Under Retained EU Regulation 853/2004, Annex III, Section I, Chapter VII paragraphs 1 to 3 Food Standards Scotland (FSS) may authorise slaughterhouses to transport warm meat from domestic ungulates.
An amendment to the exemption criteria provided at point 3 of Chapter VII applied as of 21 November 2017. The amendment introduces changes which can be adopted without any increased risk to public health and provides more flexible approaches, based on surface and air temperatures, for the conditions of the transport of fresh meat without deviating from the principle that such meat should be chilled to 7°C by a continuous decrease of temperature.
A continuous decrease in temperature, as already mandatory, requires that part of the body heat should be removed prior to long distance transport. Setting a core temperature to which carcases and larger cuts must be chilled before transport is a way of ensuring a significant proportion of body heat is removed.
The EU Commission has also clarified the concept of specific products as being products where chilling may not necessarily contribute to the hygienic, and technically most appropriate, processing of the product, for example, foie gras.
Food business operators wishing to transport above temperature meat must seek permission from Food Standards Scotland.
Application process
To apply for an authorisation for the transport of warm meat please contact your FSS Official Veterinarian, who can advise you on the steps of the application process..
Alternatively, for further information please contact:
Approvals and Certification Team
Food Standards Scotland
4th Floor
Pilgrim House
Old Ford Road
Aberdeen, AB11 5RL
tel: 01224 288368
email: approvals@fss.scot
After the authorisation has been granted
Once an authorisation has been granted it may be amended, suspended or revoked if FSS is not satisfied the conditions by which it was granted are continued to be met.
Appeals Process
Where an amendment, suspension or revocation is issued, the FBO will have the right to appeal this decision. The FBO can make their appeal by writing to the Director of Operations within 21 days of the date of the notice. The effect of the notice will remain in place during the appeal so the FBO must cease transportation of warm meat to establishments no longer contained in their authorisation. The outcome of the appeal will be communicated to the OV and to the FBO within 20 working days.
