The TSE (England) Regulations 2002

Prohibitions: slaughter and carcases

Pithing

42.—(1) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with point 4 of Part A of Annex XI to the Community TSE Regulation shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) No person shall use any meat which is derived from a bovine, ovine or caprine animal that has been pithed in the preparation of any food for sale for human consumption or any feedingstuff.

Prohibition on sale of non-compliant carcases for human consumption

43.  No person shall sell the carcase of any bovine animal, sheep or goat for human consumption unless it has been inspected as required by this Part of these Regulations and on such inspection found to comply with these requirements.

Prohibition on the removal of brain and eyes

44.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, no person shall remove the brain or eyes—

(a) from the carcase of a bovine animal which was slaughtered or has died at an age greater than six months; or

(b) from a carcase of a sheep or goat which at the time it was slaughtered or died had one or more permanent incisor teeth erupted through the gum or was aged more than 12 months.

(2) The prohibitions in paragraph (1) above shall not apply to brain or eyes removed from such carcases in premises for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination or research, providing that the part of the premises in which the examination or research is carried out is kept free from food, feedingstuffs, any cosmetic, pharmaceutical or medical product and their starting materials or intermediate products.

Prohibition on the removal of spinal cord

45.—(1) No person shall remove the spinal cord or any part of it from the vertebral column of a sheep or goat in which there was at least one permanent incisor tooth erupted or which was aged more than 12 months at the date of slaughter, except—

(a) in a licensed slaughterhouse or at licensed cutting premises by—

(i) longitudinally splitting the whole vertebral column; or

(ii) removing a longitudinal section of the whole vertebral column containing the spinal cord; or

(b) in premises for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination.

(2) No person shall remove the spinal cord or any part of it from the vertebral column of a bovine animal aged six months or more, or longitudinally split the vertebral column of such an animal, except—

(a) in a slaughterhouse; or

(b) in premises used for the purposes of veterinary or scientific examination.

Transport of unmarked carcases of sheep and goats

46.—(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) to cutting premises that are co-located with the slaughterhouse;

(b) a carcase which has been inspected and health marked in accordance with the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 and which is moved in a sealed vehicle;

(c) when all specified risk material has been removed from the carcase; or

(d) in the case of a sheep carcase, one which—

(i) contains its spinal cord (that cord being specified risk material);

(ii) is intended for export whole direct to listed premises; and

(iii) is moved 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;

(b) where the carcase is being transported to cutting premises, the name, address and licence number of those premises; and

(c) in the case of a sheep carcase transported under sub-paragraph (d) of paragraph (1) above, the name and address of the listed premises to which it is intended the carcase will be exported.

Possession of unmarked carcases of sheep and goats

47.—(1) No person shall have in his 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.

(2) No person shall transport a sheep carcase—

(a) intended for export whole direct to listed premises; and

(b) containing its spinal cord, that cord being specified risk material,

unless he has in his possession, in addition to the document required by regulation 46(2) above, a copy of the declaration required by regulation 33(9)(b) above and the carcase has been marked with the export mark required by regulation 16A of the Specified Risk Material Regulations 1997.

(3) Where an inspector certifies that any sheep carcase has been possessed in contravention of paragraph (1) above or transported in contravention of paragraph (2) above that carcase shall be treated for the purposes of section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990 as failing to comply with food safety requirements.