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Small Meat Processing Plants
Galway County Council is responsible for the supervision, registration & approval of small meat processing plants. Regular inspections are carried out to ensure operational & structural hygiene are of the highest possible standard – (labelling & traceability of all products).
All of these plants have Food Safety Management Systems in place which embrace the principal of Good Manufacturing Practice and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points)
The following areas are of particular importance:
- Labelling and traceability of all products.
- Proper disposal of all waste.
- Sampling plans.
- Every meat plant has a micro-biological sampling plan to sample product and swab the work environment as part of their “own check” programme.
- Adequate training of staff.
Galway County Council Veterinary staff provides advice & guidance to the proprietors of these plants. Dramatic improvements have been made to all small meat processing plants in the past number of years due to legislative changes.
New hygiene legislation has been introduced on January 1st 2006 which replaces all previous legislation:
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs.
- Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules for food of animal origin.
- European Communities (Food & Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2005
S.I. No. 910 of 2005.
LIST OF S.M.M.P. SUPERVISED BY GALWAY COUNTY COUNCIL VETERINARY SERVICES
(pdf, 50 kbs)