Food Act (Control of Slaughtering) Regulations

1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 Food Act (Control of Slaughtering) Regulations (1st March, 1992) 1. These Regulations may be cited as the Food Act (Control of Slaughtering) Regulations. 2. In these Regulations "carcass" means the body of a slaughtered animal after bleeding and dressing and, in relation to poultry, the whole body of a bird after bleeding, plucking and eviscerating; "dressing" means (a) in relation to the slaughtering of pigs, the removal of hair and bristles, claws, eyelids, viscera, genital organs and urinary bladder; (b) in relation to the slaughtering of an animal other than pigs. the removal of the head. hide or skin, viscera, genital organs, urinary bladder, udders, in the case of a lactating animal, and feet up to the carpal and tarsal joints; or (c) in relation to the plucking and eviscerating of poultry, the removal of legs at the tarsus or the head is optional; "edihle offal" means such offals as have been passed as fit for human consumption; "giblets" means the liver from which the bile sac has been removed, the heart with or without the pericardial sac and the gizzard from which the lining and contents have been removed and any other edible material; "fit for human consumption" means meat, poultry or giblets which have been passed as such by an authorized officer and in which no changes due to 72 S.l. 36 of 1992 Citation. Interpretation. 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 Animal or poultry for slaughter to be fit forhuman lmnaumption. Treatment of animal or poultry Transportof animal. Treaunem uf poultry. Conditions of animals and pnllltry prinrtn slaughter. disease, decomposition or contamination have subsequently been found; "pest" means any animal or insects capable directly or indirectly of contaminating food; "poultry" means any domesticated bird and the flesh thereof, "poultry processing plant" means any premises desig nated under section 9 of the Act as a slaughterhouse for the slaughter ofpoultry. 3. A person shall not deliver to a slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant any animal or poultry which, as a result of an accident or by reason of any defect or disease or by the administration of any drug or chemical, might not be suitable for human consumption. 4. Where pest or disease control measures are undertaken in respect of animals or poultry intended for human consumption, the measures shall be in accordance with the dii ection of an authorized officer to ensure that no toxic residues are present in the animal or poultry 5. A vehicle for the conveyance of animals to a slaughter-house shall be so constructed as to (a) facilitate loading and unloading; (b) minimize soiling by excreta deposited on the floor of the vehicle, and (c) enable easy cleaning and disinfecting when necessary. 6. Vehicles ami crates used [UI the conveyance of'poultry to a poultry processing plant shall be suitable and be of such design and construction as to permit thorough cleaning and disinfecting. 7. Animalsor poultry shall, prior to slaughter 73 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 (a) be identified by appropriate means to ensure the ability to trace the location from which the animals or poultry originated; (b) be adequately rested and supplied with drinking troughs with potable water; (c) undergo examination unless delay would cause undue suffering to animals or poultry requiring emergency slaughter. 8. A slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant shall be of Plant facilities suitable design, layout and construction to facilitate easy and ?perating maintenance and sanitary slaughtering and dressing operations requirements and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, a slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant shall comply with the following requirements (i) its floors shall be of durable, impervious material and adequately sloped to permit unimpeded flow of waste water from processing rooms to a hygienic wastewater system; (ii) its walls shall be constructed of non-absorbent permanent materials and finished in a light coloured washable surface; (iii) its ceiling shall be so constructed and finished as to minimize condensation, mold development or accumulation of dirt; (iv) it slaughtering facility shall be of sufficient size for the intended purpose without crowding of equipment or personnel; (v) its facilities, in the case of a slaughterhouse, for scalding and dehairing pigs, or, in the case of a poultry processing plant, for plucking poultry shall be situated in an area separated from other operations; 74 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 (vi) it shall have separate areas for the handling and inedible material; (vii) it shall have appropriate layout to facilitate proper supervision of sanitation, including performance of meat inspection; (viii)it shall have an efficient effluent system which is in good working order and repair and which is sufficientlylarge to accommodate peak loads; (ix) it shall have separate slaughter and dressing areas which are sufficiently isolated from each other to enable work to be performed in a manner so as to preclude contamination of the finished product; (x) in the case of a slaughterhouse, it shall have a separate room for storing hides, horns, hooves ami inedible animal fals unless these are removed daily; (xi) it shall have a separate room or part of a room which is capable of being controlled or locked for storage of suspect carcasses, offal or giblets; (xii) it shall have a separate room or part of a room which can be used for the secure holding of condemned meat or poultry, as the case may be. unless other arrangements for disposal exist; (xiii)it shall have facilities of sufficient size for holding chilled or refrigerated meat or poultry, as the case may be; (xiv)in the case of a slaughterhouse, it shall be equipped with an overhead rail for transporting meat in order to reduce the likelihood of contamination through contact with floors, walls or other fixed structures; (xv) it shall have adequate ventilation and lighting; 75 1994 ED] FOOD ACT (xvi)it shall be so constructed as to prevent entrance and harbouring of pests or other animals or insects or micro-organisms. [CAP 83 9. (1) A slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant shall have (a) sanitary facilities which shall be equipped with hot and cold water and have adequate lighting and ventilation, which shall not be opened directly to any work areas, for all persons working at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant; (b) an ample supply of potable water, at sufficient pressure for its intended purpose; (c) an adequate supply of hot potable water at not Iess than 82°C during working hours; (d) adequate ventilation and any ventilation opening shall be secured; (e) doors which are sufficiently wide and, in the case of doors which give access to areas where edible material is handled, self-closing or snug fitting and double action; (f) adequate facilities for washing hands in the rooms used for slaughtering and processing; (g) solution tor cleaning and disinfecting imple ments such as knives, steels and other imple ments in the room. used for slaughtering and processing. (2) The equipment and utensils used in a slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant shall (a) in the case of equipment and utensils which come in contact with meat or poultry, have an impervious surface, and be resistant to corrosion, non-toxic and capable of 76 Sanitary facilities and controls. 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 Hygienic operating requirements. Cap. &3 Sub. Leg. Cap. 83 Sub. Leg. withstanding repeated exposure to cleaning and disinfecting; (b) in the case of equipment and utensils used for slaughtering and dressing, not be used otherwise than for slaughtering and dressing; (c) in the case of equipment and utensils used for inedible or condemned material, be properly identifiedand not used for edible products. lO.A person who owns, operates or is in charge of a slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant shall (a) ensure that a person employed at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant who handles at any stage of any process or come into contact with animals or poultry or meat or any edible part of any animal or poultry at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant holds a medical certificate of fitness in accordance with the Food Act (General Hygiene) Regulations; (h) arrange for adequate and continuing training of persons employed at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant in hygienic handling of meat or poultry, as the case may be, and in sanitary principles in order to provide additional precautions against the contamination of meat or poultry; (c) draw the attention of each person employed at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant to the Food Act (General Hygiene) Regulations and discuss with such persons the contents of, and provide each one of them with a copy of, those Regulations. (d) ensure that 77 1994 ED) FOOD ACT (i) equipment and utensils at the slaughter house or poultry processing plant are A. cleaned at frequent intervals during the day; B. thoroughly cleaned and disinfected whenever they have been in contact with diseased material or become contaminated; c. cleaned and disinfected at the conclusion of each working day; (ii) carcasses are not contaminated during any of the processes at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant; (iii) detergents and disinfectants used at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant are safe and effective for their intended purpose; (iv) no cleaning preparation or any paint which is likely to contaminate meat or poultry or any edible part of animal or poultry is used in the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant; (v) an effective and continuous programme for the control of pests or other animals or insects or micro-organisms within the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant is carried out and maintained; (vi) pesticides and toxic substances are secured and handled only by authorized and properly trained persons; (e) ensure that (i) animals or poultry slaughtered at the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant undergo ante and post-mortem inspection; 78 ICAP 83 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 (ii) animals or poultry which are in an unreasonably ditty condition ale cleaned before they are allowed to enter the killing floor; (iii) subject to these Regulations, animals or poultry brought into facilities for slaughtering are slaughtered without delay; (iv) the bleeding of animals or poultry are as complete as possible and blood intended to be used in food preparation is collected and handled hygienically; (v) stunning, sticking, or bleeding of any animal or poultry does not proceed at a rate faster than that at which the carcasses can be properly dressed; (vi) the sticking, bleeding and dressing of animal and poultry are carried out with care so as to ensure the production of clean carcasses, edible offals and giblets; (vii) evisceration is effected without delay; (viii) offals intended for human consumption are removed from the carcasses in a manner that will prevent contamination of the organ removed; (ix) meat, poultry or giblets passed as fit tor human consumption are removed without undue delay from the dressing area; (x) meat, poultry or giblets passed as fit for human consumption are handled, stored, or transported in a manner that will protect the meat, poultry or giblets from contamination or deterioration; (xi) where carcasses or edible offals are placed in a room for chilling, a reliable method of 79 1994 ED] FOOD ACT [CAP 83 monitoring chilling temperatures IS established; (xii)no person removes any carcasses, organs, viscera or fat that have been condemned by an authorized officer, except under the officer's direction and supervision; (f) designate a person who shall be responsible for the cleanliness and sanitary condition of the slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant. 11. Where it is not practical or efficient to build a Exemption slaughterhouse or poultry processing plant in accordance with these Regulations in any place, the Minister may, after consultation with the Director of Veterinary Services, exempt any building designated as a slaughterhouse from any or all the provisions of these Regulations. 80