Requirements for cutting plants

FBOs must ensure that cutting plants handling meat of domestic ungulates (i.e. domestic bovine (including Bubalus and Bison species), porcine, ovine and caprine animals, and domestic solipeds) :

• are constructed so as to avoid contamination of meat, in particular by:

1. allowing constant progress of the operations; or
2. ensuring separation between the different production batches
3. have rooms for the separate storage of packaged and exposed meat, unless stored at different times or in such a way that the packaging material and the manner of storage cannot be a source of contamination for the meat
4. have cutting rooms equipped to ensure compliance with the requirements laid down in Chapter V (Hygiene during cutting and boning) of Regulation (EC) 853/2004 
5. have equipment for washing hands with taps designed to prevent the spread of contamination, for use by staff engaged in handling exposed meat and
6. have facilities for disinfecting tools with hot water supplied at not less than 82°C, or an alternative system having an equivalent effect.