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Amendment 10: Manual 16
Date: 5 August 2009
1 Background
After extensive scientific trials, NZFSA has shown that visual examination of lamb carcasses achieves required public health goals. Removal of palpation will actually enhance achievement of public health goals by decreasing routine cross-contamination of carcasses during post mortem examination. Further, NZFSA is promoting significant changes in industry dressing procedures to enhance visual examination for grossly-visible contamination, the predominant source of food-borne risks to human health.
Scientific trials were also carried out to quantify any increases in non-detection rates for common abnormalities not associated with public health. In some cases, removal of palpation of particular parts of the carcass resulted in a slight increase in non-detection rates of these abnormalities. This slight increase was evaluated in terms of:
• Improved public health outcomes that are likely from a visual-only examination package and enhanced Company dressing procedures
• Overall non-detection rates that occur irrespective of post mortem examination
• Company actions that follow post mortem examination e.g. removal of regional lymph nodes prior to grading and during preparation of cuts in the boning room.
NZFSA has judged that on this basis, a new post mortem examination standard for lambs slaughtered in New Zealand will include visual-only examination of the carcass except for palpation of the inner surface of the ventro-lateral abdomen. The move to this new standard will initially be voluntary. NZFSA is currently reviewing the post mortem examination requirements for adult ovines. Once this is completed there will be a review of the requirements and a plan to move to visual examination for ovines will be determined.
In the interim three options are available to companies.
These are:
Option 1: current system with limited change, i.e.: status quo with a minor change to hock examination.
Option 2: some changes to presentation of carcases, some hands-on examination.
Option 3: all changes to presentation, visual examination of carcases.
For information on the findings see:
• Lamb carcass examination in New Zealand.
http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz/science/research-projects/index.htm
NZFSA is in the process of revising and reissuing the post-mortem examination requirements for all species as part of the move from Industry Standards to the Meat Code of Practice. In order to make the changes to post-mortem examination of lambs available to companies as soon as possible, the changes are being issued in this format as an amendment to Manual 16. When the new chapters of the Meat Code of Practice are issued, these changes will be included.
2 Amendment Details
2.1 The following table summaries the changes made.
Manual 16 (Part) |
New Standard / Change |
Appendix 2 (specifically the section ‘Standard for Presentation to Inspector’) |
New columns inserted for lambs. Three options are provided. |
Appendix 3 (Inspection Table) |
New columns inserted for lambs. Three options are provided. |
Appendix 4 (Dispositions) |
Some new dispositions for lambs included. |
Industry Implementation – describes the implementation procedures for the new standard | |
Checklist – for implementation of options 2 or 3. |
3 Implementation
On date of signing.
Amendment authorised by:
Judy Barker
Assistant Director (Production and Processing)
New Zealand Standards
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
68-86 Jervois Quay
PO Box 2835
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 2500
Fax: +64 4 894 2501
Contact
NZFSA about this page