The Minced Meat and Meat Preparations (Hygiene) Regulations 1995

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which extend to Great Britain, implement Council Directive 94/65/EC (OJ No. L368, 31.12.94, p.10) laying down the requirements for the production and placing on the market of minced meat and meat preparations.

The Regulations do not apply to premises producing or storing minced meat or meat preparations for direct sale from those premises to the final consumer, to mechanically recovered meat which is to undergo heat treatment or to the production or sale of minced meat to be used to produce sausage meat which, in turn, will be used in a meat product (regulation 3).

The Regulations—

(a) require premises producing minced meat or meat preparations destined for consignment to a relevant EEA State to be approved under and comply with the Regulations (regulation 4);

(b) provide for the revocation of approvals (regulation 5);

(c) provide a right of appeal (regulation 6);

(d) specify one set of conditions for the consignment, or sale for consignment, of minced meat to relevant EEA States and another set for its sale for consumption in Great Britain (regulation 7);

(e) specify one set of conditions for the consignment, or sale for consignment, of meat preparations to relevant EEA States and another set for their sale for consumption in Great Britain (regulation 8);

(f) specify requirements regarding the transportation of minced meat and meat preparations (regulation 9);

(g) require the provision of information to the Minister by food authorities regarding the execution of their duties (regulation 10);

(h) specify duties of an occupier of premises (regulation 11);

(i) define “enforcement authority” and make enforcement authorities responsible for the supervision of premises and for the enforcement and execution of the Regulations (regulation 12);

(j) create offences and prescribe penalties (regulation 13);

(k) apply specified provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 (regulation 14);

(l) make provision for minced meat and meat preparations produced or stored in Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands (regulation 15); and

(m) amend specified Regulations (regulation 16).

A Compliance Cost Assessment in relation to these Regulations has been placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament and copies can be obtained from the Meat Hygiene Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Government Buildings, Hook Rise South, Tolworth, Surbiton, Surrey KT6 7NF.