14 - 17 February 2005

CODEX - Committee on Meat Hygiene (11th Session), Christchurch , New Zealand

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Eleventh Session of the Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene reached the following conclusions:

The Committee agreed:

• to forward the draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat to the 28th Session of the Commission for adoption at Step 8 (see para. 66 and Appendix II);
• to request the Commission to revoke the following Codex texts: Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Meat (CAC/RCP 11-1976, Rev. 1-1993); Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Game (CAC/RCP 29-1983, Rev. 1-1993); Recommended International Code for Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Inspection of Slaughter Animals and for Ante-Mortem and Post-Mortem Judgment of Slaughter Animals and Meat (CAC/RCP 41-1993); Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practice for Processed Meat and Poultry Products (CAC/RCP 13- 1976, Rev. 1 (1985); Recommended Code of Hygienic Practice for Poultry Processing (CAC/RCP 14-1976); Recommended International Code of Practice for the Production, Storage and Composition of Mechanically Separated Meat Intended for Further Processing (CAC/RCP 32-1293) as superseded by the draft Code (see para. 66);
• to request the Commission to revoke the General Principles for Meat Hygiene (CAC/GL 52-2003) adopted by the 26th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which were included in Section 4 of the draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat (see para. 67).

MATTERS OF INTEREST TO THE COMMISSION:

The Committee:

• noted that it had accomplished the work assigned to it by the Commission and agreed that, until such a time as the Commission would require it to undertake further work, it should remain adjourned sine die (see para. 68).

MATTERS OF INTEREST TO OTHER COMMITTEES:

Codex Committee on General Principles:

The Committee:

• noted the risk analysis definitions on Food Safety Objective, Performance Objective and Performance Criterion adopted by the 27th Session of the CAC on an interim basis and recommended that the Codex Committee on General Principles propose these definitions for final adoption. The Committee used these definitions as appropriate in the draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat being elaborated at this Session. It also noted that definitions for “process criterion” and “risk-based” were elaborated for use in the draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat and, as they had generic application, there was a need for their definition and application in a harmonized way throughout the Codex system (see paras 6-7).

Process criterion - The physical process control parameters (e.g. time, temperature) at a specified step that can be applied to achieve a performance objective or performance criterion.

Risk-based - Containing any performance objective, performance criterion or process criterion developed according to risk analysis principles.