2003/470/EC: Commission Decision of 24 June 2003 on the authorisation of certain alternative methods to be used in microbiological testing of meat intended for Finland and Sweden (Text with EEA relevance) (notified under document number C(2003) 1928)

Commission Decision
of 24 June 2003
on the authorisation of certain alternative methods to be used in microbiological testing of meat intended for Finland and Sweden
(notified under document number C(2003) 1928)
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2003/470/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Decision 95/409/EC of 22 June 1995 laying down the rules for the microbiological testing of fresh beef and veal and pigmeat intended for Finland and Sweden(1) as amended by Council Decision 98/227/EC(2), and in particular the first paragraph of section C in the Annex thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision 95/411/EC of 22 June 1995 laying down the rules for the microbiological testing for salmonella by sampling of fresh poultrymeat intended for Finland and Sweden(3) as amended by Council Decision 98/227/EC, and in particular the first paragraph of section C in the Annex thereof,
Whereas:
(1) There is a need to use rapid analytical methods when fresh meat and poultrymeat intended for Finland and Sweden is being tested for Salmonella spp. due to the limited shelf-life of these products. Therefore it is appropriate to introduce the possibility to use more rapid alternative methods offering equivalent guarantees to the methods authorised by Council Decisions 95/409/EC and 95/411/EC.
(2) The Scientific Committee on Veterinary Matters relating to Public Health issued an opinion on criteria for evaluation of methods of Salmonella detection on 19-20 June 2002. In this opinion the Committee recommended that the validation of new alternative methods should follow an official procedure, favouring the procedure of EN/ISO 16140 standard(4).
(3) The Scientific Committee also concluded that the procedures for validation, as described by the standardisation bodies of Association Franรงaise de Normalisation (AFNOR), Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), European Committee for Standardisation (CEN), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and Nordic System for Validation of Alternative Microbiological Method (NordVal), are similar in their general outline, but differ in small details.
(4) It is appropriate to take account of the opinion of the Scientific Committee.
(5) EN/ISO 16140 standard was adopted in 2002 and there is as yet little experience of the application of this standard. Therefore, it is necessary to allow, for a provisional period, the use of methods validated in accordance with the validation procedures similar to the procedure described in EN/ISO 16140 standard. This possibility should be reviewed and the relevant provisions revised, if necessary.
(6) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health,