new meat regulations
Regulations came into force on 6 April 2008 which amend
the Meat Products (England) Regulations 2003.
The Meat Products Regulations have specific labelling
requirements for certain added ingredients in meat products which
have the appearance of a cut, joint, slice, portion or carcase of
meat or of cured meat (whether cooked or raw), whereby the added
ingredients have to be declared in the name of the meat
product.
Added ingredients which were required to be declared in the name
of the food used to include added starch and added protein (of
either animal or plant origin) unless they were used for a
technological purpose only. The changes remove the labelling
requirements relating to added starch and added protein so there is
no longer a specific requirement to declare these ingredients in
the name of the food for meat products irrespective of why they are
used. However, added animal ingredients (including proteins) from
different meat species must still be declared in the name of the
food.
It is important to note that the provisions of the Food Safety
Act 1990 and the general food labelling rules of the Food Labelling
Regulations 1996 (as amended) relating to the name of food will
continue to apply to all meat products including those with added
starch and/or proteins. Therefore, in the absence of any name
prescribed by law for the food or customary name which is used, any
added starch or protein would need to be declared in the name of
the food of meat products if not to do so would mislead the
consumer about the true nature of the food or would not enable the
food to be distinguished from products with which it could be
confused.
The new Regulations apply to imported meat products as well as
those produced in the UK.
The Meat Products (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 can be
found at http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/pdf/uksi_20080517_en.pdf.
