New standards for certain raw processed meat products
Publication of Regulations Regarding the Classification, Packing and Marking of Certain Raw Processed Meat Products Intended For Sale in the Republic of South Africa (R.2410 OF 26 AUGUST 2022)
The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) has gazetted new standards for certain raw processed meat products on Friday, 26 August 2022 in terms of section 15 of the Agricultural Product Standards Act, No. 119 of 1990 (‘APS Act’). The Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development has determined that the regulation shall come into operation on the date of publication thereof (26 August 2022).
The APS Act makes provision for the appointment of an assignee who will oversee the implementation of the regulations, Designation of executive officer and assignees; 2(3)(a) The Minister may, for the purpose of the application of this Act or certain provisions thereof, with regard to a particular product, designate any person, undertaking, body, institution, association or board having particular knowledge in respect of the product concerned, as an assignee in respect of that product.
The Food Safety Agency (Pty) Ltd was designated by the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (then the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries) as assignee under the APS Act on 13 January 2017 (Government Gazette Notice 7 of 2017) to enforce the quality regulations for poultry meat and eggs, as well as any other meat and meat products (processed meat products and now Certain raw processed meat products).
REGULATIONS FOR CERTAIN RAW PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS:
The regulations provide legislative standards for the quality aspects of certain raw processed meat products:
Composition (classification) of the various classes of certain raw processed meat products;
• Raw minced meat
• Raw mixed-species minced meat
• Raw flavoured ground meat or Raw flavoured minced mix or Raw flavoured meat mix
• Raw flavoured ground meat and offal or Raw flavoured minced and offal mix or Raw flavoured meat and offal mix
• Raw flavoured mixed-species ground meat or Raw flavoured mixed-species minced mix or Raw flavoured mixed-species meat mix
• Raw flavoured mixed-species ground meat and offal or Raw flavoured mixed-species minced and offal mix or Raw flavoured meat and offal mix
• Raw boerewors
• Raw species sausage or Raw species wors
• Raw mixed-species sausage or Raw mixed-species wors
• Raw burger, Raw patty and Raw hamburger patty
• Raw banger or Raw griller
• Raw braaiwors or Raw sizzler
• Geographical Indication (GI) raw processed meat products
o Packing requirements for Containers and Outer Containers;
o Marking of Containers and Outer Containers;
o Sampling of raw processed meat products.
IMPLEMENTATION
The regulations must be implemented on the date of publication, therefore 26 August 2022, however, to inform the industry of the assignee’s envisaged roll out and implementation plan, as well as allow industry the opportunity to comment on the assignee’s proposed fees, implementation of the regulation will
commence on final publication of the fees.
The designated assignee will be required to conduct verification inspections based on the regulations. This enforcement of the regulations will be conducted on a cost recovery basis as permitted for in terms of Section 3(1A) of the APS Act which states:
1. Fees may be charged in respected of the powers exercised and duties performed by the executive officer or the assignee, as the case may be, to ensure compliance with this section.
2. In the case of powers exercised and duties performed by: (ii) the assignee, the fee determined by such assignee shall be payable.
The proposed fees will be determined and published in the Government Gazette for comments.
THE WAY FORWARD
Since the new regulations will have a direct impact on the raw processed meat products industry, Food Safety Agency (Pty) Ltd has developed an online platform for all facilities to register in order to receive regular updates regarding implementation, fees, continuous communication, amongst others. Herewith the link to the registration form:
https://foodsafetyagency.co.za/registration-form/
We will also embark this journey, by presenting the envisaged roll out and implementation plan at roadshows in Cape Town, Durban, Bloemfontein and Pretoria, respectively. The dates and venues for the proposed roadshows will be announced in due course.
During the roadshows the following will be discussed:
Introduction to the Assignee
Functions related to the verification inspections
Frequency
Inspections
Sampling
Sampling
Specie Identification Testing
Compositional Testing
Non-Compliance
Fees for inspections and sampling
CONCLUSION
Food Safety Agency (Pty) Ltd is looking forward to engaging this new endeavor with the industry in order to ensure products presented for sale that are of high quality.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Armand Visagie (Manager: Marketing and RAW):
• [email protected] or 076 740 1777
Nicole Bergh (Manager: Compliance and RAW):
• [email protected] or 082 931 0399
General Queries:
• [email protected] or (012) 361 1937
Source – Food Safety Agency
