2001/468/EC: Commission Decision of 8 June 2001 authorising methods for grading pig carcasses in Italy (notified under document number C(2001) 1568)
Date: 2001-06-08
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Italy, carcase, classification, pigmeat, statistical method

20.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 163/31

COMMISSION DECISION

of 8 June 2001

authorising methods for grading pig carcasses in Italy

(notified under document number C(2001) 1568)

(Only the Italian text is authentic)

(2001/468/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community,

(4)

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2759/75 of 29
October 1975 on the common organisation of the market in
pigmeat (1), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 1365/
2000 (2), and in particular Article 4(5) thereof,

Having regard to Council Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 of 13
November 1984 determining the Community scale for grading
pig carcasses (3), as last amended by Regulation (EC) No 3513/
93 (4), and in particular Article 5(2) thereof,

Whereas:

Article 2(3) of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 provides
that the grading of pig carcasses must be determined by
estimating the content of lean meat in accordance with
statistically proven assessment methods based on the
physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts
of the pig carcass. The authorisation of grading methods
is subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance for
statistical error in assessment. This tolerance has been
defined in Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EEEC)
No 2967/85 of 24 October 1985 laying down detailed
rules for the application of the Community scale for
grading pig carcasses (5), as amended by Regulation (EC)
No 3127/94 (6).

request has shown that the conditions for authorising
the said methods of grading are fulfilled.

Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 lays down
that Member States may be authorised to provide for a
presentation of pig carcasses different to the standard
same Article where
presentations defined in the
commercial practice or
so
requirements
warrant.

technical

In Italy the traditions in carcass presentation, and conse-
quently, commercial practice, necessitate that carcasses
can be presented with the flare fat and/or kidneys and/or
diaphragm. This
in
adjusting to the weight for standard presentation. A
uniform Italian carcass presentation should be adopted
before end of 2003.

should be taken into account

For the sake of clarity, a new decision should be
adopted. Decision 89/53/EEC should therefore be
repealed.

No adjustments to grading methods may be authorised
except by means of a Commission decision adopted in
the light of experience gained.

The measures provided for in this Decision are in
the Management
accordance with the opinion of
Committee for Pigmeat,

(5)

(6)

(7)

(8)

The Commission,
as
amended by Decision 89/602/EEC (8), has authorised
different methods for grading pig carcasses in Italy.

by Decision 89/53/EEC (7),

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

The Italian Government has requested the Commission
to authorise the use of only two methods for calculating
the lean meat content of carcasses in Italy: ‘Fat-O-Meater’
and ‘Hennessy Grading Probe’. The information required
pursuant to Article 3 of Commission Regulation (EEC)
No 2967/85 has been submitted. The evaluation of the

(1) OJ L 282, 1.11.1975, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 156, 29.6.2000, p. 5.
(3) OJ L 301, 20.11.1984, p. 1.
(4) OJ L 320, 22.12.1993, p. 5.
(5) OJ L 285, 25.10.1985, p. 39.
(6) OJ L 330, 21.12.1994, p. 43.
(7) OJ L 20, 25.1.1989, p. 35.
(8) OJ L 347, 28.11.1989, p. 33.

Article 1

The use of the following methods is hereby authorised for
grading pig carcasses pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3220/
84 in Italy:

— the apparatus termed ‘Fat-O-Meater’ (FOM) and assessment
methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part 1
of the Annex,

— the apparatus termed ‘Hennessy Grading Probe’ and assess-
ment methods related thereto, details of which are given in
Part 2 of the Annex.

(1)

(2)

(3)

L 163/32

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

20.6.2001

Article 2

Notwithstanding the standard presentation referred to in
Article 2 of Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84, pig carcasses may
be presented with kidnyeys and/or diaphragm and/or flare fat
during weighing and grading. In order to establish quotations
for pig carcass on a comparable basis, the recorded hot weight
shall be corrected by the following equation:

where:

Y = carcass weight as defined by Regulation (EC) No 3513/93

X = carcass weight when being weighed
a1 and a2= correction percentages, respectively, left or removed

from the carcass:
— for kidneys, equivalent to 0,30 %
— for diaphragm, equivalent to 0,38 %
— for flare fat, equivalent to:

— 1,4 % (carcass weight from 70 to 79,9 kg),
— 1,8 % (carcass weight from 80 to 89,9 kg),
— 1,9 % (carcass weight from 90 to 99,9 kg),
— 2,4 % (carcass weight from 100 to 110 kg),
— 1,6 % (carcass weight from 110,1 to 120 kg),
— 2,3 % (carcass weight from 120,1 to 130 kg),

— 2,8 % (carcass weight from 130,1 to 140 kg),
— 3,4 % (carcass weight from 140,1 to 150 kg),
— 3,6 % (carcass weight more than 150 kg).

However, Italy shall adopt a uniform carcass presentation of
pig carcasses before 31 December 2003.

Article 3

Modifications of assessment methods (apparatus, measuring
points and formulae) shall not be authorised.

Article 4

Decision 89/53/EEC is repealed.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic.

Done at Brussels, 8 June 2001.

For the Commission

Franz FISCHLER

Member of the Commission

20.6.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 163/33

ANNEX

Methods for grading pig carcasses in Italy

PART 1

Fat-O-Meater (FOM)

1. Grading of pig carcasses shall be carried out by means of the apparatus termed ‘Fat-O-Meater’ (FOM).

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 6 mm diameter containing a photodiode of the Siemens SFH 950
type and a photodetector (type SFH 960), having an operating distance of between 5 and 115 mm. The results of the
measurements are converted into estimated lean meat content by means of a computer.

3. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated according to one of the following two formulae:

(a) carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg

ŷ = 53,630814 – 0,436960 x
1

+ 0,043434 x
2

+ 1,589929 x
3

(b) carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 155 kg

ŷ = 45,371951 – 0,221432 x1 + 0,055939 x2 + 2,554674 x3
where:

ŷ = the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,
x1 = the thickness of back fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass at

the level placed between the third and fourth last ribs,

x

2
x
3

,
= the thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle, measured at the same time and in the same place as x
1

= x

.
/x
1

2

PART 2

Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 7)

1. Grading of pig carcasses is carried out, by means of the apparatus called ‘Hennessy grading probe’ (HGP 7).

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 5,95 mm diameter (and have abutting 6,3 mm of blade on either
side of the probe at its head) containing a photodiode (Siemens LED of the type LYU 260-EO and photodetector of the
type 58 MR) and having an operating distance of between 0 and 120 mm. The results of the measurements shall be
transformed in terms of estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 7 itself as well as a computer linked to it.

3. The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated according to one of the following two formulae:

(a) carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg

ŷ = 50,933698 – 0,312169 x

1 + 0,037779 x2 + 2,411151 x3

(b) carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 155 kg

ŷ = 44,992620 – 0,191001 x

1 + 0,042516 x2 + 3,181847 x3

where:

ŷ = the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,
x1 = the thickness of back fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass at

the level placed between the third and fourth last ribs,

x2 = the thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle, measured at the same time and in the same place as x1,
x3

.
/x
1

= x

2