DERA worldwide
Introduction
Purpose
Dera Food Technology NV in association with Dera Food Technology UK Ltd has devised a program which will help with recipe design of meat products to ensure compliance with the UK's meat regulations. These are outlined in the Food Standard's Agency's "Labelling & Composition of Meat Products – Guidance Notes"The main aim of these regulations is to exclude certain products of animal origin being included in the definition of meat (mechanically recovered meat, offal etc) as defined by the European Commission Directive 2001/101. This also affects the labelling as, if used their presence will not be included in the meat content calculation. Additionally, the labelling regulations require that any excess connective tissue and fat over and above predetermined, species-specific limits are declared separately in the ingredient declaration and their position in that declaration should reflect the excess amount as defined by these rules. However, it is not a requirement to give a QUID value to these excess amounts of connective tissue and fat.
The regulations came into force on 1/1/03, with full implementation by 1/7/03. The reserved descriptions designed to define certain parameters for specific products still exist, but their requirements were changed to reflect the labelling regulations. As this legislation requires some fairly involved calculations, Dera Food Technology has used its expertise in the sector to develop a free program which will help meat processors to develop new products according to required labelling declarations.
Use of the Meat Content and Labelling Program
Use of the program is free for meat processors. To use this simple program, it is only necessary to register for access to the "registered visitors" area. To register you will need to supply some basic details so that a password can be issued allowing access. You will automatically be entered onto our technical update emailing list and will be emailed as new technical updates are issued. If you wish to unsubscribe from this list but still be allowed to access the labelling program, you can request this on receiving the first technical update. Dera Food Technology UK Ltd reserves the right to limit access to the program to certain parties for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Full instructions for the use of the program are available in the registered visitors area.