objective. 

The  purpose  of  this  draft  Decision  is  to  fix  the  sampling  method,  the  number  of 
samples to be taken as well as the microbiological  method for the examination of the 
samples. 

As  concerns the sampling method, a distinction  is made between carcasses  and half 
carcasses on the one hand and quarters, cuts and smaller pieces on the other hand. The 
number of samples to be taken are based on statistical sampling schemes allowing the 
detection  of  5 %  contamination  at  a  95%  of  confidence  level.  The  proposed 
microbiological  method for the examination of the samples  refers to an international 
standard. 

It should be noted that the proposed provisions 

• 

• 

shall  only  apply  after  approval  of  operational  programmes  to  be  presented  by 
Finland, Norway and Sweden; 

shall  not  apply  for  meat  originating  in  an  establishment  which  is  subject  to  a 
programme recognised as equivalent  to the one applied  by  Finland, Norway and 
Sweden. 

This  draft  Decision  has  no financial consequences  on  the  budget  of  the  European 
Community. 

(') OJN° L 121, 29. 7.  1964, p. 2012/64 
<2> OJ N° C 241, 29. 8.  1994, p. 140 

S 

PROPOSAL FOR A 

COUNCIL DECISION 

of 

laying down the rules for the microbiological test by sampling of fresh meat intended 

for Finland, Norway and Sweden 

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, 

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, 

Having regard to Council Directive 64/433/EEC of 26 June 1964 on health conditions 
for the production  and marketing of  fresh meat1, as amended  by the Act  concerning 
the conditions of accession and the adjustments to the Treaties on which the Union is 
founded, Annex I, V, E, part 1, chapter 3, 1, (d)2, and in particular article 5, 3 (a), 

Whereas, in order to lay down the rules for the microbiological  test by sampling, it is 
necessary to fix the sampling method, the number of samples to be taken as well  as 
the microbiological method for the examination of the samples; 

Whereas,  in  so  far  as  the  sampling  methods  to  be  applied  are  concerned,  it  is 
appropriate  to  make  a distinction  between  carcasses  and  half  carcasses  on  the  one 
hand and quarters, cuts and smaller pieces on the other; 

Whereas concerning  the number of  samples to be taken, it is appropriate  to apply a 
confidence level of 95 % to detect a prevalence of salmonella of 5 %; 

Whereas,  it  is  appropriate  to  take  into  account  international  methods  for  the 
microbiological examination of samples; 

Whereas, in conformity  with article 5r paragraph 4 of Council  Directive  64/433/EEC 
the  provisions  provided  for  in  this  Decision  shall  apply  only  after  approval  by  the 
Commission  of  an operational  programme to be presented  by  Finland,  Norway  and 
Sweden, 

1 OJ N° L 121, 29. 7. 1964, p. 2012/64 
2 OJ N° C 241, 29. 8. 1994, p. 140 

£ 

HAS ADOPTED THIS  DECISION: 

The Sampling method is laid down in Annex 1. 

' 

Article 1 

The number of samples to be taken is laid down in Annex II. 

Article 2 

Aûicje_l 

The  microbiological  method  for  the  examination  of  the  samples  is  laid  down  in 
Annex III. 

Article 4 

This Decision  shall  apply from  1 January  1995 subject  to the entry  into  force  of  the 
Treaty of accession of Austria, Sweden, Finland and Norway. 

This Decision is addressed to the Member States. 

Articles 

Done at Brussels 

For the Council 

J 

ANNEX  1 

SAMPLING METHOD 

J 

Carcasses and half carcasses ("swab technique"^ 

Samples using the surface  swabbing method shall be taken before  refrigeration  of the carcass 
at  sites  likely  to  be  contaminated.  Surface  swabbing  shall  include  opening  sides  of  the 
carcasses and  cut surfaces.  In addition  beef and horse carcasses shall  be swabbed  in at  least 
three areas (leg, flank  and neck); whereas, pork, sheep and goat carcasses shall be swabbed in 
at least two areas (leg and brisket). 

To avoid cross-contamination, samples shall be taken without handling the meat and by using 
sterile swabs and templates. 
The sampling areas (20 cm X 20 cm) described  in the above paragraph shall be swabbed  with 
two  sterile  cotton  swabs. The  first  swab  shall  be  moistened  with  sterile  peptone  water  and 
shall  be rubbed firmly several times across the sampling area. The same sampling area  shall 
be  rubbed  with  the  second  swab  used  dry.  Subsequently  swabs  shall  be  put  into  100 ml  of 
buffered  peptone water. 

Each sample shall be duly marked and  identified. 

2 

quarters, cuts and smaller pieces ("destructive  method") 

Pieces of tissue are obtained  by punching a sterile cork borer into the meat surface  or cutting 
of a slice of tissue of ± 25 g with  sterile  instruments. The samples  are aseptically  transferred 
into  a  sample  container  or  plastic  dilution  bag  and  homogenised  (Stomacher  or  Blender). 
Samples  of frozen  meat shall  remain  frozen  during transport to the  laboratory.  Samples  from 
chilled  carcasses  shall  not  be  frozen  but  kept  refrigerated.  Separate  samples  of  the  same 
consignment may be pooled. 

Each sample shall be duly marked and  identified. 

ANNEX  II 

NUMBER  OF  SAMPLES TO BE  TAKEN 

J- 

Carcasses and  half carcasses 

The  number  of  carcasses  or  half  -  carcasses  (units)  tn  a  consignment  of  which  separate 
random  samples shall  be taken  shall  be as  follows: 

Consignment (number of units! 

number of units to be sampled 

1-24 

25-29 

30-39 

4 0 - 49 

50-59 

6 0 - 89 

90-199 

200-499 

500 or more 

number equal to the number of 
units with a maximum of 20 

20 

25 

30 

35 

40 

50 

55 

60 

2 

quarters,  cuts  and  smaller  pieces 

The  number  of  packing  units  in  the  consignment  of  which  separate  random  samples  shall  be 
taken  shall be as  follows: 

consignment (number of packing units) 

number of packing units to be sampled 

1-24 

25-29 

30-39 

40 - 49 

50-59 

60-89 

90-199 

200-499 

500 or more 

number equal to the number of packing 
units with a maximum of 20 

20 

25 

30 

35 

40 

50 

55 

60 

r 

Depending on the weight of the packing units the number of samples can be 
reduced by multiplication by the following multiplication values : 

Weight of 
packing units 

Multiplication 
value 

>20 kg 

10-20 kg 

<10 kg 

x 1 

x  3/4 

x  1/2 

{ 

ANNEX  ni 

MICROBIOLOGICAL METHOD FOR THE EXAMINATION OF THE SAMPLES 

Microbiological  testing  of  the  samples  for  Salmonella  must  be carried  out  according  to  the 
standard method of the International Standard Organisation, ISO 6579:1993. 

? 

ISSN 0254-1475 

COM (94) 491 final 

DOCUMENTS 

EN 

03 

Catalogue number : CB-CO-94-520-EN-C 

ISBN 92-77-82056-X 

Office for Official Publications of the European Communities 
L-2985 Luxembourg 

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