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What do you need to know?
Meat food business operators are to ensure that cutting and boning of carcasses and storage and transport of carcasses is performed in accordance with the requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.
In slaughterhouses, immediate chilling after post-mortem inspection is compulsory. Exceptionally, meat from domestic ungulates (bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine and equine animals) and poultry livers may be allowed to be transported before attaining the required temperature if it is justified by technological reasons that it is for the production of specific products or foie gras. Meat products that the establishment certifies as specific products and for which it justifies by technological reasons the need for this type of transport for their production may benefit from the derogation.
Transport before attaining chilling temperature of carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, or half-carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts of ovine, caprine, bovine and porcine animals may also be authorised if the requirements in Annex III, Section I, Chapter VII(3)(b) to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 are met.
This procedure can only be done online. Any documents you submit through any other channel will not be processed and will not be considered for the purposes of the date of submission.
Please see Procedures Support on the Ministry of Health’s website for general information about how to carry out online procedures and where there are further details about the specific information on this page. You can also find additional information in the Processing support section on the gencat.cat website.
For technical support, please call 012.
Food businesses operating as slaughterhouses or cutting rooms attached to slaughterhouses which have to transport meat to a meat packing plant or to a fresh meat and meat products retail establishment or in an intermediate disposal room for meat to a meat industry, or bacon or charcuterie, and which justify by technological reasons the need for transport at temperatures above chilling temperature for the production of specific products. It is also aimed at poultry slaughterhouses or disposal rooms that receive birds slaughtered on the farm to transport poultry livers to meat industries or meat retail establishments for the production of foie gras.
Slaughterhouses supplying carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, or half-carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts of sheep, goats, cattle and pigs to an establishment operating a cutting room or to a meat packing plant or a retail meat establishment.
When the authorisation is for the transport of carcasses, half carcasses, quarters, or half carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts of sheep, goats, cattle and pigs, it has to be requested for each type of species as soon as it can be accredited that the requirements are met.
A new application for authorisation is required in the event of a change of owner or place of business.
The application must be accompanied by:
In all cases:
- Documentation showing that the requirement for aerobic colony count of carcasses in the slaughterhouse is complied with for at least 10 consecutive weeks.
If the place of business is in the city of Barcelona, the following must also be attached:
- Proof of payment of the fee.
When processing the application, the health authority may ask for any additional documents it deems necessary to verify compliance with the general and specific requirements under the applicable general and specific healthcare legislation.
Documents
Slaughterhouses must have a health authorisation to operate and be registered in the Catalan Health Register of Food Industries and Products (RSIPAC) and in the General Health Register of Food Businesses and Food (RGSEAA).
The recipient processing plants and cutting rooms must be registered in the RSIPAC and in the RGSEAA. If the recipient is a retail establishment, it must be registered in the relevant municipal register.
Apart from complying with the requirements established in regulations (EC) 852/2004 and 853/2004 and in relation to the application of the derogation, operators must meet a number of conditions to ensure the safety of the process:
When the authorisation is requested for transport of carcasses, half carcasses, quarters, or half carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts of sheep and goats, cattle and pigs, the establishments must meet following conditions:
1. Conditions of the sending establishment (slaughterhouse)
- The temperature is monitored and recorded within the framework of procedures based on the HACCP principles.
- The vehicle transporting the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts are fitted with an instrument that monitors and records air temperatures to which the carcases, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts are subjected in such a way that competent authorities are enabled to verify compliance with the time and temperature conditions.
- The transport vehicle collects meat only from one slaughterhouse per transport.
- Carcases, half-carcases, quarters, or half-carcases cut into three wholesale cuts must have a core temperature of 15 °C at the start of transport if they are to be transported in the same compartment as carcases, half-carcases, quarters, or half-carcases cut into three wholesale cuts which meet the temperature requirement, i.e. 7 °C.
- The consignment must be accompanied by a declaration from the food business operator stating:
- the duration of chilling before loading,
- the time and date at which loading of carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, or half-carcasses cut into three wholesale cuts started,
- the surface temperature at the time of loading,
- the maximum transportation air temperature to which the carcasses may be subjected,
- the maximum transport time permitted,
- the date of authorisation and the name of the competent authority providing the derogation,
- any incidents during transport and the corrective measures taken.
- The document is to be returned to the establishment of origin duly completed by the establishment of destination by the means agreed by both parties, and a copy is to be kept for its self-monitoring and for the checks by the competent authority.
- The establishment of destination of the meat must inform the competent authorities that it will receive meat at temperatures above chilling temperature before the first consignment is sent.
- The meat must be transported in accordance with the following parameters:
For a maximum transport time[1] of six hours:
|
Species |
Surface temperature[2] |
Maximum time to chill to surface temperature[3] |
Maximum transportation air temperature[4] |
Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count[5] |
|
Ovine and caprine animals |
7 °C |
8 hours |
6 °C |
log10 3.5 cfu/cm2 |
|
Bovine animals |
20 hours |
log10 3.5 cfu/cm2 |
||
|
Porcine animals |
16 hours |
log10 4 cfu/cm2 |
For a maximum transport time [1] of thirty hours:
|
Species |
Surface temperature[2] |
Maximum time to chill to surface temperature[3] |
Core temperature [6] |
Maximum transportation air temperature [4] |
Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count[5] |
|
Porcine animals |
7 °C |
16 hours |
15 °C |
6 °C |
log10 4 cfu/cm2 |
For a maximum transport time [1] of sixty hours:
|
Species |
Surface temperature[2] |
Maximum time to chill to surface temperature[3] |
Core temperature[6] |
Maximum transportation air temperature[4] |
Maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count[5] |
|
Ovine and caprine animals |
4 °C |
12 hours |
15 °C |
3 °C |
log10 3 cfu/cm2 |
|
Bovine animals |
24 hours |
Sampling must be carried out on carcases after working but before chilling.
In slaughterhouses, one sample shall be taken per week expressed as a maximum daily mean for a defined period of 10 weeks. In this weekly sample, the values expressed in the tables above may not be exceeded. Each time a new result from a sampling session becomes available, it is added to the “window” and, at the same time, the oldest result is deleted (this process is known as a “rolling window”). The “window” always consists of 10 results (one per week) and advances one result at a time.
When setting the maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count, acceptable results (>m and <M) are not considered, only satisfactory and unsatisfactory. Pursuant to Regulation (EU) 853/2004, the achievement of satisfactory results in the planned sampling within the 10-week rolling window qualifies for transport. However, an unsatisfactory result, i.e. above the maximum daily mean, means non-compliance with the requirements for this type of meat transport and you will have to wait at least 10 weeks until 10 successive satisfactory results are obtained again. This point must be included in the establishment’s self-monitoring and must be monitored during inspection visits.
Establishments authorised to reduce frequencies must comply with the weekly aerobic analysis and respect the window.
Calculating the maximum daily mean
As laid down in Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs, Annex I, Chapter 3, on rules for sampling and preparation of test samples, samples for microbiological analysis shall be taken at least once a week. The day of sampling shall be changed each week to ensure that each day of the week is covered.
Five carcases shall be sampled at random during each sampling session. Likewise, four sites of each carcase shall be sampled. Once taken, the four samples shall be pooled before examination. The results derived from each carcass are used to obtain the mean.
2. Conditions of the receiving establishment
- Recipient processing plants must be registered in the RSIPAC and in the RGSEAA. If the recipient is a retail establishment, it must be registered in the relevant municipal register.
- The receiving establishment must ensure that the carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, or half-carcasses cut into no more than three cuts are subjected to air temperatures that ensure a continuous decrease of the temperature of the meat. As soon as it is cut and, where appropriate, packaged, the meat must be chilled to a temperature of 7 °C if it is not already below this temperature.
- The establishment must have a chart record of cold store temperatures.
- The receiving establishments must have process-specific self-monitoring and this self-monitoring system must provide for: control of reception; identification and control of possible hazards due to the transport chilling derogation, etc.
- The receiving establishment shall notify the competent authority in writing the first time it wishes to receive meat at temperatures below 7 °C before transport takes place.[7]
[1] Maximum time allowed from the start of loading of meat into the vehicle until the completion of the final delivery. Loading of the meat into the vehicle may be postponed beyond the maximum time allowed for chilling of the meat to its specified surface temperature. If this happens, then the maximum transport time allowed must be shortened by the same length of time by which the loading was postponed. The competent authority of the Member State of destination may limit the number of delivery points.
[2] Maximum surface temperature allowed at loading and thereafter measured at the thickest part of the carcase, half carcases, quarters, or half carcases cut into three wholesale cuts.
[3] Maximum time allowed from the moment of killing until the reaching of the maximum surface temperature allowed at loading.
[4] The maximum air temperature to which the meat is allowed to be subjected from the moment loading begins, and throughout the whole duration of the transport.
[5] Slaughterhouse maximum daily mean carcase aerobic colony count using a rolling window of 10 weeks, allowed for carcases of the relevant species, as assessed by the operator to the satisfaction of the competent authority, according to the sampling and testing procedures laid out in points 2.1.1, 2.1.2 of Chapter 2, and point 3.2 of Chapter 3, of Annex I to Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 of 15 November 2005 on microbiological criteria for foodstuffs (OJ L 338 de 22.12.2005, p. 1).
[6] The maximum core temperature of the meat allowed at the time of loading, and thereafter.
[7] The e-mail must include: name, address and activity of the receiving establishment, number of carcases to be received and the species, name, address and activity of the sending establishment, and the date of receipt.
136.75
Complementary information€132,75.
For strictly administrative and procedural queries, contact the Oficines de Gestió Empresarial (Offices of Business Management - OGE) or call the 012 helpline. For technical enquiries, you can call the numbers shown below for the Secretariat of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, while businesses and establishments in the city of Barcelona can call the Health Protection Directorate in the Barcelona Public Health Agency.
- Regional Sub-directorate in Barcelona: tel. 935 513 900
- Regional Sub-directorate in Girona (Girona): tel. 872 975 000
- Regional Sub-directorate in Lleida i Alt Pirineu i Aran (Lleida): tel. 973 701 600
- Regional Sub-directorate in Catalunya Central (Manresa): tel. 938 753 382
- Regional Sub-directorate in El Camp de Tarragona i les Terres de l’Ebre (Tarragona): tel. 977 224 151
- Barcelona Public Health Agency - Food Safety Directorate: tel. 932 384 545
Steps to follow
-
1
Step one
Apply for authorisation
This procedure can only be done online.
When you send the form, you have to identify yourself with a digital certificate or idCAT Mòbil if you are the owner of the company, or with a digital certificate of representation if you are its representative.
By Internet
Apply for authorisation
Start . Go to Apply for authorisationHow does the procedure need to be carried out?
The form must be filled in on line, no need to download it.
- Fill in the form and attach any documents as indicated. To attach documents you just need to click on the Attach tag and browse your computer for the desired file.
- The name of the attached file cannot contain blank spaces, hyphens, accents or diereses. The attachment cannot exceed 10 Mb per document. Total weigh of the form plus attachments cannot exceed 100 MB.
- Send the form. If you forgot some compulsory data or if any data is not correct, you will get an error message when sending and the fields that need checking will be highlighted.
- The form requires signature with a digital certificate or idCAT mòbil. You may consult the page How to sign an HTML form digitally.
In the event of doubt, you are referred to the section Forms that are filled in on line at Tràmits gencat.
Checking the procedure
If the request has been sent correctly you will get proof of receipt on your screen (you need to have Adobe Acrobat to open it). It is advisable you save it, since it contains the entry register, that is, the date when the procedure started, and it may be crucial in determining the day count and deadlines.. A code also turns up identifying the procedure, which will prove useful to follow the state of the procedure on your web private Area.
If the request contains any error, the form is not sent and an error message turns up.
In case you cannot carry out the procedure because of an incidence in the system, try again later on.
You may check the warning and cuts in service section at the electronic administration website whether any such incident has happened, where all incident-related information is available. Find incidences by year and order them by data in ascending or descending order.
You may wish to consult too the Support to procedures section at Tràmits gencat.
To receive technical assistance call 012.
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2
Step two
Check the status of the procedure
You can do this:
You can do this:
- In the Canal Empresa(with idCAT Mòbil and/or digital certificate)
- Status of my procedures (Canal Empresa)(with the procedure identifier and your DNI/NIF/NIE)
- By calling the 012 helpline (with the procedure identifier and your DNI/NIF/NIE)
Procedure identifier
You will need to have the procedure identifier (procedure ID) which is a five-digit alphanumeric code that is generated when you submit your application and is unique.
You can use this code to check the history of the procedure.
For more information, please see the section on How to log in and track my procedures and IdCAT Mòbil in the Support section at Tràmits Gencat.
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3
Step three
Pay the fee
If your place of business is outside the city of Barcelona, you can pay:
If your place of business is outside the city of Barcelona, you can pay:
- Online: go to the Private Area(previously My Folder) for the procedure in the Government Payments tab and pay by credit or debit card from any bank.
- In CaixaBank ATMs. Go to the folder for the procedure, download the proof of payment and print it off. You can pay the fee by credit or debit card from any bank or with a CaixaBank passbook or current account.
IMPORTANT: If your place of business is in the city of Barcelona, you have to pay the fee into account number ES11-2100-3000-17-2201727139 of the Barcelona Public Health Agency (ASPB) and the proof of payment must be sent with the application.
The fee must be paid in order to continue processing the application. If you have not paid, or provided proof of payment in the case of Barcelona, by the deadline shown on this page, we will assume you have withdrawn your application and the procedure will be terminated.
- Online: go to the Private Area(previously My Folder) for the procedure in the Government Payments tab and pay by credit or debit card from any bank.
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4
Step four
Aporta documentació
Un cop revisada la sol·licitud, podem demanar-te documentació complementària. Pots enviar-la des de:
Un cop revisada la sol·licitud, podem demanar-te documentació complementària. Pots enviar-la des de:
- L'Àrea privada (amb idCAT Mòbil o certificat digital)
- L'Estat de les meves gestions (amb el codi identificador del tràmit i el NIF/NIE).
Consulta el videotutorial sobre com aportar documents a un requeriment.
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5
Step five
Inspection
When the application is for the supply of carcases, half-carcases, quarters, or half-carcases cut into three cuts, the official inspection service will visit:
When the application is for the supply of carcases, half-carcases, quarters, or half-carcases cut into three cuts, the official inspection service will visit:
- The meat dispatching establishment to check whether the conditions for approval are met.
- The establishment receiving carcasses, half-carcasses, quarters, or half-carcasses cut into three cuts to check the suitability of the facilities and compliance with transport requirements where applicable.
Any additional documentation required may be asked for at the time of inspection.
For strictly administrative and procedural queries, contact the Offices of Business Management (OGE) or call the 012 helpline. For technical enquiries, you can call the numbers shown below for the Secretariat of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, while businesses and establishments in the city of Barcelona can call the Health Protection Directorate in the Barcelona Public Health Agency.
- Barcelona Region (Barcelona): 935 513 900
- Catalunya Central Region (Manresa): tel. 938 753 382
- Camp de Tarragona Region (Tarragona): tel. 977 224 151
- Girona Region (Girona): tel. 872 975 000
- Lleida and Alt Pirineu and Aran Region (Lleida): tel. 973 701 600
- Terres de l’Ebre Region (Tortosa): tel. 977 449 623
- Barcelona Public Health Agency - Health Protection Directorate: tel. 932 029 200
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6
Step six
Get the reply from the agency
What reply do I get?
What reply do I get?
The document accrediting the authorisation is sent by electronic notification pursuant to the Common Administrative Procedure for Governmental Agencies Act 39/2015 of 1 October to the registered office of the owner of the establishment of origin.
If no express decision has been given, the application will be deemed to have been accepted after a period of three months from the date of submission through the relevant channel.
How do I get the reply?
You will get the electronic notification notice at the email address or mobile phone number you specified. You can view the notification in the e-NOTUM service. You have 10 calendar days to accept or reject the notification from the date it is sent. If you have not accessed the notification within this period, we will assume you have rejected it. The notification is considered to have been served when you access it.
You can view electronic notifications under electronic notifications in the Private Area (previously My Folder). For more information, see the electronic notifications section on the Ministry of Health or Tràmits Gencat websites.
Can appeals be submitted?
The decision made by the Catalan Sub-directorate does not exhaust all available administrative remedies and you may lodge an administrative appeal against it with the Catalan Minister of Health within one month from the day after the date of notification.
