The meat hygiene committee of the world food standards body Codex Alimentarius has approved the integration of rules on meat processing into its draft code of hygienic practice for meat.


These guidelines would henceforth apply to “processed meat” and “meat preparations” as well as fresh meat.


The rules have been developed to make meat industries assess the risks posed by disease, rather than addressing specific pathogens, which may not affect all countries. Committee specialists were especially keen to ensure standards on ante- and post-mortem inspections of livestock were inserted into the code, “to reduce hazards of public and animal health significance.”