May 21, 2007

EU sets out restrictions on poultry meat handling during bird flu outbreaks

The European poultry industry has just six weeks left to prepare itself for new proposals designed to prevent bird flu tainted meat from reaching the consumer food chain, the European Commission has warned.

The EC proposals, made in February this year, would see a further tightening of rules on processed and raw poultry meats from member states during bird flu outbreaks and would take effect 1 July this year. 

The measures include movement restrictions, quarantine zones and surveillance zones and other safety precautions to be taken to ensure that meat from controlled zones do not mix with meat rated to be safe from bird flu.

The amendments highlight the growing importance to the poultry industry of ensuring their products are safely sourced and processed.

Bird flu swept the EU region in 2005 and 2006.