Food Standards Agency issues guidance on cleansing and disinfection facilities for livestock vehicles
Wednesday 18 December 2002
Ref: 2002/0295
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has today issued guidance to operators of all red meat slaughterhouses, setting out acceptable standards for cleansing and disinfection facilities and equipment for livestock vehicles. The guidance complements the Agency's Clean Livestock Policy, which aims to minimise the risk of contamination to meat from dirty hides and fleeces.
The guidance is applicable to all British full throughput plants, and although low throughput plants are not currently obliged to follow this guidance, they are strongly advised to check their facilities against these standards. MHS vets have been asked to discuss the guidance with slaughterhouse operators as soon as possible and, where improved facilities are considered necessary, to seek to draw up an agreed action plan.
Tim Foster, head of the Food Standards Agency's Meat Hygiene Division, said:
'Cleansing and disinfecting livestock vehicles is an important measure in helping protect public health from bacteria and disease, which can cause food poisoning. It plays a prominent part in safeguarding the cleanliness of animals going for slaughter and helps to minimises the risk of contamination to meat. It is also a vital measure in helping to prevent the spread of disease between animals. The Agency is keen that, where necessary, improvements in the standard of cleaning and disinfection facilities are made as soon as possible.'
The guidance is issued in support of The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, (as amended) which specify requirements on construction, layout and equipment for full throughput red meat slaughterhouses. The Regulations state that there must be: 'a suitable and separate place (which may be situated outside the boundary of the slaughterhouse) and adequate equipment, for cleaning and disinfecting vehicles used for the transport of animals.' Plants failing to comply with the regulations may face suspension or revocation of their licence.
Notes To Editors:
1. While the guidance cannot provide a full interpretation of what constitutes 'adequate', a MHS Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) can provide each slaughterhouse with this information, taking into account each plant's circumstances. On the basis of this advice the MHS can then enforce the requirements agreed. The MHS will check for the presence of a number of facilities, including:
- Impervious hard standing area, with sufficient space for normal vehicle throughput.
- Drainage facilities to cope with waste.
- Adequate supply of potable running water under pressure.
- Adequate supply of approved disinfectant.
- Disinfecting equipment (i.e. sprays, brushes etc)
- Sufficient light.
- Facilities which function in all weather conditions.
2. Where facilities are located outside the boundary of the slaughterhouse:
- They must be within reasonable distance.
- The plant must have a high degree of control over the facilities.
- Supervision by the OVS must be possible.
- The facilities must in practice be regarded as part of the slaughterhouse.
3. In addition the guidance also lays out the enforcement action that will be taken by the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) if acceptable standards are not met.
4. The Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995 are available at:
http://www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/si/si1995/Uksi_19950539_en_1.htm
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