Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/122 of 22 January 2025 authorising grading methods for the classification of pig carcasses in Italy and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU (notified under document C(2025) 249)
Date: 2025-01-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Italy, agricultural product nomenclature, carcase, common organisation of markets, marketing standard, pigmeat








L_202500122EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/122


24.1.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING DECISION (EU) 2025/122
of 22 January 2025
         
authorising grading methods for the classification of pig carcasses in Italy and repealing Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU


(notified under document C(2025) 249)


(Only the Italian text is authentic)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products and repealing Council Regulations (EEC) No 922/72, (EEC) No 234/79, (EC) No 1037/2001 and (EC) No 1234/2007 (1), and in particular Article 20, first paragraph, points (p) and (t), thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Article 10 of Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 provides that Union scales for the classification of pig carcasses are to apply in accordance with point B of Annex IV to that Regulation. Section B.IV, point 1, of Annex IV to that Regulation provides that, for the classification of pig carcasses, the lean meat content is to be assessed by means of grading methods authorised by the Commission, that only statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcass may be authorised and that grading methods are subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance rate for statistical error in assessment. That tolerance is defined in Part A, point 1, second paragraph, of Annex V to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 (2).












(2)


Commission Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU (3) authorised the use of six methods for grading pig carcasses in Italy.












(3)


Italy has requested the Commission to withdraw the authorisation of the methods ‘Fat-O-Meater I (FOM I)’ and ‘AutoFom III’.












(4)


Italy has also requested the Commission to authorise an updated formula for the methods ‘Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP 7)’, ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’, ‘CSB-Image-Meater’ and ‘manual method (ZP)’ already authorised by Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU for grading pig carcasses on its territory.












(5)


Italy has presented a detailed description of the dissection trials, indicating the principles on which those new methods are based, the results of the dissection trials and the equations used for assessing the percentage of lean meat in the protocol referred to in Article 11(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182.












(6)


Using the manual method (ZP) measurements may also been taken by a hand-held scanner called Zoometer. The scanner takes the same measurements as the manual caliber. The prediction equation is therefore the same as that of the manual method (ZP) and the trial carried out had the only goal to verify the accuracy and precision of the electronic device.












(7)


The examination of those requests has revealed that the conditions and minimum requirements for authorising the new grading methods and updating the equations for the authorised methods as laid down in Part A of Annex V to Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 are fulfilled. The new grading methods and the new formulas should therefore be authorised in Italy.












(8)


Italy has requested the Commission to be authorised to provide for a presentation of pig carcases different from the standard presentation laid down in Section B.III of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013.












(9)


Unless explicitly authorised by a Commission implementing decision, modifications of the grading methods or apparatuses thereof should not be allowed.












(10)


For reasons of clarity and legal certainty, Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU should be repealed.












(11)


In order to allow operators sufficient time to adapt to the technical requirements of introducing new devices and new equations, this Decision should apply from 1 February 2025.












(12)


The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Committee or the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets,





HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:



Article 1
The use of the following grading methods is authorised for the assessment of the lean meat content of pig carcasses pursuant to Section B.IV, point 1, of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 in Italy:






(a)


the ‘Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP 7)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part I of the Annex;










(b)


the ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part II of the Annex;










(c)


the ‘CSB-Image-Meater’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part III of the Annex;










(d)


the ‘Manual method (ZP)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part IV of the Annex.






Article 2
Notwithstanding the standard presentation laid down in Section B.III of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, pig carcasses in Italy may be presented without the diaphragm and flare fat having been removed before being weighed and graded. In the case of such a presentation the recorded hot carcass weight shall be adjusted in accordance with the following formula:
Y = X – X × a %
Where:







Y


=


carcass weight established in accordance with Article 7 of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182,




X


=


warm carcass weight with flare fat and diaphragm,




a


=


sum of flare fat and diaphragm (%)










—


for diaphragm, equivalent to 0,29 % (carcass weight from 110,1 to 180 kg) and to 0,26 % (carcass weight from 70 to 110 kg),










—


for flare fat, equivalent to:






—


0,99 % (carcass weight from 70 to 80,0 kg),










—


1,29 % (carcass weight from 80,1 to 90,0 kg),










—


1,52 % (carcass weight from 90,1 to 100,0 kg),










—


2,05 % (carcass weight from 100,1 to 110 kg),










—


2,52 % (carcass weight from 110,1 to 130 kg),










—


2,62 % (carcass weight from 130,1 to 140 kg),










—


2,83 % (carcass weight from 140,1 to 150 kg),










—


2,96 % (carcass weight from 150,1 to 180 kg).










Article 3
Modifications of the authorised grading methods or apparatuses thereof referred to in Article 1 shall be authorised by Commission Implementing Decision.


Article 4
Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU is repealed.


Article 5
This Decision is addressed to the Italian Republic.
It shall apply from 1 February 2025.




Done at Brussels, 22 January 2025.


For the Commission

Christophe HANSEN
            

Member of the Commission






(1)  
            OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 671, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2013/1308/oj.

(2)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 of 20 April 2017 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the Union scales for the classification of beef, pig and sheep carcasses and as regards the reporting of market prices of certain categories of carcasses and live animals (OJ L 171, 4.7.2017, p. 74, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2017/1182/oj).

(3)  Commission Implementing Decision 2014/38/EU of 24 January 2014 authorising methods for grading pig carcases in Italy (OJ L 23, 28.1.2014, p. 35, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2014/38/oj).




ANNEX
GRADING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PIG CARCASSES IN ITALY
PART I

Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7)









(1)


The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7)’.












(2)


The apparatus is equipped with a probe of 5,95 millimetres diameter (and of 6,3 millimetres at the blade of the top of the probe) 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 millimetres. The results of the measurements are be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 7 itself or a by a computer linked to it.












(3)


The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formulas:






(a)


for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 69,8930 – 0,7338 × X1 + 0,0279 × X2

where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,




X1



=


the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,




X2



=


the thickness of muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X1;



















(b)


for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 80,136492 – 14,021984 × ln(X1) + 3,581997 × ln(X2)
Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




ln(X1)


=


natural logarithm of the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,




ln(X2)


=


natural logarithm of the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X1.








PART II

Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)









(1)


The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’.












(2)


The apparatus is equipped with an ultrasonic transducer array at 3,5 MHz (U-Systems) with a probe of 6 millimetres diameter containing a photodiode of the Siemens SFH 950/960 type and having an operating distance of between 3 and 125 millimetres. The results of the measurements are converted into estimated lean meat content by a computer included in the apparatus.












(3)


The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:






(a)


for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 70,2193 – 0,7140 × X1 + 0,0174 × X2

Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




X1



=


the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,




X2



=


the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X1;














(b)


for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 59,354157 – 0,550737 × X1 + 0,092655 × X2

Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




X1



=


the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,




X2



=


the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X1.












PART III

CSB Image Meater









(1)


The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘CSB Image Meater’.












(2)


The apparatus is equipped with an online picture processing system where carcass halves are automatically filmed by a camera system. The pictures are then processed in a computer by a dedicated software capable of producing a set of 20 different measurements. Three selected measures will be converted into estimates of the percentage of lean meat by a computer.












(3)


The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:






(a)


for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 67,4309 + 0,1182 × X1 – 0,0450 × X2 – 0,5762 × X3 – 0,1861 × X4

where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,




X1



=


(MF) mean lean mass, measured in correspondence of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,




X2



=


(ML) length of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,




X3



=


(MS) medium fat mass, measured in correspondence of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,




X4



=


(WbS) medium fat mass, measured in correspondence of the second vertebra, detected starting from the front (cranial) end of the muscle gluteus medius (Vb);














(b)


for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 48,652593 – 0,465268 × X1 + 0,169248 × X2

Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




X1



=


the minimal fat depth in millimetres (including rind) over the muscle gluteus medius (ZPF),




X2



=


muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM).












PART IV

Manual method (ZP)









(1)


The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by use of the ‘manual method (ZP)’.












(2)


ZP measurements can be taken manually by a ruler or by a Zoometer (ZM), on the split line on steady carcasses.












(3)


Zoometer is a device connected to a smartphone with an Android application (ZMAPP) which provides for the user interface which, through a laser rangefinder, is able to acquire distance measurements to carry out linear angular and surface measurements calibrated on images of pig carcass taken with the camera of the smartphone.












(4)


The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:






(a)


for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 58,4789 – 0,5697 × X1 + 0,1230 × X2

Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




X1



=


the minimal fat depth in millimetres, including rind, over the muscle gluteus medius (ZPF),




X2



=


muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM);














(b)


for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 46,723946 – 0,472380 × X1 + 0,188621 × X2

Where:







Ŷ


=


the estimated lean meat percentage,




X1



=


the minimal fat depth in millimetres, including rind, over the muscle Gluteus medius (ZPF),




X2



=


muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle Gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM).















ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2025/122/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)