MARKING OF BOVINE MEAT

The entities in food business must mark bovine meat in a process of production and in all phases of placing it into market and they must set up the identification and registration system of the data on the bovine meat in accordance with the Ordinance.

The Ordinance on Marking of Bovine Meat (Official Gazette 52/10) has entered into force on 1st May 2009, by which the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development prescribes the bovine meat marking system, and it assures traceability control, connection of carcasses, half-carcasses and quarter-carcasses or pieces of meat to a particular animal or group of animals, exceptions to certain provisions upon their marking, and the control system of bovine meat marking as well.

The system of bovine meat marking is consisted of two parts, namely: a compulsory system of bovine meat marking and a voluntary system of bovine meat marking.

The compulsory system comprehends:

• a) lot number for meat derived from more animals,
• b) number of approved slaughterhouse in which an animal or a group of animals was slaughtered and the name of the country where the slaughterhouse is located,
• c) number of approved meat cutting facility in which carcass or group of carcasses has been cut and the name of the country where meat cutting facility is located,
• d) country of birth,
• e) all countries of fattening.

Entities in food business, except for the compulsory marking referred to above, can additionally mark the bovine meat voluntarily. For the voluntary marking of bovine meat, entities in food business must be approved by a competent body on the basis of submitted application, choosing an independent body for supervision of marking and attached specification for the voluntary marking of bovine meet.

At the voluntary marking of bovine meat the following data among others can be provided:

• a) region where animal is born and fattened,
• b) category and gender (e.g. bull, cow, calf),
• c) manner of fattening of head (e.g. on pasture),
• d) breed or cross-breed of two or more breeds,
• e) date of slaughter,
• f) meat category,
• g) method and time of meat ripening,
• h) other data of interest.

When submitting the application for the approval of voluntary marking, the following data must be provided in a specification for voluntary marking of bovine meat:

• a) data that will be stated at marking of bovine meat
• b) measures that will be taken for assurance of data correctness
• c) a system of supervision which will be conducted in all phases of production and placing on the market, including system of supervision that will be conducted by an independent body authorized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.

With regard to the above mentioned, EUROINSPEKT-AGROINSPEKT d.o.o. by initiated procedure of accreditation in accordance with HRN EN 45011:1998 has been granted authorization by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development as an independent body for the supervision of voluntary system of bovine meat marking.