Document ID: 31995D0149

COMMISSION DECISION of 8 March 1995 fixing the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) limit values for certain categories of fishery products and specifying the analysis methods to be used (95/149/EC)
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Directive 91/493/EEC of 22 July 1991 laying down the health conditions for the production and the placing on the market of fishery products (1), and in particular Chapter V (II) (3) of the Annex thereto,
Whereas the checks provided for in Directive 91/493/EEC to prevent fishery products which are unfit for human consumption from being placed on the market may comprise certain chemical checks including checking total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N);
Whereas it is necessary to set levels of TVB-N which are not to be exceeded in the case of certain species categories and to specify the analysis methods to be used;
Whereas the analysis methods which are scientifically recognized for checking TVB-N must continue to be used as a matter of routine but it is advisable to specify a reference method which may be used in case of doubt regarding the results or in the event of dispute;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Unprocessed fishery products belonging to the species categories listed in Annex I shall be regarded as unfit for human consumption where, organoleptic assessment having raised doubts as to their freshness, chemical checks reveal that the following TVB-N limits are exceeded:
1. 25 milligrams of nitrogen/100 grams of flesh for the species referred to in point A of Annex I;
2. 30 milligrams of nitrogen/100 grams of flesh for the species referred to in point B of Annex I;
3. 35 milligrams of nitrogen/100 grams of flesh for the species referred to in point C of Annex I.
Article 2
1. The reference method to be used for checking the TVB-N limit is the method involving distillation of an extract deproteinized by perchloric acid set out in Annex II.
2. Distillation as referred to in paragraph 1 must be performed using apparatus which complies with the principles of the diagram in Annex III.
3. The routine methods which may be used to check the TVB-N limit are as follows:
- microdiffusion method described by Conway and Byrne (1933),
- direct distillation method described by Antonacopoulos (1968),
- distillation of an extract deproteinized by trichloracetic acid (Codex Alimentarius Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (1968)).
4. The sample must consist of about one hundred grams of flesh, taken from at least three different points and mixed together by grinding.
Article 3
Member States shall recommend to official laboratories the use, as a matter of routine, of the reference method referred to in Article 2 (1). In case of doubt or in the event of dispute regarding the results of analysis performed by one of the routine methods only the reference method may be used to check the results.
Article 4
This Decision is addressed to the Member States.
Done at Brussels, 8 March 1995.

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