Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

3.  Microbiological tests shall be conducted—

(a) on each day of production on a representative sample of the minced meat referred to in regulation 7(1) and of pre-prepared minced meat for use in meat preparations to which regulation 8(2) applies; and

(b) at least once a week on a representative sample of any other minced meat or, alternatively, of any meat intended for the production of any such other minced meat, in the latter case the sample being taken from deep in the muscle after the surface has been cauterised.

• For the purposes of this paragraph “a representative sample” means a sample comprising five separate units of a weight appropriate to the test to be carried out, taken at different times and at reasonable intervals during production.