32. Subject to regulations 33 to 37, no person shall contravene or fail to comply with points 1 and 5 of Part A of Annex XI to the Community TSE Regulation.
33.—(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) below, in relation to specified risk material which is removed as required by the Community TSE Regulation and these Regulations, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that the specified risk material is removed from the rest of the carcase as soon as it is reasonably practicable after the animal was slaughtered and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 37(1) below.
(2) In the case of a carcase of a sheep or goat which was aged over 12 months or had at least one permanent incisor erupted through the gum at the time of slaughter–
(a)no person shall remove the spinal cord from such a carcase except in a licensed slaughterhouse or a licensed cutting premises in accordance with regulation 35 below; and
(b)where such a carcase of a sheep or goat is dressed for human consumption in a slaughterhouse, the specified risk material except the spinal cord shall be removed in accordance with paragraph (1) above and the rest of the carcase shall be consigned to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises for removal of the spinal cord in accordance with regulation 35 below.
(3) In the case of the carcase of a bovine animal which was accompanied at the time of slaughter by a slaughter certificate under the Beef Assurance Scheme as described in Schedule 1 to the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No. 2) Regulations 1996(1)–
(a)no person shall remove the vertebral column from such a carcase except in a licensed cutting premises; and
(b)where such a carcase of a bovine animal is dressed for human consumption in a slaughterhouse, the specified risk material except the vertebral column shall be removed in accordance with paragraph (1) above and the rest of the carcase shall be consigned to a licensed cutting premises for removal of the vertebral column in accordance with regulation 36 below.
(4) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 51 below, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that the specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material (except animal material derived from animals tested for the presence of a TSE which is required to be disposed of as if it were specified risk material) while in the slaughterhouse.
(5) An occupier of a slaughterhouse in possession of any material derived from a carcase of an animal in relation to which there is carried out (whether by an inspector or on behalf of the occupier or any other person) any test for the presence of a TSE shall, if the occupier disposes of the material before a negative result in respect of the test is received, ensure that the material is stained, stored and consigned for disposal as if it were specified risk material.
(6) Material which is not specified risk material may be separated from intestines which have been removed from the carcase before the intestines are stained.
(7) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an inspector or a veterinary surgeon, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.
(8) Notwithstanding the definition of specified risk material in regulation 3(1) above–
(a)where the carcase of a sheep or goat containing spinal cord which is specified risk material is consigned to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises for removal in accordance with regulation 35 below; or
(b)where the carcase of a bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material is consigned to licensed premises for removal in accordance with regulation 36 below or has been imported in accordance with the Community TSE Regulation and the Community Transitional Measures,
the carcase shall not be regarded as specified risk material for the purposes of these Regulations.
34.—(1) Subject to the following provisions of this regulation, when specified risk material is removed from the carcase of a ruminant animal elsewhere than in a slaughterhouse, the occupier of the premises at which the specified risk material is removed shall ensure that it is removed as soon as is reasonably practicable after the death of the animal and that it is stained blue immediately, and in any event before the carcase is frozen.
(2) Without prejudice to the storage requirements of regulation 51 below, the occupier of those premises shall ensure that the specified risk material does not come into contact with any other animal material while on the premises and that it is disposed of in accordance with these Regulations.
(3) In the case of specified risk material which is intended to be examined by or on behalf of an inspector, the specified risk material shall not be stained until after the completion of the examination.
(4) The provisions of this regulation shall not apply in the case of a post-mortem examination carried out by a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary practitioner at a farm, provided that veterinary surgeon or practitioner makes arrangements for the disposal of the whole of the carcase by burial there.
35.—(1) Where a carcase of a sheep or goat is consigned as referred to in regulation 33(2)(b) above to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises the occupier of that slaughterhouse or cutting premises shall ensure that the spinal cord is removed in accordance with paragraph (2) below from the rest of the carcase at the premises as soon as practicable after the arrival of the carcase there and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 37(3) below.
(2) Removal of spinal cord under paragraph (1) above shall be carried out by–
(a)longitudinally splitting the whole vertebral column; or
(b)removing a longitudinal section of the whole vertebral column containing the whole spinal cord.
(3) If the spinal cord is removed at any premises other than a slaughterhouse or cutting premises for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination, after that examination both the spinal cord and the vertebral column shall be stained blue and disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with this Part of these Regulations.
36.—(1) Where a carcase of a bovine animal containing vertebral column which is specified risk material–
(a)is consigned as referred to in regulation 33(3)(b) above to licensed cutting premises; or
(b)is imported and transported in accordance with the Community TSE Regulation or the Community Transitional Measures to licensed cutting premises,
the occupier of that cutting premises shall ensure that the vertebral column is removed from the rest of the carcase at the premises as soon as is practicable after the arrival of the carcase there and before the carcase is presented for inspection pursuant to regulation 37(3) below.
(2) In this regulation, “carcase” means any whole carcase, half carcase or quarter carcase.
(3) If the vertebral column which is specified risk material is removed at any premises other than a slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination, after that examination both the spinal cord and the vertebral column shall be stained blue and disposed of as specified risk material in accordance with this Part of these Regulations.
37.—(1) The occupier of any slaughterhouse shall permit an inspector, or a person acting under the responsibility of an inspector, to–
(a)inspect the carcase of any ruminant animal slaughtered there, so that the inspector or person can check whether the requirements of the Community TSE Regulation and these Regulations have been complied with; and
(b)mark each carcase which has been so checked and found to comply with the requirements of the Community TSE Regulation and these Regulations.
(2) The occupier of any slaughterhouse shall give to any inspector or, or a person acting under the responsibility of an inspector, such reasonable assistance as the inspector or person may require.
(3) The occupier of a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises shall permit an inspector or a person acting under the responsibility of an inspector, to inspect the carcase of any bovine animal or the carcase of any sheep or goat consigned there so that the inspector or person can check whether the specified risk material has been removed from the carcase in accordance with the Community TSE Regulation and this Part of these Regulations, and the occupier shall give to any such inspector or person such reasonable assistance as that inspector or person shall require.
38. No person shall place on the market the carcase of any bovine animal, sheep or goat for human consumption unless it has been inspected, and if appropriate marked as required by regulation 37 above and on such inspection found to comply with the requirements specified in regulation 37 above.
39.—(1) No person shall contravene or fail to comply with point 7 of Part A of Annex XI to the Community TSE Regulation.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, the occupier of a slaughterhouse or a cutting premises shall ensure that, after its removal, specified risk material is stained blue.
(3) In the case of scheme animals, the occupier of a slaughterhouse shall ensure that, after its removal, specified risk material is stained yellow.
(4) In this Part of these Regulations “stained blue” in relation to any material means being treated (whether by immersion, spraying or other application) with a 0.5% weight/volume solution of the colouring agent Patent Blue V (E131, 1971 Colour Index No. 42051(2)) in such a way that the colouring is clearly visible–
(a)in the case of specified risk material other than the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole surface of the material; and
(b)in the case of the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole of the cut surface and majority of the head,
except that, if the tongue is to be removed, this shall be done immediately after slaughter and the head shall be stained immediately after the removal of the tongue.
(5) In this Part of these Regulations “stained yellow” in relation to any material means being treated (whether by immersion, spraying or other application) with a 0.5% weight/volume solution of the colouring agent Tartrazine (E102, Colour Index No. 19140) in such a way that the colouring is clearly visible over the whole surface of the material.
(6) The requirement to stain specified risk material shall not apply–
(a)if the specified risk material is to be sent to a veterinary or medical school, laboratory, hospital or similar institution for instructional, diagnostic or research purposes; or
(b)to specified risk material which is intended to be used at premises licensed under regulation 56 below.
(7) Where specified risk material has been stained, the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of a place [any premises?] licensed under this Part of these Regulations, the operator of that place, [occupier of those premises?] shall take appropriate measures to ensure that colouring remains visible–
(a)in the case of stained specified risk material other than the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole surface of the material; and
(b)in the case of the head of a sheep or goat, over the whole of the cut surface and the majority of the head,
until the stained specified risk material is incinerated or rendered.
(8) Where specified risk material is required to be stained but has not been so stained, the occupier of any premises at which such material is stored or handled and, in the case of any premises of which an operator is licensed under this Part of these Regulations, the occupier of those premises shall, as soon as practicable after the occupier becomes aware that the specified risk material was required to be stained, inform the Scottish Ministers and detain the specified risk material until it has been inspected or collected on behalf of the Scottish Ministers or the Scottish Ministers have informed the occupier that it may be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the Community TSE Regulation or this Part of these Regulations.
40. Once specified risk material has been removed from the carcase and treated in accordance with the Community TSE Regulation and this Part of these Regulations, including any material treated as if it were specified risk material in accordance with regulation 33(4) above, or, in the case of specified solid waste, recovered from the drainage system, the person responsible for its removal or recovery shall, without unreasonable delay, send it directly to–
(a)a licensed collection centre;
(b)a licensed rendering plant;
(c)a licensed incinerator;
(d)premises licensed under regulation 56 below; or
(e)a veterinary or medical school, laboratory, hospital or similar institution for instructional, diagnostic or research purpose.
41.—(1) Where a sheep or goat is slaughtered in a slaughterhouse, and at the time of slaughter it was aged not more than 12 months or it had no permanent incisor teeth erupted, the carcase of the animal shall be marked with the young lamb stamp.
(2) The young lamb stamp shall consist of a circular mark 5 centimetres in diameter containing in legible form in letters 1 cm high “MHS” and “YL”, and shall be applied by an inspector, or a meat technician acting under the responsibility of an OVS, and no other person shall apply the young lamb stamp or possess the equipment for applying the stamp.
(3) No person shall use any stamp so resembling the young lamb stamp, or in such a way, as to be likely to suggest that any carcase other than a carcase of a sheep or goat which had no permanent incisors erupted, is such a carcase.
(4) The Agency may, in relation to any slaughterhouse, appoint as meat technicians such number of persons as are necessary to assist the inspectors in carrying out their functions under paragraph (2) above.
42.—(1) An inspector, or meat technician acting under the responsibility of an OVS, shall be present at any slaughterhouse where any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp is being loaded for delivery to a licensed slaughterhouse or to licensed cutting premises and that inspector or technician shall supervise the loading.
(2) An inspector, or meat technician acting under the responsibility of an OVS, shall be present at any licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises where any carcase of a sheep or goat that is not marked with a young lamb stamp is being unloaded, and that inspector or technician shall supervise the unloading.
(3) Immediately after the loading referred to in paragraph (1) above the delivery vehicle shall be sealed by an inspector, or meat technician acting under the responsibility of an OVS, and no other person may seal such a vehicle.
(4) On arrival at a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises a sealed vehicle shall be unsealed by an inspector, or meat technician acting under the responsibility of an OVS, and no other person may unseal such a vehicle.
(5) The Agency may, in relation to any licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises, appoint as meat technicians such number of persons as are necessary to assist the inspectors in carrying out their functions under this regulation.
43.—(1) No person shall transport from a slaughterhouse a carcase of a sheep or goat suitable for human consumption that is not marked with a young lamb stamp, except–
(a)when all specified risk material has been removed from the carcase;
(b)to licensed cutting premises that are co-located with the slaughterhouse; or
(c)to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises after the carcase has been inspected and health marked in accordance with the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, provided it is transported in a sealed vehicle.
(2) No person shall transport a carcase in accordance with paragraph (1) above unless the carcase is accompanied by a document indicating–
(a)the name, address and licence number of the slaughterhouse from which the carcase is being transported; and
(b)where the carcase is being transported to a licensed slaughterhouse or licensed cutting premises, the name, address and licence number of those premises.
44. No person shall have in their possession elsewhere than in a licensed slaughterhouse, in a sealed vehicle or at licensed cutting premises a carcase of a sheep or goat intended for sale for human consumption containing spinal cord, unless it is stamped with a young lamb stamp.
45.—(1) No person shall contravene or fail to comply with point 4 of Part A of Annex XI to the Community TSE Regulation.
(2) No person shall use any meat which is derived from a bovine, ovine or caprine animal that has been slaughtered in contravention of paragraph (1) above in the preparation of any food for human consumption or any feedingstuff.
S.I. 1996/2097, amended by S.I. 1996/2522 and S.S.I. 2000/62 and 449.
Colour Index is published by the Society of Dyers and Colourists at Perkin House, 82 Grattan Road, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD1 2JB.