The Beef Bones Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations make provision in relation to carcases, bones, bone-in beef, other food and ingredients, which are derived from bovine animals aged over six months at slaughter.

Regulation 3 prohibits the sale of bone-in beef to the ultimate consumer for human consumption and the use of bone-in beef in the preparation of any food or ingredient for sale for such purpose. Regulation 4 contains prohibitions in relation to the sale of bones and the use of bones in the preparation of food and ingredients for sale for human consumption. Regulation 5 contains prohibitions in relation to the sale of food containing ingredients consisting of or derived from bones and the sale for use and use of substances derived from bones in the preparation of food and ingredients for sale for human consumption. There is, however, a three month delay before this provision applies to food other than bones or bone-in beef.

Regulation 6 contains provisions about deboning bone-in beef on food premises and regulation 7 imposes requirements in relation to the storage of bones on food premises. Regulation 8 makes provision in relation to the disposal of bones deboned in the United Kingdom. They are disposed of as if they were animal by-products referred to in Part II of Schedule 1 to the Animal By-Products Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1993.

Regulation 9 requires the occupier of food premises to keep records on the premises relating to any bones removed from bone-in beef, used or stored there. These records must contain sufficient information to ensure that the origin of bones removed from bone-in beef used or stored at the premises, and any commercial operations previously carried out in relation to the bones (whether or not at those premises and whether or not in the United Kingdom), can be clearly traced and identified by an authorised officer.

Regulation 10 provides offences and penalties and regulation 11 applies provisions of the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 for the purposes of the Regulations. Regulation 12 makes provision for the enforcement of the Regulations.

These Regulations have been notified in draft to the European Commission as a technical standard in accordance with Article 8 of Council Directive 83/189/EEC, (as last amended by Directive 94/10/EC) laying down the procedure for the provision of information in the field of technical standards and regulations.