THE SAFE FOODCHAIN - Agriculture

THE SAFEFOODCHAIN …

… Every Linkis VitalFOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Food Safety Liaison UnitDepartment of Agriculture & Food

Agriculture HouseKildare Street

Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: 01-607 2046/607 2443

Website: www.agriculture.gov.ie

THE SAFE FOOD CHAIN …

… Every Link is Vital

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD

© DAF, August 2003

This booklet provides an outline only of food safety controls operated by the Department of Agriculture & Food and has no status in law

The Safe Food Chain …

ForewordThis publication was firstproduced in November2001. I am pleased to seethat its success hasdemanded that an updatedversion should issue. Thebooklet describes the roleof the Department ofAgriculture and Food inensuring that only productswhich meet the higheststandards of safety and

quality enter the food chain.

The Department has a long and proud record in thedevelopment of the food industry and ensuring thatconsumer health and safety are at all times protected. Init’s hundred years in existence the Department hasoverseen the transformation of an industry based onsubsistence farming to a modern one which not onlyprovides high quality food for our own population butfor millions around the globe. In that time farmingsystems have radically changed, food processing anddistribution methods have been revolutionised and thefood chain has, accordingly, got more complex. In thepast decade consumer concerns about the way food isproduced and the need for greater integrity andtransparency along the chain have been brought firmlyto the fore. The overall perceptions and expectations ofsociety have also radically changed in that society wantsfood from farming systems that are economically,environmentally, ethically and socially sustainable.

The agriculture and food industry is so vital to oureconomy that we must be ready to meet thosechallenges and remain world leaders in the supply ofsafe and high quality food. At EU level I have overseenthe most fundamental shift in agricultural policy sincewe joined the Community. The recent reform of theCommon Agriculture Policy incorporates a strongemphasis on food safety and continues to enableproducers to be both efficient natural food suppliers andguardians of the landscape and environment. Thecountryside visitor cannot be but impressed by the waythese symbiotic roles are being fulfilled. The level ofregulation of activities inside every farm gate isimmense: rules on animal health, animal welfare,traceability, feedingstuffs, hygiene, chemicals, medicinesand other elements of production are in place andrigorously enforced by my Department.

The logo of the Department shows that theDepartment’s role also extends outside the farm gate. Inthis regard the Department is responsible for the safetyand integrity of the food up to the processing stage andbeyond. As at the beginning of the food chain new rulescontinue to be adopted in light of consumer concernsand the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. Therange of new proposals from my colleague David Byrne,EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection,on food law including the setting up of the EuropeanFood Authority will provide further guarantees on thesafety of our food. I wish to stress, however, that a safefood culture and practice is the responsibility of theindustry itself with the role of the regulatory authoritiesbeing that of ensuring compliance with the regulationsand assisting in the attainment of the highest standards.The Department of Agriculture and Food has

page

iii


considerable resources devoted to this task with over2,000 officers involved in inspection, monitoring,surveillance and administration. This is in addition tothe food safety activities undertaken by Teagasc, BordBia and Bord Glas which are under my aegis.

Food safety is the cornerstone of the Irish food industry;it is a non negotiable element of the production system.As was clearly demonstrated during the Foot and MouthDisease crisis in 2001, the Department’s commitment tothe protection of our food industry is total and there isno room for compromise. This booklet provides anoutline of the measures put in place by the Departmentof Agriculture and Food to ensure the safety andintegrity of the food chain. Producers, processors,distributors and others have, however, the primaryresponsibility for ensuring that only safe food is placed

on the market. In this regard, each business or linkalong the food chain has an equal and vital role. Thesuccess of the Irish food industry has been based on theattainment of the highest standards of safety andquality. I will ensure that we continue to build on thesestandards in order that the food industry can grow to itsfull potential.

Joe Walsh TDMinister for Agriculture and Food

page

iv


Noel Treacy TDMinister of State

Liam Ayleward TDMinister of State

John MaloneSecretary General of Department

of Agriculture and Food

page

1


CONTENTS

1. Introduction … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 2

2. Irish Food Supply … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 3

3. The Food Chain … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 7

3.1 The Links … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 7

3.2 The Regulatory Authorities … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 7

4. DAF Controls in the Food Chain… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 9

4.1 Registration and Identification … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 10

4.2 Feedingstuffs … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 11

4.3 Animal Health and Welfare … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 12

4.4 Veterinary Medicines… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 15

4.5 Plant Health and Crop Protection… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 18

4.6 Meat and Meat Products … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 20

4.7 Milk and Milk Products… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 25

4.8 Eggs and Egg Products … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 29

4.9 Labelling … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 30

5. State Agencies under the Aegis of DAF… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 34

1. INTRODUCTION

Ireland generally enjoys an excellent reputationthroughout the world for its food and drink. Theextensive grass based production systems underpins afood industry that is safe and natural and in harmonywith the environment. In 2001, the Agri-Food Industrywas worth €16.9 billion and exports of €6.8 billion.The sector provided a livelihood for just under 114,000farmers and direct employment in manufacturing for53,000, which accounts for almost 10% of totalemployment.

While the industry has continued to grow, it has doneso against a background of growing concern about foodsafety and consumers have raised many questions aboutproduction methods, animal welfare and environmentalissues within an overall food safety context. The EUand national governments have addressed theseconcerns through far ranging policy reforms andcomprehensive food safety measures. The key elementsin the reform of the CAP that was agreed by the EUCouncil of Ministers on 26 June 2003 in the context ofthe Mid-Term Review of Agenda 2000 include furtherenhanced links between direct payments and respect ofenvironmental, food safety and animal welfare standardsand the transfer of funding to a strengthened ruraldevelopment policy offering new measures to promotethe environment, quality and animal welfare and tohelp farmers to meet EU production standards.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland, which wasestablished by the Government in 1998, has provided asingle focus for all the state agencies involved in foodsafety regulation thereby guaranteeing the integrity ofthe control system in place in the processing,distribution and retail of food. The Department ofAgriculture and Food has the key role in ensuring thatthe legal requirements set down in national and EUregulations are fulfilled at the primary production stageup to the processing stage and beyond that for somesectors.

It must be emphasised, however, that the attainment ofhigh standards of safety and integrity in the food chainrests primarily with the industry itself with the role ofthe regulatory authorities being that of providing theassurances required by law. The Department ofAgriculture and Food is committed to pursuing thehighest possible standards of food safety for those partsof the food production chain for which it hasresponsibility.

This booklet outlines how these standards are achievedand the systems in place to protect the consumer.

page

2


page

3


2. IRISH FOOD SUPPLY

The four and a half million hectares of Irish farmland,which carries a national livestock of sixteen million, apoultry flock of thirteen million and a crop area ofabout half million acres, is the primary source of Irishfood. The annual output from this base is in the orderof one million tonnes of meat, over five and half milliontonnes of milk and five million tonnes of crops andvegetables. Output of meat and milk is very much inexcess of domestic requirements and, accordingly, thefood industry has a major export dimension making itone of the most important sectors of the economy. Thefood sector also has a very significant import dimensionparticularly for consumer products but also in morerecent years for basic commodities particularly pigmeatand poultry meat.

In 2001 the agri-food sector accounted for 8.4% of GDPand almost 10% of total employment. Output in thissector accounted for €16.9 billion with exports to thevalue of €6.8 billion and agri–food imports totallingapproximately €3.9 billion. The value of Agri-foodimports is in the order of £2 billion. The contribution ofthe sector to net foreign earnings is very significantwhen account is taken of the very high proportion ofindigenous inputs into the sector. While export marketsare critical for the industry, the domestic marketremains of vital importance. The food industry can onlygrow in an environment where there is a favourabledomestic and international perception of the qualityand safety of Irish food. In this regard the domesticmarket provides a ‘shop window’ for all that is best inIrish food.

Total Land Area 6.9 million hectaresTotal Land Used for Farming 4.7Total Grassland 4.3Total Crops 0.4

No Cattle 7.0 millionNo. Sheep 7.2No Pigs 1.8 No Poultry 12.7

Source: CSO

page

4


THE FOOD SUPPLY Meat Produced Exported Imported Human Consumption

in Ireland (tonnes) (tonnes) in IrelandBeef 579,000 297,000 16,000 66,000Sheepmeat 78,000 59,000 2,000 21,000Pigmeat 239,000 141,000 50,000 149,000Poultry 123,000 44,000 39,000 118,000Other meat 5,000 5,000 9,000 9,000

Animal Products – MilkTotal Milk1 (ex farm) 5,518,120 – – –

Drinking Milk 611,000 23,000 24,000 612,000Cream 21,000 3,000 8,000 10,000Butter 138,000 115,000 5,000 11,000Cheese 123,000 107,000 19,000 21,000Milk Powder 127,000 84,000 6,000 0

Eggs (million) 644 1,000 7,000 36,000

Crops and Vegetables Principal Cereals2

– 2001/2002 2,165,000 406,000 638,000 410,0003

Potatoes – 2000/2001 476,000 20,000 267,000 553,000Vegetables – 2001/2002 269,000 75,000 230,000 399,000

Source: CSO Supply Balance 2001

1 Figure is equivalent to 5359 million litres. Source: DAF2 Principal Cereals has been calculated as the sum of barley, wheat and oats3 Human Consumption (398,000 tonnes wheat and 12,000 tonnes oats)

Food ConsumptionAn analysis of per capita consumption data of thevarious food products over time provides valuableinformation on consumer trends and preferences.Changes in consumption are due to numerous factors,including the move to more convenient foods, changinglifestyles, nutritional and health issues, price and safety.In the accompanying table, comparative data for Irishconsumption of selected basic food products between1999 and 2001 are presented. A comparison betweenaverage Irish consumption and EU consumption forthese products is also outlined.

This data shows that per capita consumption of meat anddairy products in Ireland is well above the EU average.

page

5


IRISH CONSUMPTION OF SELECTEDFOOD ITEMS (Kg per person)

1999 2001 % Change1999/2001

All Meats 102.3 94.3 –7.8Beef & Veal 17.1 17.1 0Pigmeat 41.4 38.8 –6.3Sheep Meat 9.0 5.5 –38.9Poultry Meat 33.1 30.7 –7.3Drinking Milk (litres) 159.2 154.7 –2.8Dairy Products4 12.1 10.9 –9.9Eggs 6.9 9.4 35.1Fruits5 51.3 158.9 209.9Vegetables 91.3 103.9 13.8Potatoes6 145 146 0.7

Source: CSO

4 Butter, cheese and cream – kgs5 2001 figure includes fruit content in juices6 Including whole and processed

page

6


EU AND IRISH CONSUMPTION OF SELECTED FOOD ITEMS (Kg per person)

Source: CSO Meat supply balance 2002 average 1999-2001

Drinking milk and dairy products: EUROSTAT New Cronos Database average 1996-1998 (figures after this date were unavailable at the time of publication.)

The figures show the following:• The average Irish person consumes about 94 kg of

meat per annum, 155 litres of milk, 11 kg of dairyproducts, 9 kg of eggs, 159 kg of fruit, 104 kg ofvegetables and 146 kg of potatoes.

• Pigmeat consumption per head represents about41% of total Irish meat consumption, poultry meat33%, beef and veal 18% and sheepmeat 6%.

• Consumption of drinking milk in Ireland is twicethe EU level with cheese consumption the reverse.Butter consumption in Ireland is also below the EUaverage. Consumption of milk and dairy productshas fallen since 1996 by 6% and 11%, respectively.

• Per capita potato consumption in Ireland is doublethat of average EU consumption.

180

160

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0TotalMeat

Beef &Veal

PigMeat

SheepMeat

Ireland EU

PoultryMeat

DrinkingMilk

DairyProducts

3. THE FOOD CHAIN

3.1 The LinksThe overriding principle in the production of food isthe safety of the consumer. Accordingly, only food ofthe highest standards of safety should be placed on themarket and those businesses involved at each link of thechain have primary responsibility for ensuring that thesestandards are met. Producers, processors, distributors,retailers, caterers, etc. all share responsibility in thisprocess with the role of the regulatory authorities beingthat of ensuring that the standards achieved are incompliance with the food safety legislation.

AssuranceSafe food production is, therefore, an integrated processwhere the primary producers are linked with theprocessors and distributors right through the chain to theconsumers. The strengthening of this chain is the mainthrust of current and pending EU legislation at the coreof which is a traceability system that will provide thenecessary transparency and assurance to the consumeron the origin and production of the food. The NationalBeef Assurance Scheme and the EU Beef LabellingScheme, which are implemented by the Department ofAgriculture and Food, provide the consumer with theseassurances for one of our most important food products.In May 2001 a comprehensive traceability system wasimplemented in the sheepmeat sector, with a similarsystem implemented in the pigmeat sector in July 2002.

In July 2002, the National Pig Identification andTracing System, was implemented in conjunction withthe pig industry. Numerous Quality Assurance Schemeshave developed in response to consumer concerns apartfrom commercial reasons. These schemes are voluntaryand are aimed at fostering best practice in theproduction and processing of food. They also help todevelop much valued partnership arrangements betweenthe various links in the chain. The absence, however, ofa formal yardstick against which they are measured mayhave some drawbacks for both consumers and theindustry at large. A review group,7 representative of allsectors of the food industry, examined this and otherissues regarding quality assurance schemes andrecommended that accreditation to a recognisedinternational standard (EN45011) should be aprerequisite for all such schemes in future in order tohave the utmost credibility with the consumer.

3.2 The Regulatory AuthoritiesThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) hasoverall responsibility for the co-ordination andenforcement of food safety legislation in Ireland. It is astatutory, independent, science based agency which wasset up in 1998 dedicated to protecting public health andconsumer interests in the area of food safety andhygiene. The FSAI carries out this remit throughservice contracts with the Department of Agriculture

page

7


7 Report of the Food Quality Assurance Schemes Review Group (DAFRD)

page

8


and Food (DAF), the Department of Communications,Marine and Natural Resources, the Office of Director ofConsumer Affairs, the thirty three Local Authorities,the ten Regional Health Boards and the MarineInstitute. DAF has service contracts with the FSAI inmeat hygiene, milk and milk based products, egg andegg products, pesticide control service, borderinspection posts, the residue monitoring programme andthe zoonoses directive involving some 16008 officers(full and part time). The total number of food safetyinspection staff involved in all the agencies undercontract to the FSAI is approximately 2300.

With regard to the on-farm primary production,

including farm inputs, the Department of Agricultureand Food has responsibility for ensuring that onlyanimal and plant material that fulfills the moststringent regulatory conditions and controls is allowedinto the food chain. Most of the Department’s foodsafety resources are engaged in these activities.

The Department also co-operates with the Food SafetyPromotions Board (FSPB) in the delivery of its remit.The mission of the FSPB, which was established underthe terms of the Good Friday Agreement, is to fosterand maintain confidence in the food supply in theisland of Ireland by working in partnership with othersto protect and improve the public’s health.

The Department is actively concerned about consumer issues. Pictured at a meeting in Dublin Castle on Consumer Protectionissues in October 2002 were, from left to right: Mr Joe Walsh, TD, Minister for Agriculture and Food, Ms Mairéad Mc

Guinness, Chair of the Consumer Liaison Panel and Mr. David Byrne, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection.

8 breakdown: 1,082 Veterinary Inspectors (956 temporary), 95 Agricultural Inspectors, 86 Laboratory Staff, 309 Technical Agricultural Officers and 51Administrative Staff

page

9


4. DAF CONTROLS INTHE FOOD CHAIN

The production of food to the highest possible standardsof safety within sustainable farming systems is one of themajor goals and objectives of the Department ofAgriculture and Food. The Department pursues thisobjective through the deployment of some 2,000 staff inmonitoring, surveillance and inspection services alongthe links of the food chain within it’s area ofresponsibility:

• through the enforcement of strict regulatorystandards regarding registration, identification andlabelling, farm inputs, animal health, animalwelfare, veterinary hygiene, animal remedies, planthealth and pesticides;

• through the enforcement of EU and national rulesrelating to transport, marketing centres, processingplants, storage and distribution operations;

• through the control of imports and exports ofanimals and plants and animal and plant products;

• through the network of veterinary researchlaboratories, dairy science laboratories, the pesticidelaboratory and private laboratories;

• through close co-operation with the FSAI and otherGovernment Agencies on food safety issues.

The Department also enforces food safety controlsunder the direct payments schemes through cross-compliance with environmental, animal welfare andfood hygiene regulations. In 2002 direct payments insupport of farm incomes and environmental measures

amounted to approximately €1 billion. Under theAgenda 2000 CAP reform programme, standards ofGood Farming Practice were introduced for producersin receipt of EU payments, who make up a largemajority of farmers. Good Farming Practice obligesproducers to fulfil minimum environmental, animalwelfare and hygiene requirements or suffer penalties ofup to 100% of their annual payments in certain cases.In addition the Rural Environmental ProtectionScheme (REPS), which was introduced as part of the1992 CAP Reform Programme and continues underAgenda 2000, sets down standards for participantswhich go beyond Good Farming Practice. Some 45,000farmers participated in the first REPS and theDepartment is seeking to maximise participation underthe second Scheme, which runs from 2000–2006. TheDepartment has a system of strict controls on REPSfarmers, underpinned by financial penalties, to ensurethat they fulfil minimum farming conditions of whichfood safety is an important one.

With regard to the overall development of the foodindustry the Department provides assistance to foodcompanies, State agencies and research institutionsunder the National Development Plan. For the period2000-2006 a total of £358 million in State funds hasbeen earmarked for the industry’s needs of whichinvestment in the improvement of food safety relatedactivities commands a priority.

page

10


4.1 HERD REGISTRATION ANDANIMAL IDENTIFICATION

To provide for full traceability right through the foodchain as well as the control of animal diseases and thepayment of premia under the various EU supportschemes, the Department of Agriculture and Foodoperates a system of herd registration and animalidentification. In addition, where the producer hasapplied for direct payments, every plot of land on theholding is mapped and registered by the Department.This system now covers over 80% of Irish farmland.

Since August 2001 all persons dealing in animals orpoultry must be approved and registered as dealers bythe Department and, if applicable, must have theirpremises approved and registered. Under the legislation,factory agents and any other persons acquiring animalsfor clients even though such persons may not at anytime be physically in possession of the animals askeepers, must also be approved and registered.

CattleAll calves are tagged at birth with a uniqueidentification number, registered on a centralregistration database and issued with a passport. Thepassport records all the movements of the animal andaccompanies it throughout its life within the EU.

A herd register must be maintained on each holding.The register records information on all births,purchases, sales and deaths of bovine animals on theholding.

The movement of all bovine animals, including birthand deaths, is also captured on a central database calledthe Cattle Movement Monitoring System (CMMS).The CMMS became fully operational at the beginningof 2000 and the information recorded on it is used toverify the origin, identity and life history of bovineanimals entering the human food chain.

The traceability of beef involves cattle ear tagging with a unique number; a passport andcentral computer database.

page

11


SheepThe National Sheep Identification System (NSIS),came into effect in June 2001. It involves the individualidentification of all sheep by tagging,. Under NSIS allsheep of Irish origin must carry a tag containing thecountry code for Ireland (IE), the flock number of thefarm and an individual number. Farmers must recorddetails of all sheep on the farm and all movements onand off the farm. In the slaughter plants, the countrycode, the flock number and the individual number mustbe recorded on a label on the finished carcase. Thissystem provides full traceability back to the individualsheep and farm where it was produced. In the case oflive sheep imports, the details from the tag of thecountry of origin must also be recorded on the label puton the finished carcase.

4.2 FEEDINGSTUFFSThe 4.3 million hectares of Irish grassland providesabout 80% of the diet of cattle and sheep with thebalance mainly provided by compound feedingstuffs9.In the case of pigs and poultry, compound feedsrepresent the main diet. Annual production ofcompound feed in Ireland is around 3.5million tonneswith native cereals making up about one third of theingredients. The remaining ingredients, predominantlyplant proteins, are imported mainly from outside theEU.

Controls on FeedingstuffsThe EU regulations governing the manufacture andcontrol of compound feedingstuffs are numerous,detailed and complex. In the enforcement of theseregulations the main objectives of the Department is toensure that feedingstuffs:

• do not endanger food safety through misuse ofadditives or excess levels of undesirable substancesor products

• meet the minimum quality requirements laid downin law and that farmers are provided with accuratelabelling information on the quality of productspurchased

• do not pose a risk to animal health• are fully traceable

The Department achieves these objectives through itsinspection and laboratory services where samples are

9 Compound feedingstuffs are manufactured from plant materials, mainly cereals and plant proteins, with minerals and vitamins added to provide abalanced diet. Meat and bone meal has been banned from all ruminant feedingstuffs since 1990 and from all feeds since 1 January 2001.

Other

Ruminant

PoultryPig

COMPOUND FEED PRODUCTION 2001

3.5 million tonnes of compound feed are produced annually

page

12


checked/analysed for illegal substances, zoonoticpathogens, labelling and analytical declarations.

Licensing and RegistrationA licence is required to manufacture a compound feed ora premixture/mineral mixture for sale. Currently theDepartment has licensed 110 establishments for themanufacture of compound feeds and premixtures/mineralmixtures. In addition, all livestock producers whoproduce compound feedingstuffs must be registered orapproved by the Department. Home compounded feedcan only be used on the farm and cannot be traded.

Traceability Under the marketing of compound feedingstuff,manufacturers and retailers who place a compoundfeedingstuff on the market are obliged to keep records toensure full traceability of all compound feeds sold. Theinformation recorded includes a list of all the

ingredients, the source of these ingredients, the date ofmanufacture of the feedingstuff and the purchaser of thefeedingstuff.

4.3 ANIMAL HEALTH AND WELFARE4.3.1 ANIMAL HEALTHThe Department’s Veterinary Services primary objectiveis to safeguard animal health and public health bypreventing, controlling and eradicating animal andzoonotic10 diseases. The Diseases of Animals Act, 1996provides the basic legislation for the control anderadication of animal diseases. The work of theDepartment under this legislation entails disease controlin 16 million farm animals and 13 million birds on some141,000 holdings and the movement of all animalsbetween farms, marts, ports and abattoirs.

No holdings with cattle – 124,108No holdings with sheep – 43,682No holdings with pigs – 1,280No holdings with poultry – 10,652

Notifiable DiseasesThere are a number of animal diseases which ifsuspected or diagnosed must be notified to theDepartment or the Gardai. These are called ‘notifiablediseases’. The most widely known of these diseasesinclude Foot and Mouth Disease, Rabies, BSE, Scrapie,T.B and Brucellosis. A disease such as Foot and Mouth

10 Zoonotic diseases are animal diseases which can infect humans.There are 110 Feed Mills licenced by the Department of Agriculture

and Food.

page

13


Disease, while not of concern for human health, hasserious implications for the farming and food industryand the economy in general. The successful eradicationof the single outbreak in March 2001 and theprevention of further outbreaks manifested the scale ofthe effort required by the Department’s VeterinaryServices and the public at large in combating thisdisease. Because of the serious threat that this diseaseposes, extreme vigilance to prevent its entry to thecountry must continue to be maintained.

Imports of Live AnimalsThe importation of live animals poses a threat to thecurrent high health status of our national livestockherd. Under the EU veterinary regulations, quarantinecontrol on live farm animals coming from other EUcountries has been removed and border checks are nolonger applicable to such trade. While live farm animalsare subject to veterinary inspection at their place oforigin in the exporting country and at their place ofdestination in the importing country, theimplementation of voluntary codes of practice which

provide for additional protection measures are necessaryto safeguard against the introduction of diseases whichwould cause serious economic loss to the food industry ifintroduced into the country.

Disease Eradication ProgrammesBovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic disease in cattlethat can be passed on to humans mainly throughdrinking unpasteurised milk11. TB is detected in animalsby the tuberculin test and by post mortem veterinaryexamination at slaughter. Brucellosis in cattle is a highlycontagious disease which can be transmitted to humansby inhalation, cuts and abrasions, by droplet infectionbut most commonly by drinking raw milk from infectedcows. The only clinical symptom of brucellosis in cattleis abortion and it is obligatory under the Diseases ofAnimals Act to report all abortions to the Department’slocal District Veterinary Office (DVO).

Because of the risks posed to human health in certaincircumstances and the adverse impact on markets, it isthe policy of the Department to eradicate both diseasesthrough testing, movement restrictions anddepopulation. Currently between 3% and 4% of herdsare restricted as part of the TB eradication programme.In 2002 approximately 0.4% of the cattle populationwas removed as TB test reactors. Progress in reducingthe level of disease below these levels is provingdifficult. Pasteurisation of milk and post mortem

DAF officers at Border Inspection Point

11 The sale of raw milk for human consumption has been prohibitedin Ireland since 1997

examinations of cattle at slaughter provide protection toconsumers.

The number of herds restricted for Brucellosis is on adownward trend having fallen from over 1000 herds in1998 to a current level of about 150. The Department’sobjective is to eliminate the final sources of infection bydepopulating brucellosis herds where there is activeinfection shown up in blood tests and milk tests.

BSE BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) is a diseaseaffecting the brain and nervous system of cattle. Thefirst case of BSE in Ireland was diagnosed on 25 January1989 and up to 31 July 2003 1,271 cases werediagnosed. The incidence of the disease in Ireland isvery low representing approximately 0.002% of the totalcattle population of 7.5 million animals. TheDepartment’s primary objective is to protect theconsumer from any possible transmission of theinfective agent through the food chain and to eradicatethe disease from the national herd. The measuresinvolved include a targeted active surveillanceprogramme, the testing of all animals over 30 monthsand the implementation of a comprehensive series ofcontrol measures. The epidemiological studies of theBSE cases diagnosed in recent years indicates theeffectiveness of these measures.

Department ControlsThe following controls are operated by the Department:• Destruction: the destruction of suspect animals and

the depopulation of the entire herd where the

suspect animal is confirmed positive for BSE. In allcases the progeny and the birth cohorts of theaffected animal are traced, purchased at marketvalue, slaughtered and destroyed in the samemanner as depopulated herds.

• Ante Mortem Inspections: all animals are visuallyinspected before slaughter in meat factories for signsof BSE. As BSE is a compulsory notifiable disease,there is a statutory obligation on veterinarysurgeons, farmers and all other persons in charge ofbovine animals to notify the Department of anysuch animal suspected of being affected by BSE

• Testing of over 30 month cattle: under EUregulations all cattle over 30 months old are testedfor BSE at slaughter. Animals which fail the test areexcluded from the food chain.

• Removal of Specified Risk Material (SRM): thecause of BSE is an infectious prion located in thenervous tissues of animals. These tissues are termedSpecified Risk Material and are not allowed intothe food chain (see SRM Controls, page 23)

page

14


page

15


• Meat and Bone Meal (MBM): since 1990 meat andbone meal has been banned from inclusion of thediets of ruminant animals. Since January 2001 theban has been extended to all food producinganimals. The Department enforces very strictcontrols in the production and disposal of MBM.This is done through an inspection and licensingprocedure.

4.3.2 ANIMAL WELFAREAll animals that interact with humans are protected byanimal welfare legislation. The purpose of these laws isto ensure that animals are treated in a humane manner.Irish farmers have a good record in the care and welfareof animals. The extensive grass based nature of Irishlivestock production provides the ideal welfareenvironment for animals to grow in a stress free naturalhabitat. Such animals are less prone to diseasesrequiring veterinary treatment and the possibility ofundesirable substances getting into the food chain issignificantly diminished. The treatment of animalsoutside the farm gate during transport and in marts andin abattoirs must also ensure that stress is kept to aminimum. Adequate space, feed, watering, rest periodsetc. are critical in this regard.

While Irish animal welfare legislation goes back as far as1911, there is now a significant body of EU andnational legislation in place which covers all aspects ofanimal welfare on the farm, during transport, at marts,in abattoirs and on the seas. This legislation is backedup by International Conventions on Animal Welfare to

which the Government is a signatory. TheseConventions include the protection of animals duringtransport and at slaughter. New legislation on animalwelfare is continuing to be adopted by the EU to meetthe demands of the public for the highest ethicalstandards and provide a further boost to consumerconfidence. For example, the tethering of sows on pigfarms must be phased out by December 2005, andbattery cages for hens must be phased out by 2012.

4.4 VETERINARY MEDICINESThe legislation governing veterinary medicines (TheAnimal Remedies Act, 1993, the Animal RemediesRegulations, 1996 and the Control of Animal Remediesand their Residues Regulations, 1998) is strictlyenforced by the Department. All animal remedies arerequired to be authorised by either the Irish MedicinesBoard or by the Minister for Agriculture and Food.Animal remedies may only be used in accordance withthe conditions attached to the product authorisation.

The manufacture, importation, sale, possession and useof unauthorised products is prohibited save underlicence. It is an offence not to observe the proper doserate and withdrawal period stated on the product label.The control of veterinary medicines include thefollowing: • growth promoting hormones are strictly banned;• antibiotics, corticosteroids and prostaglandins are

prescription only medicines;• other veterinary substances that do not require a

veterinary prescription are strictly controlled; thesale of all animal remedies is prohibited save underlicence of the Minister.

• a registered veterinary surgeon may only supply orprescribe medicines for the treatment of animalsunder his or her professional care and concerningwhich he or she has been consulted in aprofessional capacity.

PenaltiesInvestigations are carried out on farm and at meatfactories to detect the use of illegal substances or abusesof authorised substances. Where evidence of the use ofhormones or other prohibitedsubstances is found in an animal orits carcase, the carcase will becondemned and live animals found tobe illegally treated will bepermanently excluded from the foodchain. Food produce is alsomonitored for residues of authorisedmedicines. Residue violations will

result in condemnation of produce, on-farminvestigations and possible prosecution. Sale outlets arealso subject to inspection. Severe penalties are imposedfor the sale, possession and use of unauthorised animalremedies; a person found guilty of an offence may beprohibited from keeping animals or animal remedies.Penalties range from £1,000 (€1,270) and/or 1 yearimprisonment for a person convicted on summaryprosecution to £250,000 (€317,500) fine and/or 10years imprisonment for a second conviction onindictment.

Since 1996, a total of 226 people have been convictedof offences under animal remedies legislation, with 66people receiving custodial sentences and fines totalling€0.89m imposed.

RecordsFarmers are required to record the administration of allanimal remedies which are designated veterinarysurgeon use only, prescription only, pharmacy only andany medicine for food producing animals which requiresobservation of a withdrawal period, e.g. anthelmintics,intramammaries. The form of record is set out below:

page

16


All veterinary medicines administered to animals on the farm must be recorded in the register.

page

17


ResiduesResidue MonitoringThe Residue Monitoring Plan is one of a range ofmeasures implemented by the Department that isdesigned to safeguard consumers from illegal residues.The range of products sampled includes red meat, whitemeat, milk, aquaculture, wildgame and poultry. Samplesare taken at both farm and primary processing plantlevels, but designed to target animals or products, whichare more likely to contain illegal residues. Where apositive result is detected in the laboratory, a follow-up

investigation is conducted at the farm of origin with aview to taking the necessary enforcement measures.

Meat processors are also obliged to implement approvedresidue monitoring measures in respect of animalssupplied to them. Where animals test ‘positive’, eachprocessor must apply significantly increased levels oftesting to subsequent consignments of animals from thesuppliers in question.

Results of TestsWhile the objective of the Department of Agricultureand Food is to eliminate all residues from food, theresults of the monitoring tests for 2002, nevertheless,provide a reassuring message for consumers. Of the74,665 samples taken across eleven sectors there were398 positive for residues representing 0.53% of the totalsampled. There were no residues detected in eggs,equine, game or honey while residues in milk,poultrymeat and sheepmeat were also practically absent.During 2002, despite a continued high level ofmonitoring both at farm and factory levels, no residueswere found of growth promoters covered by the EUhormone ban. The absence of banned hormonal growthpromoter in Irish beef and other meat, as indicated bythese results, is reassuring for consumers and reflects thefruits of rigorous enforcement by the Department in pastyears and the responsible approach being adopted byfarmers.

All food products are sampled for residues

page

18


4.5 PLANT HEALTH AND CROPPROTECTION

PLANT HEALTHThe production of healthy crops of cereals, roots,vegetables and fruit is a key feature of a safe andsustainable food chain. The Department of Agricultureand Food plays a vital role in regulating the sector toprevent the import of harmful plant diseases, theprevention of contaminants and the overallmaintenance of quality standards which contribute tosafer food.

Quality StandardsDepartment officers enforce EU quality standardscovering most fruit and vegetables marketed in Ireland

through inspections at wholesale and retail level. Whilethe focus of these standards is to ensure visual uniformity,they also require that the produce must be free of anyvisible foreign matter and damage caused by pests anddiseases. The product must be fit for human

RESULTS OF RESIDUE SAMPLING IN 2002Sector No. of Samples No. of Positives Type of ResidueAquaculture12 1,087 32 B3 (e) Malachite Green/Leuco Malachite Green Bovine 9,112 71 Antibiotics Eggs 188 none noneEquine 535 none noneFarmed Game (Deer) 57 none noneHoney 29 none noneMilk 896 1 AntibioticOvine 1,444 6 AntibioticPorcine 57,985 283 antibioticPoultry 3,288 5 AntibioticWild Game 44 none noneGrand Totals 74,665 398

Source: DAF

12The Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources is a Regulatory Authority.

page

19


consumption. The Department also carries out on-farmaudits under the Grain Assurance Scheme. This schemeraises awareness of the food safety aspects of cropproduction and is designed to give a measure of assurancethat grain and other combinable crops marketed underthe scheme are produced handled, stored and transportedaccording to a defined code of practice.

CROP PROTECTIONAll crops, despite the efforts of plant breeders and majortechnical progress, are vulnerable to destructive diseasesand pests. Diseases and pests can reduce yieldconsiderably and the quality of the end product is alsoaffected. Plant protection products, therefore, play avital role in the production of high quality products atprices, which can be afforded by the consumer.

The Department is responsible for the regulation andcontrol of plant protection products and the monitoringof pesticide residues in food and feed.

Before any plant protection product can be sold to agrower, it must conform to very rigid controls inaccordance with EU and Irish legislation. Thesecontrols are designed to ensure that no harmful effectsarise for human and animal health and that there is nounacceptable influence on the environment.

Only plant protection products which can be used safelyare authorised for marketing and use and then only in amanner that minimises the risks for consumers, workersand the environment. The use of plant protectionproducts on crops for which they are not approved isnot permitted.

Residue LimitsMaximum Residue Limits are established to control thelevel of pesticide residues in plant and animal products.MRL’s are the highest level of residue permitted inindividual crops and which if continually present wouldstill not pose a health risk to the consumer.

Sample type % of samplesexceeding the MRLs

Fruit and Vegetables 3.4%Cereals 0.0%Food of animal origin 0.0%Source: DAF

The Department’s annual pesticide residue monitoringprogramme involves the analysis of samples of fruit andvegetables, cereals and food of animal origin (meat, milkand dairy produce). Both domestic and imported produce

page

20


is sampled. To ensure that producers of individual foodconsignments can be traced, sampling is mainly carriedout at wholesale level or point of collection/assembly. Inthe case of meat it is done at factory level.

Each fruit, vegetable and cereal sample is analysed atthe Department’s Pesticide Control Laboratory for 89pesticides/metabolites. The dairy produce and meatsamples are analysed for 50 and 56 pesticides/metabolites respectively. Use is made of the mostmodern analytical technology and procedures with aview to detecting the most minute quantities ofpesticides in food. To ensure the quality of the results,the laboratory has achieved accreditation to the highestinternational standard, ISO 17025.

The results of the analytical work which is given in thetable shows that the number of samples exceeding theMRLs in 2000 is very low. This compares favourablywith the results of other EU countries. Where MRL’s areexceeded intake calculations are carried out to checkthat there is no danger to the consumer from theconsumption of these products.

4.6 MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTSThe Veterinary Public Health Service of the Departmentis responsible for ensuring that the highest achievablestandards of food safety and animal welfare are achievedin meat processing plants. This is done through theoperational delivery of effective monitoring, surveillanceand inspection programmes in those plants. Thelegislation governing the production of meat is set out inthe various EU and national regulations.

4.6.1 SLAUGHTERING/PROCESSINGPREMISES

Fresh MeatOnly premises that meet the minimum standards setdown in the meat hygiene regulations are approved bythe Department to slaughter, process and store meat.Minimum standards relating to structures andequipment, operational programmes including aHACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan,staff training and medical certification must be in place.Meat plants are broken down into two categories:‘export approved’ and ‘domestic’.

DAF Veterinary Officers are permanently located in all majormeat plants.

LEGENDBeef, sheepmeat &pigmeatPoultry Plants

ExportApprovedAbattoirs

page

21


EU approved plantsAll abattoirs slaughtering over 1000 units annually mustbe approved in accordance with the EuropeanCommunities (fresh meat) regulations 1997. Plantsapproved under these regulations are entitled to export.As shown in the table there are a total of 204 plantswith an export licence, including abattoirs, cuttingplants and cold stores

EU Approved PlantsTotal No. of Plants 204of which: Abattoirs 82

Cutting Plants 113Cold Stores 72

Veterinary Inspectors (VIs) are permanently located inall EU approved slaughter houses and cutting plants andare responsible for the ante mortem inspection services,inspections of structural and operational hygienestandards and other controls. Other meat processingplants that do not have permanent veterinary presenceare inspected regularly by Department Officers to ensurecompliance with the meat hygiene regulations. VIs areassisted by technical agricultural officers in carrying outpublic health and associated duties. In addition to theDepartment’s inspectorate, there are approximately 750veterinary practitioners employed part-time by theDepartment to carry out meat inspection duties in EUapproved abattoirs.

Low capacity abattoirsPlants which slaughter under 1,000 livestock unitsannually are termed low capacity abattoirs and theyslaughter exclusively for the domestic market. Theseabattoirs are also subject to annual licensing by theDepartment but all the operational aspects - ante

mortem, post mortem examination, etc., are under thesupervision and control of the Local Authorityveterinary services.

The breakdown of slaughterings between exportapproved plants and domestic plants, outlined in thetable on the following page, shows that 93% of all cattlesheep and pig slaughterings and all poultry slaughteringswere carried out in export approved premises under thedirect control of the Department of Agriculture andFood in 2002.

4.6.2 PROCEDURES IN SLAUGHTERINGPLANTS

• Ante-mortem Inspection: Each animal presentedfor slaughter is examined by the VeterinaryInspector to assess its fitness for slaughter for humanconsumption. In the case of cattle, only animalswhich pass the CMMS check, which confirmsownership and traceability, are accepted. If theidentity and origin cannot be established, theanimals are seized and destroyed by the Department.

• Post-mortem Inspection: All animals are subjectedto post-mortem inspection by a Veterinary Inspectorto ensure that the meat is fit for humanconsumption. Meat unfit for human consumption isnot allowed enter the food chain.

• Checks on Hygiene Rules and Plant Operations:The Veterinary Inspector carries out checks on allaspects of plant hygiene and operations includingslaughtering, carcase dressing, handling of edibleand inedible offals, cutting and further processing,wrapping, packing, storage and transport. Theresults of these checks are recorded and, in the case

page

22


of non-compliance, appropriate enforcement actionis initiated.

No of Animals and PoultrySlaughtered in 2002

EU Approved Low CapacityPlants Abattoirs

No Abattoirs 61 281

Total No Animals 7.59 million 0.54 millionCattle 1.67 million 0.10 millionSheep 2.91 million 0.37 millionPigs 3.01 million 0.07 million

Total Poultry 76.2 million –Broilers 64.8 million –Hens 5.1 million –Turkeys 3.6 million –Ducks 2.7 million –

Source: DAF

• SRM Controls: Under the SRM13 control measuresfor cattle and sheep, all SRM material must beremoved at the slaughter plant, stained, segregatedand transported to designated SRM rendering plantsfor destruction. Daily checks on compliance withthe SRM legislation are carried out by thepermanent Veterinary Inspectors of the Departmentresponsible for each export slaughter plant. Where the rules are breached, Veterinary Inspectorsare required to serve a notice suspending slaughter atthe plant until proper procedures are implemented.

• Animal Welfare Checks: Checks are carried out

daily by the Veterinary Inspector on livestockunloading procedures, intake procedures, lairagefacilities and handling, movement to stunning area,stunning procedures and ritual slaughter. In theevent that welfare is compromised, enforcementaction is initiated, including if necessary suspensionof slaughter.

• Residue Sampling: Under the Residue MonitoringPlan drawn up in compliance with CouncilDirective 96/23/EC, Veterinary Inspectors atslaughtering plants take random and targetedsamples of specified tissues for residue analysis at theCentral Meat Control Laboratory, the StateLaboratory and other participating laboratories. TheVeterinary Inspector may also take samples from anymeat where there is a suspicion that such meatcontains residues above the legal limits. In thesecases the sampled meat is detained until the resultsare received. Any meat found to contain residues iscondemned and is removed from the food chain.

13 For cattle SRM is defined as the skull, brain, eyes, tonsils and spinal cord of cattle over 12 months of age and the intestines from the duodenum to therectum of cattle of all ages. For sheep SRM is defined as the skull, brain, tonsils, eyes and spinal cord of animals over 12 months or that have onepermanent incisor erupted through the gum, and the spleen of animals of all ages.

Detailed veterinary checks are carried out on every animal slaughtered.

• BSE Sampling: It has been a requirement since 1stJanuary 2001 that all animals over 30 months,destined for human consumption must be screenedfor BSE using a rapid test approved by the EUCommission. The sampling is carried out atslaughtering plants under supervision of theVeterinary Inspectors. All parts of tested animals aredetained under official control until the test resultsare received.

• Health Marking and Certification: EU andnational legislation requires that meat and meatproducts bear a health mark conforming to therequirements of the relevant Directives. Healthmarking is carried out under the responsibility ofthe Veterinary Inspector. The health mark may beapplied directly to meat, or may be printed onwrapping or packaging materials. The VeterinaryInspector is required to provide certification of meatand meat products being exported to certain EUand Third Countries.

• HACCP Programmes and Monitoring of OwnChecks: HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical ControlPoint) is a prevention based food safetymanagement system used to ensure the safeproduction of food. It is based on the identificationof ‘hazards’ which can arise in the course of the foodproduction process which unless eliminated orreduced could cause adverse health problems forconsumers. Under EU regulations the Departmentenforces HACCP programmes for meat products,minced meat and meat preparations. Theseprogrammes will be extended to other areas of foodproduction including slaughter and cutting of freshmeat under current EU proposals. In plants wherethe HACCP system is not in place, operators arerequired to regularly carry out their own checks onthe general hygiene of conditions of productionincluding microbiological checks, checks on theutensils, fittings and machinery at all stages ofproduction and checks on products. The VeterinaryInspector analyses the results of these checks andnotifies the conclusions and recommendation of theanalyses to the operator in a written report.

• Carcase Hygiene Evaluation Programme: Underthis programme, the Department’s objective is toreduce the potential for cross contamination duringcarcase dressing and to increase awareness amongmeat industry operators of the risks to public healtharising from cross contamination. Carcases andmeat products are checked for the presence ofpathogenic bacteria such as salmonella and Ecoli.The Department carries out surveillance

page

23


programmes to test for the presence of suchpathogens on a wide range of animal products.

E.coli 0157:Escherichia coli (E.coli) is an organism commonly foundin the intestinal tract of humans and animals most ofwhich are harmless and do not cause any illness. Onestrain called verocytotoxygenic E.coli which is carried bysome cattle can cause serious illness in humans. Thisstrain is also referred to as VTEC E.coli or E.coli 0157.

The source of contamination in meat is usually faecalmatter transferred during the slaughtering andprocessing operations. Milk can also be contaminatedduring milking operations, while vegetables can becontaminated by slurry spread on the land. The highrisk foods are undercooked meats, unpasteurised orcontaminated pasteurised milk, cheeses and yoghurt,and raw fruit and vegetables.

To reduce the potential for cross contamination atcarcase dressing in slaughterhouses, the Departmentintroduced the clean cattle programme in 1999. Underthis programme, only cattle that meet minimumhygiene standards are accepted for slaughter.

Salmonella: A number of strains of Salmonella can cause serious illnessand food poisoning in humans. The Department ofAgriculture and Food operates an independentmonitoring programme for the poultry industry (see page30 ). This programme has now being extended to thepigmeat sector. Under the pigmeat programme, which iscurrently underway, all pig herds will be categorised onthe basis of Salmonella incidence detected over threesampling periods per year. A central data base willprovide up- to- date information on the Salmonella statusof each herd and each pig producer will be issued with acertificate indicating his/her status. Pigs must also beaccompanied to the slaughter plant with a validcertificate or otherwise the pigs will be downgraded tothe lowest status. Pigs presented for slaughter must also befully traceable back to the farm of origin. As Salmonellacategorisation may have financial implications forproducers it is expected that the Salmonella MonitoringProgramme will bring the Salmonella status of thenational pig herd to a very high level.

4.6.3 MEAT IMPORTSThe Department is responsible for regulating theimports of meat products (and all animal products) intothe country. These imports must comply with certainconditions:

– The products must come from an establishment, inthe EU or third countries that have been approvedby the EU Commission for trade/export to theEuropean Community.

– Consignments of products from countries outside theEU can only be brought into the Community

page

24


through a border inspection post or port or airportwhich has been approved by the EU Commission forimportation from third countries. The ports andairports approved in Ireland are: Dublin Port andShannon Airport.

– Importers into Ireland of all animal products must beregistered with the Department, provide prior noticeto the Department of the impending importconsignment and present the necessarydocumentation including health certificates onarrival.

– Consignments that fail to meet the Veterinaryregulatory requirements are re-exported or destroyed.

4.6.4 GENERAL ENFORCEMENT OF MEATHYGIENE CONTROLS:

Veterinary Inspectors have been given the necessarypowers under national legislation to take appropriateenforcement actions in the case of non-compliances orbreaches of the regulations. Non-compliances arecategorised according to the risk to the consumer:

Category 1 defects are those which constitute animmediate threat to public health. In these cases, theVeterinary Inspector may suspend production or prohibitthe use of all or part of the plant or equipment until therisk has been eliminated; Category 2 defects are deemedto pose a potential threat to public health and in thesecases the Veterinary Inspector serves a notice requiringthe owner or person in charge of the establishment tocorrect the defects within a specified time scale.

4.7 MILK AND MILK PRODUCTSEU Standards for dairy farms The hygiene and public health protection rules for theproduction and processing of milk are set out in theCouncil Directive 92/46/EEC which is implemented inIreland by S.I. No. 9 of 1996. These rules applythroughout the European Union. The Department’sinspectorate is responsible for enforcing this legislationthrough the inspection of milking facilities on the farm,pasteurisation plants and manufacturing premises andthe taking of samples of the finished product foranalysis. The Dairy Produce Inspectorate of theDepartment has responsibility for the inspection of allestablishments manufacturing milk based products andof the holdings on which milk for manufacturing isproduced. The Department of Agriculture and Food’sVeterinary Inspectorate is responsible for establishmentswhich process milk for human consumption with theon-farm inspection of farms producing such milk carriedout by veterinary officers employed by the LocalAuthorities. However, where the Local Authority is not

page

25


Meat exports of 546,000 tonnes and imports of 100,000 tonnes are underDepartment of Agriculture and Food control.

page

26


in a position to carry out such an inspection, then theproducer must have it carried out by a privatepractitioner. In all cases, producers are required toprovide to their milk purchaser a certificate, signed by aveterinarian, testifying that the animal health criteriaare being respected.

No. of dairy establishmentsManufacturing Milk Farms 23,650Drinking Milk Farms 2,985Drinking Pasteurisation Plants 18Establishments producing both drinking

milk & milk-based products 8Milk Processing Establishments 59Small-scale (farmhouse) dairy produce

manufacturing establishments 68Milk Collection Centres 26

4.7.1 Dairy FarmsOnly producers who have a milk quota and who fulfilstringent animal health criteria may supply milk forhuman consumption. The inspection of dairy farms iscarried out to ensure that farm structures, the health statusof the cows and the hygienic practices employed duringmilking meet the appropriate standards. Milk processorsare required to maintain a register of the milk productionholdings which supply them with their milk. Theregulations in place ensure that only milk from animalsshowing no sign of diseases transmissible to humansthrough milk is supplied for human consumption.

Where an inspection of a holding reveals that the

facilities and/or hygienic conditions are inadequate, theselling of milk from that holding for human consumptionis suspended. The suspension remains in place until theproducer becomes fully compliant with the regulations.

To ensure the highest standards of hygiene on milkingpractices, the following conditions are applied:

• Each cow must be identifiable• No dusty work may be carried out immediately

before or during milking• The milker must maintain the highest standards of

personal hygiene• Foremilk from each cow must be examined and if

abnormal, it must be withheld from delivery• Immediately after milking, the milk must be cooled

and stored hygienically in the dairy until collectionor delivery

• Milking equipment must be thoroughly cleanedafter each milking and then hygienically stored

• The water supply for milking, cleansing and coolingoperations must meet the standards set down in ECDirective 80/778 (The responsibility for

implementing this Directive rests with the SanitaryAuthorities).

Under S.I. No. 9 of 1996, milk intended for humanconsumption, whether for drinking or for manufacturing,must have a total bacteria count of not more than100,000 per ml. and a somatic cell count of not morethan 400,000 per ml. The regulations also require thatmilk must be free of any residues that are liable to beharmful to human health. While only milk of aminimum standard may be sold, the vast majority of milkprocessors set quality standards for their milk suppliersgreatly in excess of those set down in the Regulations.Failure to meet these standards generally results in alower price for the milk supplied by the producer.

4.7.2 Pasteurisation and Processing PlantsThe sale of raw cows’ milk for direct humanconsumption has been prohibited in Ireland since 1997.All cows’ milk must be pasteurised to destroy harmfulpathogens, which could be passed on to the consumer.

Milk pasteurising and processing establishments have tobe approved by the Department for the production offood for human consumption. The approval iscontingent on the premises being of suitable structuralstandard, having appropriate technical facilities andwhere good manufacturing and hygienic practices areapplied. They must also have adequately staffed andequipped laboratory facilities to carry out the testingprescribed by the regulations or make satisfactoryarrangements to have such testing carried out elsewhere.Drinking milk and milk based products that have beenproduced at an approved premises must bear a special

Health Mark which incorporates the approval numberof the establishment.

Department inspectors carry out an inspectionprogramme at least six times a year on pasteurisationplants. Inspections are also carried out on processingplants and ‘farmhouse’ dairy product establishments. Inaddition comprehensive inspections by senior officersare carried out annually.

Samples of the finished products are taken duringinspection and sent for analysis to the Department’sDairy Science Laboratories at Dublin, Cork andLimerick or the Regional Veterinary Laboratories atSligo and Waterford. They are subjected to a range ofchemical and microbiological tests as a check on themanufacturers’ systems of control. Products are alsosampled for pesticide residues under the PesticideResidue Monitoring Programme (see page 17).

page

27


Dairy Products sampled include:

• Butter • Dairy desserts• Fat spreads • Cream• Cheese (pasteurised and unpasteurised)• Mousse • Pasteurised milk• Flavoured milk drinks • Ice-cream• Yoghurts • Frozen dairy product• Chocolate crumb • UHT/Sterilised milk• Casein/Casein • Skim milk powder• Whole milk powder

Microbiological TestsUnder Council Directive 92/46/EEC, minimummicrobiological standards with which dairy products mustcomply in order to trade within the EU are set down.These standards relate to Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella,Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the presence ofcoliforms and the “total plate count”. Where thesestandards are breached, the product may be detained orwithdrawn from the market followed by a thorough re-evaluation of the hygiene standards in the place ofmanufacture.

In cases where the presence of antibiotics in milk/milkbased product is confirmed or where othercontamination of a kind presenting danger to humanhealth is discovered, the product in question must bedetained or withdrawn from the market.

In such cases a ‘Notice of detention/ withdrawal ofproduct under S.I. No. 9 of 1996’ is issued by theDairy Produce Inspectorate. For breaches of theregulations, the Department may suspend production,order the reprocessing, disposal or destruction of theproduct or withdraw the approval of the establishment.

Operators may also be penalised in the Courts forbreaches of the regulations.

4.7.3 Packing PremisesWhere an approved premises is carrying out a portioningand/or packing operation of dairy products (usuallycheese) for eventual retail sale, the following rules apply:Products manufactured in Ireland or another EUMember State• The products must have been accompanied during

transport, by a commercial document containingsufficient information for the nature of the heattreatment to which they were subjected to beestablished; the document must indicate the name

page

28


There are 186 milk processing establishments approvedand inspected by DAF

MilkProcessingPlants

page

29


of the controlling authority and be retained by theconsignee for at least one year;

• Imported product ready for retail sale must bear theHealth Mark of the premises where manufacturingwas completed;

• The final product, if repackaged, should bear theIrish Health Mark of the premises concerned;

• In the case of cheese made with raw milk, the finalproduct must in all cases bear the words “made withraw milk”;

• Sampling of products must be carried out at regularintervals

Imports from Third Countries• The products must be accompanied during transport

by a Health Certificate signed by the competentauthority of the Third Country, stating the name ofthe premises of manufacture and that the milk-based product(s) meet(s) the requirements ofChapter II of Council Directive 92/46/EEC;

• The name of the Third Country concerned mustappear on the list given in the Annex toCommission Decision 95/340/EC.

4.8 EGGS AND EGG PRODUCTSPRODUCTION AND MARKETINGThe Department of Agriculture and Food is responsiblefor the enforcement of the EU regulations governingthe production and marketing of eggs from the farm tothe retail outlet. This is done through inspection,sampling and surveillance of farms, packing centres,

storage depots, wholesale premises and retail outlets. In2001 a total of 541 million eggs were produced andmarketed from 273 farms and 100 packing centres.

Hen eggs marketed in Ireland must be graded for qualityand weight, and marketed, packed, labelled, transportedand presented for sale, in accordance with the EURegulations. Under certain conditions eggs may be solddirectly to the consumer from the producer’s farm, in alocal public market or by door to door selling providedthe eggs come from the producer’s own production.

Eggs may also be marketed as “free range” or as eggsproduced from one of the other systems defined in theRegulation. Producers and packers of free range eggsmust be registered with the Department and must keepappropriate records.

Indication of origin is permitted on egg packs providedthe packer is registered with the Department for use ofthe term of origin and suitable records are kept as proof.The use of incubated eggs for trade in eggs for human

Over 540 million eggs are produced annually in Ireland.

consumption is an offence under the marketingRegulations.

Egg packs must bear a “Best Before” date. The dateshown as “Best Before” is 28 days after the date oflaying, but eggs must be sold to the consumer within 21days after the date of laying.

The EU Regulations (SI No. 293 of 1991 and No. 419of 1992) specify the hygiene and health requirementsconcerning the production and the placing on themarket of egg products for direct human consumption orfor the manufacture of foodstuffs. The legislation alsoprescribes conditions for the approval of premises, thehealth, hygiene and supervision of production and forthe storage and markings of egg products. TheDepartment is responsible for enforcing this legislation.

SALMONELLA CONTROL PROGRAMMEThe Department operates a comprehensive independentsalmonella monitoring programme within the poultryindustry for all salmonella types that cause foodpoisoning and serious illness in humans. In meat plantssamples are taken from poultry carcases and sent for

testing to the Central Meat Laboratory. In additionthere is strict monitoring of hatcheries, table eggproducing farms, growing and rearing farms, and poultryfeedmills. The heat treatment of poultry feed iscompulsory. All positive poultry flocks are destroyed.The industry is also involved in this programme andthrough a network of private laboratories, approved bythe Department, forwards results of samples taken to theDepartment’s Salmonella Control Database.

4.9 LABELLING4.9.1 GENERAL LABELLINGAll pre-packaged prepared meals on sale within the EUmust be labelled in accordance with Council Directive2000/13/EC relating to the labelling presentation andadvertising of foodstuffs. In summer 2003, responsibilityfor food labelling legislation was transferred from theDepartment of Enterprise, Trade & Employment to theDepartment of Health & Children as a result of thereport of the Food Labelling Group. This legislation isenforced by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland throughthe Environmental Health Services of the Health Boards.

Most pre-packaged foods (unless specifically exempt)must provide a list of their ingredients on the label toinform the consumer of the exact nature of the foodbeing purchased. This also provides for a system ofrecord keeping and documentation by manufacturers,processors and packagers etc, to enable them to track themovement of the ingredients of a product throughoutthe food chain. It is the responsibility of thosemanufacturing and/or packaging the food to ensure thatthis information is correct and true. With regard to the

page

30


page

31


origin of a food, an indication of the place of origin orprovenance of a foodstuff is required on the label underthe Labelling Regulations only where its absence mightmislead the consumer to a material degree.

4.9.2 BEEF LABELLINGThe Department of and Food is the responsibleAuthority in Ireland for the implementation of CouncilRegulation EC 1760/ 2000 governing the labelling ofbeef and beef products.

Voluntary beef labelling came into operation on 1 July1998 under EC Council Regulation 820/97. Themeasure which was introduced in the wake of the 1996BSE crisis was designed to restore consumer confidencein beef products by providing accurate and verifiable

information at the point of sale to the consumer on theorigin and production of the beef.

Under the beef labelling regulations all information puton fresh, chilled and frozen beef at the point of sale,other than that which can be easily checked, must havebeen approved by the Department.

Compulsory Beef LabellingThe first stage of Compulsory Beef Labelling came intooperation on 1 September 2000. Since that dateoperators or organisations are legally obliged to provideconsumers with the following information on the beefthey purchase

– the animal or group of animals from which the beefwas derived

All beef at the point of sale must be labelled with the above information.

– the approval number and country of theslaughterhouse

– the approval number and country of the deboninghall.

The following additional information has beencompulsory since 1 January 2002.

– country of birth– country where fattening took place– country where slaughter took place.

Where beef is derived from animals, born fattened andslaughtered in the same country the indication on thelabel may be given as ‘ORIGIN’. As practically all cattleslaughtered in Ireland were born and raised in Ireland,the label will carry ‘Ireland’.

By way of exception to the compuslory beef labellingsystem set out above, operators preparing minced beefneed only indicate on the label the words ‘prepared in(name of country)’, and if the country or countries oforigin are not the same as the country of preparation,

the words ‘origin (name of country)’. However, areference number or reference code ensuring the linkbetween the meat and the animal or group of animals isstill required. A batch of minced beef does not have tocome from the same abattoir, it must, however, comefrom the same Member State. A batch may not, in anycase, exceed the production of one day in the mincemeat plant.

Voluntary Beef LabellingWhen a processor or retailer makes a claim about thebeef they are selling (other than that outlined aboveunder the compulsory labelling) that is not obvious bylooking at the product (such as the weight or type ofcut), then these claims must also be approved by theDepartment. This is called voluntary labelling.

For example, labels containing the following type ofinformation, relating to the animals from which the beefwas produced, must be approved under the scheme:-

• steer, heifer, cow or bull• method of fattening• age at slaughter• method or length of maturation of the beef• beef breed, or breed name• organically reared• other information which cannot be easily checked.

Beef may continue to be marketed, labelled withinformation easily checked at point of sale without thenecessity for prior approval by the Department ofAgriculture and Food. The following are examples ofthe type of information for which approval is notnecessary:

page

32


• name of product or cut• product weight• price• ‘best before’ or ‘use by’ date• storage conditions or conditions of use;• name and address of manufacturer, packager or

seller• health mark required by the Fresh Meat Directive

64/433/EEC• protected designation of origin or protected

geographical indication.

The information put on a label has to be accurate andverified by an independent body (certified toEN45011). If the label is approved then it will also haveto carry the name or the logo of the retailer or processorproviding this information.

PenaltiesFailure to comply strictly with the compulsory beeflabelling system or the approved specification under thevoluntary beef labelling system shall, at the discretion ofthe Department of Agriculture and Food, result eitherin the imposition of additional conditions or withdrawalof the approval.

The Department of Agriculture and Food will requirethe removal from the market of beef labelled andmarketed either without an approved specification orwithout compliance with the labelling specification asapproved, until the label is removed or the beef is re-labelled in conformity with the labelling system.

Breaches of the regulations governing the beef labelling

system may result in prosecutions in Court. UnderStatutory Instrument (S.I.) 435 of 2000 (EC Labellingof beef and beef products) and Statutory Instrument(S.I.) 485 of 2000 (amendment) a fine not exceeding€2,500 or a period not exceeding six monthsimprisonment or both can be applied.

page

33


5. STATE AGENCIESUNDER THE AEGISOF THE DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE,FOOD AND RURALDEVELOPMENT

There are three State Agencies operating under theaegis of the Department who play a major role in thepromotion of and advisory/training in food safety.

Teagasc – the Agriculture and Food Authority – is thenational body with responsibility for providing advisory,training, research and development services geared tothe Irish agriculture and food industry and ruralcommunities. It provides integrated research, advisoryand training services on all aspects of food safety andfood assurance.

Bord Bia works in partnership with industry to promoteIrish food and drink and to develop markets forcommercial advantage. It operates a number of QualityAssurance Schemes in the food sector. Currently thereare schemes in operation for beef, pigmeat and eggs anda poultry scheme has also been developed.

The Bord Bia schemes are HACCP based and seek toidentify the risk areas along the production chain andthe corresponding control measures that need to be putin place to minimise these risks. Product included underthe schemes can carry a Quality Assured Mark, whichcan be used to communicate the high standards that theproduct has attained.

Bord Glas, the Horticultural Development Board, isresponsible for assisting the production, marketing andconsumption of horticultural produce. It also operates aQuality Programme which has been developed over thelast decade. Over this period it has evolved in line withchanging and increasing demands. Consumers demand

page

34


page

35


produce which has been produced, handled, packagedand transported to the highest standard of quality andhygiene in a clean and environmentally friendlymanner. The Quality Programme has been developed toassist the industry address consumer concerns byensuring the correct standards are in place. Itencompasses all the production sectors of the

horticultural industry and includes prepackers of freshfruit and vegetables.

There are currently 650 horticultural enterprisesparticipating in the Bord Glas Quality Programme. Allparticipants are independently inspected twice per year.

page

36


OFFICES OF THE DEPARTMENTOF AGRICULTURE & FOOD

THE SAFEFOODCHAIN …

… Every Linkis VitalFOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Food Safety Liaison UnitDepartment of Agriculture & Food

Agriculture HouseKildare Street

Dublin 2, IrelandTelephone: 01-607 2046/607 2443

Website: www.agriculture.gov.ie

Documents

THE SAFE FOODCHAIN - Agriculture