Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 1 Problems in the valorization of cattle feet in slaughterhouses Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain V. Helbo - G. De Smedt – P. Naassens DG Controle Policy Animal Production Brussels - January 2014

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 2 I. Current regulation Regulation (EC) N° 853/2004

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 3 Regulation (EC) N° 853/2004 ANNEX III SECTION I: MEAT OF DOMESTIC UNGULATES CHAPTER II: REQUIREMENTS FOR SLAUGHTERHOUSES 2) To avoid contaminating meat, they must: c)ensure separation in space or time of the following operations : … v) preparation and cleaning of other offal, particularly the handling of skinned heads if it does not take place at the slaughter line; vi) packaging offal,

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 4 ANNEX III SECTION I: MEAT OF DOMESTIC UNGULATES CHAPTER IV: SLAUGHTER HYGIENE 18) When destined for further handling: …. c)heads and feet must be skinned or scalded and depilated. Regulation (EC) N° 853/2004

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 5 II. Problem

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 6 Problem The Belgian slaughterhouses want to valorize the feet of slaughtered cattle, but due their limited production they have not the required installations to perform treatments (skinning or scalding and depilating) prior to the sale of these offal. Furthermore a big investment to valorize cattle feet could not be profitable by most Belgian slaughterhouses. Customers of these slaughterhouses could perform themselves treatments

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 7 III. Belgian proposal

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 8 Belgian proposal Belgium suggests to amend the annex III of the Regulation (EC) N° 853/2004 to allow a better valorization of the cattle feet by the slaughterhouses without putting in jeopardy the safety of the food chain

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 9 Belgian proposal I.With a specific authorization of the competent authority the feet of animals that have been declared fit for human consumption, would be allowed to leave the slaughterhouse without prior skinning or scalding and depilating, but after washing and cooling (3°C) II.The storage and transport conditions should avoid contaminating meat and comply with the hygiene rules and proper techniques for the handling and transportation III.With a specific authorization of the competent authority, the approved handling establishment that receives untreated feet, should carry out the skinning or the scalding and the depilating of feet

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 10 Belgian proposal IV.To obtain an authorization of the competent authority to carry out this specific activity, an establishment should develop specific procedures within their self-checking system and then it should meet the specific requirements of the authorities V.To maintain this authorization, the handling establishments should demonstrate that the covered products under this authorization present no risk to the safety of the food chain through a relevant HACCP plan and a suitable sampling plan

Agence fédérale pour la Sécurité de la Chaîne alimentaire 11 Thank you for your attention