1. International Standards Do we need them?

2. Why International Standards?2 Customers Households Point of sale Processors Abattoirs Farmers Each stage in the supply chain is a customer of the previous stage

3. Why International Standards?3 All species

4. Main requirements Transparency Understanding Consistency

5. Long distribution chain farmer with cow transport cattle market transport consumer abattoirs packing plant supermarket factory butcher restaurant abattoirs

6. Why International Standards?6 Potential problems Consider a pork belly boneless & rindless Denmark 1808 British 55211 British (Meat Buyers Guide) 314 (only bone in) USA (NAMP-Meat Buyers Guide) 409 USA (NPPC) 3620 Aus 4332 (single ribbed)

7. Why International Standards?7 UN/ECE What is the UN/ECE? The Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) is one of the UN’s network of regional commissions concerned with economics, trade and development.

8. Why International Standards?8 What is the UN/ECEs role? Within that function it seeks to increase the transparency of the international supply chain of perishable products. As part of that objective CEFACT (Centre for Facilitation of Procedures and Practices for Administration, Commerce and Transport) is located within ECE.

9. Why International Standards?9 What is the UN/ECEs role? (continued) There is a Working Party on the standardisation of perishable products. These include fruit and vegetables and meat. Participation in the working party include national experts on standardisation and quality with the work centred in Geneva. This work is delegated to Meetings of Experts with specific projects carried out by Rapporteurs meetings. These recommendations are passed to the Working Party for approval and eventual publication as UN / ECE Standards. These standards are voluntary, but can however be adopted by National Bodies as legislation. These standards can form the basis for explanatory brochures produced by OECD for fruit and vegetables and FAO/WHO for codex Alimentarius

10. Why International Standards?10 Who takes part?  Working Party  Meeting of Experts (recent participants) Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, New Zealand, Spain, Russian Federation, Switzerland, U.K. and the U.S.A. EAN has participated as a non-governmental organisation and the EU has recently participated as an observer.  Rapporteurs As appropriate experts have acted as Rapporteurs to the Meeting of Experts.

11. Why International Standards?11 The Standards  Relevance to Supply Chain  Transparent Product Specifications  Electronic Trading  Traceability  Previous Work  Poultry standard  Pork standard  Bovine standard  Ovine standard

12. Why International Standards?12 Format of Standards United Nations : Standards for Meat moving in International Trade General  Within the meat sector, whatever the species, there are many common factors.  Primary requirements are that recognised hygiene and contamination criteria are achieved.  Each species has specific characteristics mainly in cutting styles.  Consideration must be given to current consumer demands in relation to traceability.  There must be recognised systems to provide verification that the product is ‘of the nature’ demanded.

13. Why International Standards?13 Format of Standards (continued) Elements of Standards  Scope of general requirements  Specific terminology  Fields of application  Temperature criteria  Condition criteria  Fat measurement systems  Colour determination systems  Animal identification requirements  Packing, Storage and Transport systems  Labelling systems  Authority for conformity assessment  General coding system (UCC/EAN)

14. Why International Standards?14 Format of Standards (continued) Elements of Standards  Species specific coding system– this includes animal type, product names and product codes

15. Why International Standards?15 Format of Standards (continued) Elements for future development  Best practice annexes  UN/ECE world trade standard mark  Others

16. Why International Standards?16 Current Work Bovine Standard: Unlike previous standards this has been developed in co-operation with EAN with a coding system that is compatible with EDI and an AI (Application Indicator) has been approved for the Bovine Standard. Ovine Standard:This has been developed along similar lines as the Bovine Standard and was approved in 2002. Poultry Standard: A revised Chicken standard is nearly completed and should be ready for approval during 2003. Work is ongoing to develop the Porcine Standard to bring it into line with other Standards.

17. Why International Standards?17 Loin style 3 from old Pork Standard

18. Why International Standards?18 Type of Information in new format

19. Why International Standards?19 Scope 1.3Scope 1.3.1This standard recommends an international language for raw (unprocessed) carcases and / or associated meat cuts from domesticated pigs younger than 10 months, marketed as fit for human consumption. Head on whole carcase weight should be a minimum of 50 kg It provides a variety of options to purchasers for meat handling, packing and conformity assessment, which conform to good commercial practice for meat and meat products, intended to be sold in international trade. 1.3.2It is recognized that the appropriate legislative requirements of food standardization and veterinary control must be complied with to market pork carcases and cuts across international borders. The standard does not attempt to prescribe those aspects, which are covered elsewhere, and throughout the standard, such provisions are left for national or international legislation, or requirements of the importing country.

20. Why International Standards?20 2.1All meat must originate from animals slaughtered in establishments regularly operated under the applicable regulations pertaining to food safety and inspection. 2.2Carcases/cuts must be: 2.2.1Intact, taking into account the presentation. 2.2.2Free from visible blood clots, or bone dust. 2.2.3Free from any visible foreign matter (e.g. dirt, wood, metal particles). 2.2.4Free of offensive odours. 2.2.5Free of obtrusive bloodstains. 2.2.6Free of unspecified protruding or broken bones. 2.2.7Free of contusions. 2.2.8Free from freezerburn..

21. Why International Standards?21 Coding structure UN Data Structure Item Data Field Range Specified use Species 1 0-9 3 Cut 2 0000-9999 Category 3 0 - 9 0 - 9 Refrigeration 4 0 - 9 1 - 5, 9 Con Assessmt. 5 0 - 9 0 - 7, 9 Production 6 0 - 9 0 - 1 Feeding 7 00 - 99 Slaughter sys. 8 0 - 9 0 - 1 Post Slaughter. 9 0 - 9 0 - 1 Grading 10 0 - 9 Wt. Range 11 0 - 9 0 - 5, 9 External Fat 12 0 - 9 0 - 8 Packing 13 0 - 9 0 - 6, 9 Origin 14 0 - 9 Colour 15 00 - 99 00 - 05, 09