A health mark is stamped directly onto a carcass or cut of meat after slaughter to indicate that the animal has been inspected before and after slaughter, and that there are no grounds for declaring the meat unfit for human consumption.
A health mark must be applied by, or under the supervision of, an official veterinarian.
The health mark must:
- be oval in shape with a minimum size of 6.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high. The figures within the oval must be at least 1 cm high
- contain the approval number
- contain the country’s name or abbreviation when applied within the EU, e.g., the letters ‘IE’ for Ireland
- contain the letters ‘EC’