Commission Regulation (EC) No 543/2008Show full title

Article 7

1. In order to be graded as classes A and B, poultry carcases and cuts covered by this Regulation shall meet the following minimum requirements, i.e. they shall be:

(a) intact, taking into account the presentation;

(b) clean, free from any visible foreign matter, dirt or blood;

(c) free of any foreign smell;

(d) free of visible bloodstains except those which are small and unobtrusive;

(e) free of protruding broken bones;

(f) free of severe contusions.

In the case of fresh poultry, there shall be no traces of prior chilling.

2. In order to be graded as class A, poultry carcases and cuts shall in addition satisfy the following criteria:

(a) they shall be of good conformation. The flesh shall be plump, the breast well developed, broad, long and fleshy, and the legs shall be fleshy. On chickens, young ducks or ducklings and turkeys, there shall be a thin regular layer of fat on the breast, back and thighs. On cocks, hens, ducks and young geese a thicker layer of fat is permissible. On geese a moderate to thick fat layer shall be present all over the carcase;

(b) a few small feathers, stubs (quill ends) and hairs (filoplumes) may be present on the breast, legs, back, footjoints and wing tips. In the case of boiling fowl, ducks, turkeys and geese, a few may also be present on other parts;

(c) some damage, contusion and discoloration is permitted provided that it is small and unobtrusive and not present on the breast or legs. The wing tip may be missing. A slight redness is permissible in wing tips and follicles;

(d) in the case of frozen or quick-frozen poultry there shall be no traces of freezer-burn(1) except those that are incidental, small and unobtrusive and not present on the breast or legs.

(1)

Freezer-burn: (in the sense of a reduction in quality) is the local or area-type irreversible drying up of skin and/or flesh which may produce changes:

• in the original colour (mostly getting paler), or

• in flavour and smell (flavourless or rancid), or

• in texture (dry, spongy).