poultrymeat marketing rules
Recent amendments to the EU rules governing the marketing of
poultrymeat which were introduced as a result of increased
consumption of poultrymeat in the form of meat preparations and
products came into force on 1 May 2010.
These changes, which were opposed by the UK, extend the scope of
the poultrymeat marketing legislation to apply to poultrymeat
preparations as well as poultrymeat itself. The definitions of
fresh and frozen poultrymeat are also amended.
This means that poultrymeat preparations as well as poultrymeat
should be marketed as ‘fresh’, ‘frozen’, or ‘quick-frozen’.
Furthermore, the requirement that if sold as ‘fresh’, poultrymeat
should not have been previously frozen now also applies to
poultrymeat preparations. In practice these amendments will
effectively remove chilled poultrymeat preparations from the market
by requiring them to be sold in a frozen state. These changes
affect all those in the UK involved in the production, slaughter,
processing, wholesale and retail sale and purchase of poultrymeat.
Importers are also affected because if poultrymeat imported from
third countries has been frozen it can only be marketed in that
state and not defrosted then used in poultrymeat preparations sold
as chilled.
As poultrymeat products and poultrymeat preparations are now
treated differently by the rules, DEFRA has been attempting to
obtain clear guidance on this issue from the Commission. Until this
clarification is received, DEFRA has issued interim guidance to
industry as follows:
- Products, ie entirely/thoroughly cooked dishes may be
manufactured using fresh, frozen or previously frozen poultrymeat
and may be sold chilled or frozen.
- Preparations, ie thighs, wings, breast meat, minced meat etc
with additional foodstuffs, coating etc and not entirely/thoroughly
cooked may be manufactured from:
- Fresh poultrymeat and sold as fresh or frozen poultrymeat
preparations; or
- Frozen poultrymeat and sold as frozen poultrymeat preparations
– a preparation cannot be defrosted and refrozen
- Reformed dishes – their categorisation has still not been
clarified
The guidance also reminds manufacturers and retailers that the
Food Labelling Regulations still apply especially in relation to
the provision of information which if omitted could mislead, eg
where a dish has been cooked, partially heated, reformed or
contains previously frozen poultrymeat.
DEFRA is also currently consulting on the Poultrymeat (England)
Regulations 2010 which will provide the national enforcement
powers, offences and penalties relating to the EU Poultrymeat
Marketing Standards. These Regulations are due to come into effect
on 1 October 2010.
