Imports - OVS Note 08/07
Article 24 notification for poultry meat preparations contaminted with salmonella
This letter is addressed to BIPs in England only for action and to Chief Port Health Officers for information.
As you know Article 24 of the vet checks Directive 97/78/EC is implemented into English law by Regulations 23 and 26 of the Products of Animal Origin (Third Country Imports) (England) Regulations 2006 and Regulation 26 is applied where there has been a serious infringement or repeated infringement of public or animal health requirements in a product from a particular third country, part of a third country or establishment in a third country.
We have received enquiries from BIPs as to whether Article 24 notification procedures should be applied for poultry meat preparations following sampling that tested positive for Salmonella.
The Agency would advise that BIPs focus their examination activities on imports of cooked poultry and other ready to eat products rather than looking for microbiological contaminants in poultry meat preparations that are to be cooked prior to consumption. It would be preferable for BIP resources to be used to target higher risk commodities, given the critical control steps that meat preparations will go through.
We would also request that when BIPs check products of animal origin for Salmonella, that the lab is asked to submit the isolate for serotyping. Details of how to do this can be found at www.ukmeat.org. Via this website, the Agency will provide a biobottle, postage and a small payment to cover lab costs.
If you require any information on the policy aspects of this testing or on the funding of the testing, contact my colleague Mary Howell. Her telephone number is 020-7276 8373 and her Email address is mary.howell@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.
The advice contained in this letter should not be taken as an authoritative statement of the law or its interpretation. Only the courts can decide whether in particular circumstances an offence has been committed.
You should also be aware that there is an imports section on the Food Standards Agency’s website. This may be found at www.food.gov.uk/imports
I hope this is helpful.
Yours sincerely
Mary Heaton
Imported Food Division
Page published:
30 January, 2008