SCHEDULE 1MANNER OF TAKING, PREPARING, MARKING, SEALING AND FASTENING OF SAMPLES
PART IIINSTRUCTIONS FOR THE TAKING AND PREPARATION OF SAMPLES
1.
In the case of feeding stuffs in packages or containers, except where section 68(2)(b) of the Act applies, only unopened packages or containers, which appear to the inspector proposing to take the sample to be the original packages or containers of the feeding stuff, shall be selected for the purpose of the sample.
2.
The sample shall be taken and prepared as quickly as possible, having regard to the precautions necessary to ensure that it remains representative of the sampled portion. Instruments, surfaces and containers used in sampling shall be clean and dry.
3.
No sample shall be drawn from any part of the sampled portion which appears to be damaged.
4.
Where any appreciable portion of the feeding stuff appears to be mouldy, or is otherwise apparently unsuitable for feeding purposes, separate samples shall be drawn of the unsuitable portion and of the residue of the feeding stuff respectively. These shall be treated as separate sampled portions.
5.
(1)
An inspector who intends to take a sample in accordance with the provisions of section 76(1)(b) of the Act shall satisfy himself that the conditions in which the material concerned is stored are not such as might have caused undue deterioration thereof, and that it appears not to have been contaminated by any other material.
(2)
The provisions of sub-paragraph (1) above shall not apply as respect any feeding stuff purchased for the purpose of resale in the course of trade.
6.
The sampling apparatus shall consist of materials which cannot contaminate the feeding stuff to be sampled.
7.
Subject to paragraph 8 below, in the absence of good reason to the contrary, the sampling apparatus for solid feeding stuffs shall be taken from among the following:
(a)
a flat-bottomed shovel with vertical sides;
(b)
a sampling spear with dimensions appropriate to the characteristics of the sampled portion in all respects, including dimensions of the container and particle size of the feeding stuff;
(c)
mechanical apparatus which, if used for the purpose of sampling a feeding stuff being moved at the time the sample is taken, must be capable of taking samples right across the flow of the product;
(d)
apparatus designed to divide the sample into approximately equal parts for taking incremental samples, and for the preparation of reduced and final samples.
8.
A sampling spear shall not be used if the material is in a package or container containing not more than 50 kg and, prior to the taking of a sample, the manufacturer objects to such use on the ground that the material is unsuitable.
9.
The sample shall be taken, prepared and packaged in accordance with the requirements specified, in the Annex to the Sampling Directive–
(a)
in paragraphs 5A and 5B under the heading “QUANTITATIVE REQUIREMENTS” (as set out in section A of the Table to this Part); and
(b)
in paragraphs 6.2 to 6.4 under the heading “INSTRUCTION FOR TAKING, PREPARING AND PACKAGING THE SAMPLES” (as set out in Section B of the Table to this Part).
10.
Any sample taken in accordance with the preceding paragraphs of this Schedule shall be considered as representative of the sampled portion.