FSA News Item, 27 April 2012

MEAT - Desinewed meat from ruminant bones: Guidance on the moratorium

This guidance will help meat processors comply with the moratorium on the production of 'desinewed meat' (DSM).

Desinewed meat is produced using a low pressure technique to remove meat from animal bones. The product closely resembles minced meat, is currently a meat preparation and is regarded as meat.

The European Commission advises that DSM produced by mechanically separating residual meat from animal bones must be regarded as Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM), a product that cannot, under the provisions of European law, be produced from cattle, sheep and goat bones.

The guidance will help meat processors comply with the moratorium on the production of 'desinewed meat' (DSM) from:

• cattle, sheep and goats (applies from 28 April 2012)
• pig bones and poultry carcases (applies from 26 May 2012)

Copies of the Guidance are available on this site. See:

• Guidance on the moratorium on the production of desinewed meat from non ruminant bones or poultry carcases
• Guidance on the moratorium on the production of desinewed meat from ruminant bones

For previous news item, see: 4 April 2012 MEAT - Moratorium on desinewed meat