UK Food Standards Agency Changing Pork Inspection Rules
The Food Standards Agency has begun a six-week consultation on new rules for pork inspection rules that are set to be enacted in June 2014.
Britain's Food Standards Agency has begun a six-week consultation on new pork inspection rules that are set to be enacted in June 2014. The new rules—which will be enacted across the European Union—are aimed at allowing vets and meat inspectors to better assess public health risks.
The agency press release says the new rules "will focus on the visual inspection of all pigs and will mean health checks can be carried out in a way that reduces the risk of bacteria being spread around the meat." The new rules will focus on stricter salmonella rules and more risk-based testing for Trichinella, a parasite. The rules came about, in part, because scientific data showed that hands-on inspection can spread harmful bacteria. Hands-on inspection will still be carried on once the new rules are in effect, though it will be limited.
The six-week consultation aims to evaluate the practical application of the changes in the United Kingdom and the costs, benefits, and impacts for stakeholders.