FSAI Consultation on National Rules for Poultry Meat

Monday 26 February 2007

A consultation process was announced today by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) to seek the views of small poultry producers, butchers, small retailers and interested parties in relation to proposed national legislation on the local supply of small quantities of poultry meat. The proposed national legislation will set out the scope of activities and definitions covered, together with the requirements, under the new national rules for poultry meat. The potential scope of activities includes slaughter, plucking, carcass dressing, evisceration/delayed evisceration, cutting/boning, wrapping/packaging and transportation of poultry meat. The definitions addressed by the proposed legislation will relate to small quantities, local supply radius and on the farm slaughter of birds. The requirements addressed include basic hygiene of structures and procedures, as well as provision for inspection. A detailed consultation document is available on the FSAI website and the closing date for submissions is Monday, 23rd April 2007.

The consultation follows the introduction last year of new European Regulations on food hygiene, Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) 853/2004, which established a “farm to fork” approach to food safety and ensures that primary production is now an integral part of food hygiene legislation.

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