The aim of the hygiene legislation is to ensure that food is produced safely. This is achieved through the identification and effective control of food-borne hazards. In order to contribute to the protection of public health and to prevent differing interpretations, the legislation establishes harmonised safety criteria on the acceptability of food, in particular as regards the presence of certain pathogenic micro-organisms. It is generally recognised that the most significant food-borne
hazards from fresh meat are bacteria which can cause disease in humans (pathogenic bacteria), such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and human pathogenic E.coli such as E.coli O157. Some of these, particularly E.coli O157, require only a few bacteria to cause food poisoning in humans.

Bacteria cannot be seen by the naked eye. They cannot be detected at post-mortem inspection. The production of visually clean meat, monitored by visual inspection, is an important starting point for meat safety, but visual inspection can detect only gross faecal and other contamination. Although this gives a useful indication of the microbiological status of fresh meat, it is only by undertaking further testing that the presence and / or number of bacteria present on the surface of carcase meat or in processed meat can be assessed objectively.

Food safety criteria Food safety criteria have been set for fresh poultry meat, minced meat, meat preparations, meat products, mechanically separated meat and ready to eat food and, if exceeded, indicate that the batch tested is unsatisfactory and should be removed from or not placed on the market.

Demonstration of compliance with food safety criteria for meat and processed meat is required as follows:

Absence of Salmonella in:

  • minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten raw
  • minced meat and meat preparations intended to be eaten cooked
  • mechanically separated meat (MSM)
  • meat products intended to be eaten raw
  • meat products made from poultry meat intended to be eaten cooked
    fresh poultry meat.
  • Listeria Monocytogenes less than 100cfu/g in ready to eat meats that either do not support the growth of Listeria or have evidence that Listeria will not reach levels greater that 100cfu/g during shelf life.
  • Absence of Listeria Monocytogenes before the food is placed on the market for foods that support growth and do not have shelf life assessment data.