May 11, 2009

The European Parliament has approved with a few amendments of a draft regulation adjusting EU rules on the marketing of poultry.

According to the amendments, poultry meat and its derived products that would be sold as "fresh" must never be frozen and must always be maintained at a temperature of between -2 degrees Celsius and +4 degrees Celsius.

The amendments also call for a compulsory indication on labels of the origin or source of the meat to enable consumers to make an informed choice. The indication of date of slaughter is also made mandatory.

The Parliament also wants to delete from the Commission's draft regulation anything that could pave the way to allowing "chlorinated chicken" on the EU market.

Meat intended for human consumption must undergo no treatment other than refrigeration, according to the Parliament.