Edible co-products and animal by-products guidance
Tuesday 12 July 2011
This guide is written for operators of meat plants to help them understand the legislation on animal by-products and edible co-products.
This information is particularly relevant to operators of slaughterhouses sending animal by-products and edible co-products to other premises.
It should be read alongside the Guide to Food Safety and Other Regulations for the Meat Industry (or 'Meat Industry guide') which explains the legislation that applies to meat plants more generally.
The food hygiene regulations
Three regulations came into force on 1 January 2006 that deal with the hygienic production of meat.
These are:
- Regulation 852/2004 which sets out the hygiene requirements for food production generally
- Regulation 853/2004 which sets out the specific hygiene requirements for production of products of animal origin
- Regulation 854/2004 which sets out the official control requirements for products of animal origin for enforcement authorities
The animal by-products regulations
New animal by-products regulations come into force on 4 March 2011. They are:
- Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 which lays down health rules as regards animal by-products not intended for human consumption
- Regulation (EC) No. 142/2011 which implements Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009
Edible co-products and animal by-products
Some parts of animals that are unsuitable for human consumption when they are produced at the slaughterhouse, but which can later be processed for use in human food, e.g. hides and skins processed into gelatine and collagen, sheep intestines processed into sausage casings, and stomach (omental) fat processed into lard, are called edible co-products.
Parts of an animal that are not intended for human consumption are called animal by-products.
The guidance document
The document below is in pdf format. It has been bookmarked to make it easier for you to click on the chapters that are most relevant to you. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 have been updated to reflect the new Animal by-products Regulations. The remaining two chapters will be amended in due course.
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Rendered Animal Fat and Greaves
- Chapter 2 - Treated Stomachs, Bladders and Intestines
- Chapter 3 - Gelatine
- Chapter 4 - Collagen
- Chapter 5 - Animal By-Products, reflecting the new Animal By-products Regulations
A short introduction to the industry guide on edible co-products
At the request of industry colleagues and others, a short introduction to that guide has been written. The short introduction is intended as a practical summary of the guidance in Chapters 1 to 4 of the Industry Guide on Edible Co-products and Animal By-products. It covers chapters 1 to 4 of the Guide. It also highlights the key legal requirements relating to these products.
Addendum for Northern Ireland
Food Business Operators in NI should also read the following in addendum in conjunction with the Edible co-products guidance.
Related links
(pdf 118KB) (pdf 2MB)