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Summaries of EU Legislation

Hygiene rules for food of animal origin

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

  • It sets out European Union (EU) rules to be followed by food business operators on the hygiene of food of animal origin, such as meat, fishery products and dairy products.
  • It complements Regulation (EC) No 852/2004, which lays down general rules on the hygiene of foodstuffs (see summary).

KEY POINTS

The main purpose of the regulation is to lay down specific hygiene requirements for food of animal origin, detailed in its Annex III (see below).

Food business operator general obligations

  • Operators must use only potable water (or ‘clean water’ in some circumstances) to remove surface contamination, unless alternatives are approved by the European Commission.
  • Products must be prepared and handled in establishments which need to be at least registered, but often approved.
  • Products must have a health mark or other approved identification mark, as described in Annex II.
  • Products from outside the EU must satisfy at least EU requirements, demonstrated by the listing of authorised countries and establishments; in addition, products must be accompanied by certificates.
  • Special rules apply in Finland and Sweden in relation to salmonella for some meats, poultry and eggs.

Annex III sets out specific rules for each category of product.

Meat, including domestic ungulates (bovine, porcine, ovine and caprine species); poultry and lagomorphs (farmed birds, rabbits, hares and rodents); farmed and wild game; minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated/recovered meat; and meat products. The rules include requirements for:

  • transporting live animals to slaughterhouses;
  • slaughterhouses and cutting plants;
  • slaughter hygiene and hygiene during cutting and boning;
  • emergency slaughter (outside slaughterhouses) and slaughter on the farm;
  • temperature requirements during processing and storage;
  • training of hunters in health and hygiene;
  • handling of wild game (large and small).

Live bivalve molluscs, such as oysters, mussels, clams, cockles and scallops. Specific requirements in Annex III include:

  • being sold via a dispatch centre;
  • being applied with an identification mark and dated label;
  • being accompanied by a registration document containing purification information (where applicable);
  • being harvested from officially classified production areas;
  • being purified using permitted treatments only;
  • being protected from crushing, abrasion or vibration;
  • not being exposed to extreme temperatures; and
  • meeting minimum health standards for biotoxin levels.

Fishery products, seawater and freshwater fish, including crustaceans and molluscs, whether wild or farmed. The rules apply to thawed, unprocessed fishery products and fresh fishery products. Among others, products must meet requirements for:

  • fishing, freezer and factory vessels;
  • hygienic and careful handling and landing procedures;
  • control of parasites;
  • cooking, cooling, shelling and shucking of crustaceans and molluscs;
  • health standards and freshness;
  • toxins harmful to humans; and
  • wrapping, packaging, storage and transport.

Raw milk and milk products must come from animals that are:

  • in good general health;
  • showing no symptoms of infectious diseases communicable to humans through milk; and
  • from herds free from brucellosis and tuberculosis.

There are also requirements for:

  • premises and equipment;
  • hygiene during milking, collection and transport;
  • temperature and heat treatment; and
  • wrapping, packaging, labelling and identification marking.

Eggs and egg products must be:

  • kept clean, dry, in an odour-free environment, protected from shocks and direct sun;
  • stored and transported at a temperature suitable for optimal conservation;
  • delivered to the consumer within 21 days of laying.

Establishments must be laid out and equipped to ensure the following operations are separated:

  • washing, drying and disinfecting dirty eggs, where carried out;
  • breaking eggs, collecting their contents and removing parts of shells and membranes; and
  • any other operation.

Additional requirements for egg products include the following:

  • eggs must not be broken unless they are clean and dry;
  • cracked eggs must be processed as soon as possible;
  • eggs other than those of hens, turkeys or guinea fowl must be handled and processed separately;
  • egg contents for human consumption may not be obtained by centrifuging or crushing.

Other food of animal origin

Annex III also contains rules applying to:

  • frogs’ legs and snails;
  • rendered animal fats and greaves (the protein-containing residue of rendering);
  • treated stomachs, bladders and intestines;
  • gelatine;
  • collagen; and
  • highly refined chondroitin sulphate, hyaluronic acid, other hydrolysed cartilage products, chitosan, glucosamine, rennet, isinglass and amino acids.

Delegated and implementing powers of the Commission

The regulation gives the Commission the power to adapt it through the adoption of delegated acts when justified by new scientific information or practical experience gained.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2006.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, pp. 55–205). Text republished in corrigendum (OJ L 226, 25.6.2004, pp. 22–82).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2017 on official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products, amending Regulations (EC) No 999/2001, (EC) No 396/2005, (EC) No 1069/2009, (EC) No 1107/2009, (EU) No 1151/2012, (EU) No 652/2014, (EU) 2016/429 and (EU) 2016/2031 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Regulations (EC) No 1/2005 and (EC) No 1099/2009 and Council Directives 98/58/EC, 1999/74/EC, 2007/43/EC, 2008/119/EC and 2008/120/EC, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 854/2004 and (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, Council Directives 89/608/EEC, 89/662/EEC, 90/425/EEC, 91/496/EEC, 96/23/EC, 96/93/EC and 97/78/EC and Council Decision 92/438/EEC (Official Controls Regulation) (OJ L 95, 7.4.2017, pp. 1–142).

See consolidated version.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2074/2005 of 5 December 2005 laying down implementing measures for certain products under Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and for the organisation of official controls under Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Regulation (EC) No 882/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council, derogating from Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Regulations (EC) No 853/2004 and (EC) No 854/2004 (OJ L 338, 22.12.2005, pp. 27–59).

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (OJ L 139, 30.4.2004, pp. 1–54). Text republished in corrigendum (OJ L 226, 25.6.2004, pp. 3–21).

See consolidated version.

last update 15.02.2023

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