Commission Recommendation of 18 April 2001 concerning a coordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2001 (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2001) 1076)
Date: 2001-04-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: approximation of laws, food additive, food chemistry, food inspection, foodstuff, packaging product

28.4.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 120/41

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 18 April 2001

concerning a coordinated programme for the official control of foodstuffs for 2001

(notified under document number C(2001) 1076)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2001/337/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

Having regard to Council Directive 89/397/EEC of 14 June
1989 on the official control of foodstuffs (1), and in particular
Article 14(3) thereof,

After consultation of the Standing Committee for Foodstuffs,

Whereas:

that they are sufficient to provide an overview of the subject
under consideration in each Member State.

3. Member States should provide information as requested
following the format of the record sheets provided in the
Annex to this Recommendation to help enhance the
comparability of results.

4. Foodstuffs submitted for analysis under this programme
should be submitted to laboratories complying with the
provisions of Article 3 of Directive 93/99/EEC.

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

It is necessary, with a view to the sound operation of the
internal market, to arrange for coordinated food inspec-
tion programmes at Community level.

Such programmes place emphasis on compliance with
Community legislation, the protection of public health,
consumer interests and fair trade practices.

Article 3 of Council Directive 93/99/EEC of 29 October
1993 on the subject of additional measures concerning
the official control of foodstuffs (2) requires the labora-
tories referred to in Article 7 of Directive 89/397/EEC to
comply with the criteria in European Standard EN
45000 series. Only such laboratories may be considered
as laboratories suitable to carry out analyses within the
coordinated programme of official controls.

results

from simultaneous

implementation of
The
national programmes and coordinated programmes may
provide information and experience on which to base
future control activities,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS:

1. During 2001 Member States should carry out inspections
and controls including, where indicated, taking samples and
analysing such samples in laboratories, with the aim of:

— monitoring compliance with the Community labelling
rules concerning the quantitative ingredients declaration
(QUID),

— assessing the bacteriological quality of smoked fish

products.

2. Although sampling and/or inspection rates have not been
set in this Recommendation, Member States should ensure

5. Quantitative ingredients declaration (QUID)

5.1. Scope of the programme

A statement of
the quantity of an ingredient or
category of ingredients used in the manufacture or
preparation of foodstuff provides the consumer with
better information and helps to ensure fair trade.
According to Article 7 of European Parliament and
Council Directive 2000/13/EC of 20 March 2000 on
the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the labelling, presentation and advertising of
foodstuffs (3), a declaration of quantity is compulsory
if:

— the ingredient or category of ingredients concerned
appears in the name under which the foodstuff is
sold or is usually associated with that name by the
consumer, or

— the ingredient or category of ingredients concerned
is emphasised on the labelling in words, picture or
graphics, or

— the ingredient or category of ingredients concerned
is essential to characterise a foodstuff and to distin-
guish it from products with which it might be
confused because of its name or appearance.

Products not labelled in accordance with the require-
ments of the abovementioned Directive should not be
traded. However, products labelled before 14 February
2000 are permitted until the stocks are depleted. The
aim of this element of the programme is to check the
compliance of foodstuffs with the new provisions for
quantitative ingredient declaration.

(1) OJ L 186, 30.6.1989, p. 23.
(2) OJ L 290, 24.11.1993, p. 14.

(3) OJ L 109, 6.5.2000, p. 29.

L 120/42

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

28.4.2001

5.2. Method

The examinations should concern, in particular, milk
products (i.e. yoghurt, cheese, etc.), fruits juices, and
dry biscuits. The competent authorities of the Member
States should carry out inspections on premises of
manufacturers or importers of foodstuffs in order to
check compliance with the provisions for quantitative
ingredients declaration. Samples could be taken in
addition to the inspections in order to determine the
quantity of an ingredient or category of ingredients.

The results of the control should be recorded on the
record sheet in Annex I.

6. Bacteriological quality of smoked fish

6.1. Scope of the programme

There is no Community legislation fixing specific
microbiological standards for smoked fish. Experience
shows that a considerable percentage of these products
may be contaminated by pathogenic micro-organisms,
including Listeria monocytogenes, and that the adoption
of new techniques of production and processing may
increase the risk of bacteriological contamination.

Listeria monocytogenes is known to cause foodborne
listeriosis in humans, with potentially
outbreaks of
the
fatal consequences for susceptible categories of
population and therefore actions shall be taken to
reduce the risk of human listeriosis
from food
consumption, in particular ready-to-eat food, such as
smoked fish.

Certain measures may be adopted relating to the
management of risk at the level of food business oper-
ators. Implementation of good hygiene practices and
principles used to develop the HACCP (hazard analysis
and critical control points) system are important tools
in ensuring food safety.

The aim of this element of the programme is to assess
the level of contamination on smoked fish, specifically
on smoked salmon, in particular as concerns Listeria
monocytogenes
faecal
contamination. The programme should allow the

and indicator organisms

for

assessment of the bacteriological quality of these prod-
ucts and possible risks for human health.

6.2. Method

The examinations should concern refrigerated and pre-
packaged salmon and other hot or cold smoked fish.
The competent authorities of
the Member States
should take samples of products at retail level, possibly
close to the date of minimum durability.
In those
countries with important volumes of production, the
taking of samples also at the site of production (raw
material and/or finished products)
is recommended.
These samplings should be in the form of samples,
from the same lot, comprising, when possible, five
units of one hundred grams minimum each and the
product should be kept in its original packaging. Prod-
ucts should be refrigerated as soon as samples have
been taken and they should be sent immediately, in
this state, to the laboratory.

The level of sampling is left to the judgement of the
competent authorities of the Member States. In this
regard, volume and characteristics of production, trade
and consumption patterns are important factors to be
taken into account.

Laboratories are allowed to use methods of
their
choice provided their level of performance matches the
aims to be achieved. However,
for detection and
enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes, the most recent
version of standard EN/ISO 11290-1 and EN/ISO
11290-2 is
equivalent
methods recognised by competent authorities may also
be used.

recommended. Additional

the following controls

The results of
should be
recorded on the record sheet in Annex II. In the case of
sampling at the site of production a separate record
sheet should be used.

Done at Brussels, 18 April 2001.

For the Commission

David BYRNE

Member of the Commission

ANNEX I

QUANTITATIVE INGREDIENTS DECLARATION

Member State: ..................................

Product identification

Number of product
inspections

Number
of infringements

Not applying
QUID

Giving
wrong
percentage

None

Verbal
warning

Written
warning

Improved
in-house
control
required

Sales
prohibition

Administrative
penalty

Court
action

Other

Kind of infringement

Measures taken (number)

.

.

2
8
4
2
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0
1

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N

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ANNEX II

BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF SMOKED FISH

(hot or cold smoked salmon, haddock, herrings and other smoked fish)

Member State: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Site of sampling:

distribution/retail (cid:1)

production/raw material (cid:1)

production/finished product (cid:1)

Microbiological criteria

Product identification

Number of
samples

S

A

U

Method used
(ref.)

None

Action as regards the
products

Action as regards the
establishment of
production

Other

Analysis results (*)

Measures taken (number)

Aerobic micro-organisms 30 oC
Smoked salmon, haddock and other smoked fish:
n=5, c=2, m=106/g, M=107/g
smoked herring anchovies in brine:
n=5, c=2, m=105/g, M=106/g

Coagulase positive Staphylococcus
Smoked salmon, haddock and other smoked fish:
n=5, c=2, m=1/g, M=10/g
sliced vacuum-packed smoked salmon:
n=5, c=2, m=10/g, M=100/g

Escherichia coli
n=5, c=1, m=10/g, M=100/g

or faecal coliforms
n=5, c=1, m=1/g, M=10/g

Listeria monocytogenes (**)
n=5, c=0, m=100/g

Absent in
25 g

≤m

>

L

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n: Number of sample units.
c:
(*)

Number of sample units between m and M.
The batch is considered: satisfactory (S) if the value in all sample units is equal to or less than m; acceptable (A) if a maximum of c sample units is between m and M and all other sample units are equal to or less than m; unsatisfactory (U) if one or more
sample units have value over M or more than c sample units have value between m and M.
Indicate the value obtained where enumeration was performed.

(**)

.

.

2
8
4
2
0
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1