Revising guidance on labelling and composition of meat products

Thursday 20 January 2005

Food Standards Agency guidance on labelling and composition of meat products was published in September 2003 and is currently being reviewed to identify where revisions may be necessary in light of use and experience. The Agency has contacted interested parties about the revision.

As part of this review, the Agency intends to update Annex C of the guidance notes, which contains a table of typical values for percentage fat, collagen and protein of meat ingredients.

This data is important to facilitate accurate calculation of meat content, taking account of any excess fat or connective tissue.

It has been recognised that the current scope of meat cuts needs to be expanded to cover the variety of meat cuts currently being used to manufacture meat products.

It is likely, then, that the Annex C table will need to be revised periodically to reflect other meat cuts.

It may also be necessary from time to time to revise the existing values to reflect changes in the composition of meat cuts in light of changing factors such as fatness.

The British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) is advising the Agency through a committee with representatives from the meat and meat products trade, enforcement authorities and research associations.

This committee has established the criteria for submission of any new data so that this data can be carefully evaluated before any recommendations are made to the Agency on revisions to Annex C of the guidance notes.

Information about two main aspects is being sought:

• identification of both species and cuts of meat that are not currently included in Annex C but which are being used in commercial manufacturing;
• existing data for such species and meat cuts including fat, collagen, and protein content to be submitted in accordance with the criteria laid down in the enclosed Annex,

Data on the areas identified and any other relevant information could, in the first instance, be forwarded to

Mr Maurice McCartney
British Meat Processors Association
12 Cock Lane
London
EC1A 9BU

Email: mm@bmpa.uk.com by 25 February 2005 at the latest.

This will enable the BMPA-chaired Committee to consider the data and recommend areas of work that may be required to fill any gaps in Annex C as well as identify where further work may be needed if relevant data is not forthcoming or does not meet the performance criteria established.