December 13, 2007

Dutch to implement reporting system for pork producers to ensure safety

The Netherlands is implementing a system whereby pig producers are required to report information on the food and medicines taken by their pigs to slaughterhouses so as to improve safety measures.

Pig slaughterhouses are required after January 1, 2008 to possess so-called food chain information at slaughtering, according to the Agrarisch Dagblad.

The requirement would largely focus on medicinal use. With such information, the slaughterhouses can determine whether special measures are required at slaughtering to maintain food safety.

Pig breeders have to provide this information within 24 hours of slaughtering to the slaughter companies.

Producers linked to the IKB-system (Netherlands Nutrition Centre), can enter the information into their online database directly. 

They can also send a form to the slaughter company directly.

This regulation forms part of a new hygiene code for pig slaughterhouses.

The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority VWA will supervise implementation of the new regulation and will also use the information collected to carry out more targeted inspections of slaughter facilities.