People in charge

Question 1

What deos FSA stand for

Answer 1

Food standards agency

Question 2

What does FBO stand for?

Answer 2

Food Business Operator

Question 3

Explain the implementation of residue surveillance schemes

Answer 3

NAtional surveillance scheme
Funded by the livestock industry
1. It is impossible to check every piece of meat
2. VMD instructs the FSA in terms of which targeted random sampling occurs
3. Test for veterinary medicines, pesticides, heavy metals
4. Can trace animal back to farm and if illegal residue = close down
5. All EU countries have the legal requirement to test produce for these residues
6. The FSA has the power to detain animals suspected of containing residues above the maximum residue limit, or having been treated with unauthorised substances
7. As well as livestock, includes farmed salmon, trout, honey, eggs, milk.

Question 4

Which body is responsible for BSE testing

Answer 4

FOOD BUISNESS OPERATORS are responsible for testing and making sure it is done correctly

• adequate training
• Facilities e.g. correct lighting
• Practices include

o Avoidance of cross contamination on the line or at sampling
o Storage
o Separation
o Disposal
• If inconclusive result the carcass is disposed of and it is the FBO fault as didn’t do sampling correctly

Question 5

Who is responsible for meat inspection?

Answer 5

FSA

Question 6

Talk about the responsibilities of the FSA with regards to meat inspection

Answer 6

• Pathology
• Contamination (faeces, SRM, biological agents, physiological agents)
• Adequate SRM removal
• FBO responsibilities – to have adequate facilities e.g. light/speed of line
• If contaminated with SRM that something becomes the highest categories risk where product is categorised into 3 categories depending on risk

Question 7

IF the carcass is considered fit for human consumption, what happens?

Answer 7

A health mark is applied by the FSA

Question 8

If the meat has a health mark applied to it who is this by and what does this mean?

Answer 8

Applied by FSA by or under the responsibility of the official veterinarian when official controls have not identified any deficiencies that would make the meat unfit for human consumption
If applied it Means:
- undergone ante and post-mortem inspection & fit for human consumption
- slaughterhouse, cutting plants or game-handling establishment have complied with all legislation

Question 9

So the FSA monitors controls, if not then enforcement needs to occur by who>

Answer 9

Northern Ireland: Department of Agriculture and rural development
England and Wales – Food standards Agent
Scotland: Food Standards Scotland

Question 10

Enforcement on site occurs by who

Answer 10

Overall team leader will be the THE OV (official veterinarian)
THE MHI (Meat hygiene Inspection) – majority of time. Not necc vets, presently a lot are though. Online inspection.
In large abattoir - unless emergency slaughter or diagnosis needed the vet will not do meat inspection. Smaller vet may do all
Make sure EVERY protocol is complied with

Question 11

Who is the legal person responsible for ensuring that the requirements of food law are met within the food business under their control

Answer 11

FBO

Anything serving the abattoir will go through the FBO

Question 12

Malpractice of animal welfare

Answer 12

served through the person who committed offence

Question 13

What is the difference between legislation and the meat industry guide?

Answer 13

Legislation - not voluntary to comply to

MIG - voluntary to comply to

Question 14

Failure to follow the guide or a suitable alternative agreed with the OV can lead to what 2 things

Answer 14

outcome may prevent the FBO from being able to rely upon a statutory due diligence defence if the non-compliance resulted in a prosecution.
• So if try to follow meat industry guide- but doesn’t work but are TRYING ok
• If NOT trying to follow meat industry guide then no due diligence (reasonable steps taken by a person to avoid committing a tort or offence) in terms of legal responsibility makes it MUCH HIGHER

Question 15

FSA actions on site are not just ante and post mortem….

Answer 15

• Auditing of FBO (food business operator) responsibilities inc. :
• good hygiene practices
• HACCP-based procedures (house keeping manual), i.e. the FBOs food safety management system.
• Welfare - if not FBO related: record & report
• E.g. animal transported inadequately
• Condition disregarded and animal welfare compromised – OVE records and reports this to APHA and local authority trading standards
• Ante-mortem inspection
• Meat inspection (more on this in 4th year lectures)
• Pathology
• Contamination
• SRM removal (ruminants)
• Residue sampling according to VDM requirements
• Non compliance, enforce when necessary
• Enforcement when necessary

Question 16

How enforcement escalates

Answer 16

• Verbal advice
• Escalates if non-compliance not corrected to:
o Written advice
o Formal notices ex. Welfare Enforcement Notice

• Referral for investigation/ recommendation for prosecution
• Depending on offence it can be immediately referred for investigation or formal notice served

Question 17

Who regulates animal health enforcement off site?

Answer 17

APHA (Animal and Plant health authority)

o In general more animal health

Question 18

Who regulates transport and ID off site?

Answer 18

• LA (Local authority) trading standards (TS) department

Question 19

Talk about cattle ID

Answer 19

cattle 2X tags. If none then carcass disposed of immediately. NOT human consumption If only one then reported to Trading standards.
• Farmer may not get into trouble immediately but needs to be reported for a history
o Losing tracability- affecting outcome for carcass and lsoign ability to manage animal health as can’t monitor where animal moving

Question 20

Role of local authority with regards to meat. What are they in control of?

Answer 20

• Producers supplying small quantities of meat from poultry and lagomorphs slaughtered on farm directly to the final consumer / local retailers NOT FSA but LA!! Meat won’t necessarily have the health mark on the packet as it would from an abattoir
• Butchers’ shops (retailing meat to the final consumer or exempt under marginal, localised and restricted).
• Any of the following not co-located with slaughterhouses, cutting plants or game handling establishments:
• meat preparations establishment
• minced meat establishment
• mechanically separated meat establishment
• processing plant (for meat products, rendered animal fats and greaves, treated stomachs, bladders and intestines, gelatine and collagen)
• cold stores where storage is the only activity
• Premises manufacturing composite products containing meat and other edible co products.
• Collection centres and tanneries that handle raw material for the production of collagen and gelatine.

Question 21

What is the food business operator responsible for in abattoir

Answer 21

responsible for obtaining and evaluating the information as part of hazard and risk assessments
• part of the HACCP and other Risk Assessments
• accept animals or not, management in lairage

Question 22

How long can animal be in lairage?

Answer 22

no more than 48 hrs to stop disease spread