Standard 2.5.8

Standard 2.2.1

Meat and Meat Products

Purpose

This Standard includes definitions, compositional and labelling requirements for meat and meat products. Processing requirements for processed meat products, including fermented comminuted meat products are contained in Standard 1.6.2.

The Agriculture and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand (ARMCANZ) prescribe mandatory standards in Australia, but not New Zealand, that control the hygienic slaughter of animals for human consumption.

Table of Provisions

Division 1 - Interpretation

1 Interpretation

Division 2 - Compositional requirements

2 Limit on fluid loss from thawed poultry

3 Composition of sausage

Division 3 - Information Requirements

4 Declaration of the presence of offal in food

5 Mandatory fat declaration where a reference is made to the fat content of minced meat

6 Information required in relation to raw meat joined or formed into the semblance of a cut of meat

7 Inspection brands

8 Labelling of fermented comminuted processed meat

9 Labelling of fermented comminuted manufactured meat

10 Unpackaged fermented comminuted manufactured meat and fermented comminuted processed meat products

Schedule

Clauses

Division 1 - Interpretation

1 Interpretation

In this Code -

cured and/or dried meat flesh in whole cuts or pieces means meat flesh including any attached bone containing no less than 160g/kg meat protein on a fat free basis.

manufactured meat means processed meat containing no less than 660g/kg of meat.

meat means the whole or part of the carcass of any buffalo, camel, cattle, deer, goat, hare, pig, poultry, rabbit or sheep, slaughtered other than in a wild state, but does not include –

(a) the whole or part of the carcass of any other animal unless permitted for human consumption under a law of a State, Territory or New Zealand; or

(b) avian eggs, or foetuses or part of foetuses.

Editorial note:

This definition of meat does not include eggs or fish, as such foods are regulated in Standards 2.2.2 and 2.2.3 respectively.

The generic Standards in Chapter 1 of this Code apply to foods in Chapter 2, Food Product Standards. In particular, it should be noted that clause 3 of Standard 1.2.4 applies to meat and meat products.

meat flesh means the skeletal muscle of any slaughtered animal, and any attached -

(a) animal rind; and

(b) fat; and

(d) nerve; and

(e) blood; and

(f) blood vessels; and

(g) skin, in the case of poultry.

meat pie means a pie containing no less than 250g/kg of meat.

offal means those parts of the carcass such as blood, brain, heart, kidney, liver, pancreas, spleen, thymus, tongue and tripe, but excludes meat flesh, bone and bone marrow.

processed meat means a meat product containing no less than 300g/kg meat, where meat either singly or in combination with other ingredients or additives, has undergone a method of processing other than boning, slicing, dicing, mincing or freezing, and includes manufactured meat and cured and/or dried meat flesh in whole cuts or pieces.

sausage means processed meat that is minced, or comminuted meat or a combination thereof, which may be combined with other foods, encased or formed into discrete units, but does not include meat formed or joined into the semblance of cuts of meat.

Division 2 - Compositional requirements

2 Limit on fluid loss from thawed poultry

Frozen poultry when thawed must yield no more than 60g/kg of fluid as determined by the method prescribed in the Schedule.

3 Composition of sausage

Sausage must contain -

(a) no less than 500g/kg of fat free meat flesh; and

(b) the proportion of fat in sausage must be no more than 500g/kg of the fat free meat flesh content.

Division 3 - Information Requirements

4 Declaration of the presence of offal in food

(1) The presence of brain, heart, kidney, liver, tongue or tripe in a food, must be declared in accordance with subclause 4(3), either by the -

(a) class name offal; or

(b) specific type of offal.

(2) Subject to subclause (3), offal other than those specified in subclause (1) is prohibited to be present in food.

(3) Offal, otherwise prohibited in this Standard to be present in food, is not prohibited if the specific name of the offal present in the food -

(a) is declared on the label; or

(b) where the food is not required to bear a label, is otherwise declared to the purchaser.

5 Mandatory fat declaration where a reference is made to the fat content of minced meat

Where express or implied reference is made in relation to the fat content of minced meat, the maximum proportion of fat in the minced meat, expressed in g/100g, must be -

(a) declared on the label on package of the food; or

(b) where the food is not required to bear a label -

(i) displayed on or in connection with the display of the food; or

(ii) provided to the purchaser upon request.

6 Information required in relation to raw meat joined or formed into the semblance of a cut of meat

Where raw meat which has been formed or joined in the semblance of a cut of meat using a binding system without the application of heat, whether coated or not, a declaration that the meat is either formed or joined, in conjunction with cooking instructions indicating how the microbiological safety of the product can be achieved –

(a) must be included in the label; or

(b) if the food is not required to be labelled, must be provided to the purchaser.

7 Inspection brands

(1) Colourings permitted in Standard 1.3.1 may be applied to the outer surface of meat as a brand for the purposes of inspection or identification.

(2) The presence of colourings applied to the outer surface of meat as a brand for the purposes of inspection or identification in accordance with subclause (1), is not required to be declared on the label on a package containing such a food.

8 Labelling of fermented comminuted processed meat

(1) The following names are prescribed for fermented comminuted processed meat -

(a) in the case of fermented comminuted processed meat which has not been heat treated or cooked -

'fermented processed meat - not heat treated'; and

(b) in the case of fermented comminuted processed meat which has been heat treated -

'fermented processed meat - heat treated'; and

'fermented processed meat - cooked'.

(2) If the label on a package containing fermented comminuted processed meat has a trade name, that trade name must have in association therewith, the following word or words-

(a) in the case of fermented comminuted processed meat which has not been heat treated or cooked -

'fermented';

(b) in the case of fermented comminuted processed meat which has been heat treated -

'fermented heat treated'; and

'fermented cooked'.

(3) Except as specified in subclause (1) and subclause (2), the label on a package of fermented comminuted processed meat must not refer to any heating process, unless the heating process is a cooking instruction for the consumer.

9 Labelling of fermented comminuted manufactured meat

(1) The following names are prescribed for fermented comminuted manufactured meat -

(a) in the case of fermented comminuted manufactured meat which has not been heat treated or cooked -

'fermented manufactured meat - not heat treated'; and

(b) in the case of fermented comminuted manufactured meat which has been heat treated -

'fermented manufactured meat - heat treated'; and

'fermented manufactured meat - cooked'.

(2) If the label on a package containing fermented comminuted manufactured meat has a trade name, that trade name must have in association therewith, the following word or words -

(a) in the case of fermented comminuted manufactured meat which has not been heat treated or cooked -

'fermented'; and

(b) in the case of fermented comminuted manufactured meat which has been heat treated –

'fermented heat treated'; and

'fermented cooked'.

(3) Except as specified in subclause (1) and subclause (2), the label on a package of a fermented comminuted manufactured meat must not refer to any heating process.

Editorial note:

Subclause 8(3) and subclause 9(3) prevent the use of word 'pasteurised' or any word of similar meaning on the label of a fermented comminuted processed meat product or a fermented comminuted manufactured meat product.

10 Unpackaged fermented comminuted manufactured meat and fermented comminuted processed meat products

Where a fermented comminuted manufactured meat or a fermented comminuted processed meat product is offered for sale other than in a package, the prescribed name of the food must be displayed in connection with the food, provided that in the case of –

(a) fermented comminuted manufactured meat which has not been heat treated or cooked; and

(b) fermented cominuted processed meat product which has not been heat treated or cooked;

the words “not heat treated” may be omitted.

Schedule

Determination of fluid in a package of frozen poultry carcass

Take a double plastic bag of suitable size (approximately 700mm by 300mm) and weigh to the nearest gram - called 'A' in the formula.

Place the frozen carcass, still in its’ wrapping, in the double plastic bag. Without taking the frozen carcass from the double plastic bag, remove its wrapping and any included label. Retain in the double plastic bag any ice formed on the inside of the carcass wrapping or on any included label.

Discard the carcass wrapping and any included label.

Weigh the frozen carcass and the double plastic bag to the nearest half gram - called 'B' in the formula.

Suitably suspend the frozen carcass within the double plastic bag and securely close the neck of the bag around the suspending device. (Sharpened 230mm hooks made from 3mm diameter wire are convenient.)

Suspend the frozen carcass and enclosing double plastic bag in an air-space maintained at the temperature of 20 ± 5˚C for a period of 14 to 18 hours.

Open the double plastic bag and, without removing the thawed carcass or allowing any fluid to escape, remove and retain any device securing the legs and extract any giblet contained in the carcass.

Drain excess liquid from the giblet pack into the double plastic bag, remove the giblets and suspend them from a wing of the bird by means of a small wire hook. Retain the empty giblet package.

Ensure that all parts of the carcass can drain freely and securely reclose the neck of the double plastic bag.

Weigh the combined empty giblet package and any leg securing device to the nearest gram - called 'C' in the formula.

Drain for a further period of two to four hours. At the end of the period remove the carcass after shaking it to remove any fluid that may be trapped within the bird.

Weigh the double plastic bag and the contents to the nearest gram - called 'D' in the formula.

Where there is no edible oil layer in the double plastic bag:

Use this formula to calculate the proportion of fluid:

Proportion of fluid = D-A x 1000

expressed as g/kg B-A-C 1

Where there is an edible oil layer in the double plastic bag -

Carefully pour the contents of the double plastic bag into a centrifuge tube of suitable volume (approximately 250mL).

Weigh the centrifuge tube and its contents to the nearest gram - called 'E' in the formula.

After centrifugation at 1000g for 5-10 minutes, remove the edible oil layer with the aid of a pasteur pipette.

Reweigh the centrifuge tube and its contents to the nearest gram - called 'F' in the formula.

Use this formula to calculate the proportion of fluid -

Proportion of fluid = D-A-(E-F) x 1000

expressed as g/kg B-A-C 1