Guidance on the moratorium on the production and use of non-ruminant desinewed meat
Further to my letters of 26 April 2012 and 24 May 2012 [See links below to access these documents],…Further to my letters of 26 April 2012 and 24 May 2012 [See links below to access these documents], I am writing to inform you that, from 24 August 2013, a suspension, in relation to one company only, will apply to the moratorium on the production and use of desinewed meat from non-ruminant material.
An Order of the High Court made on 16 August (copy attached) permits Newby Foods Ltd (and only Newby Foods Ltd) to resume production of desinewed meat (DSM) from pig and poultry bones from noon on Saturday 24 August 2013 and sell it as a meat preparation, subject to compliance with food hygiene requirements set out in the Court Order.
The Court Order (copy attached) provides that Newby Foods Ltd must be allowed to trade DSM from pig and poultry bones (which the High Court deems to be a meat preparation) manufactured under the terms of the Court Order and that this may be used in the manufacture of meat products and count towards the meat content declaration of such products. The Court Order does not permit Newby Foods to sell 51 tonnes of desinewed lamb meat they currently hold in storage or permit them to resume production of DSM from ruminant bones for any purpose.
The enforcement authority for Newby Foods Ltd is the Food Standards Agency. No specific action is requested of local authorities at this time, but this letter will be of interest to local authorities that have food business establishments in their area which may trade with Newby Foods Ltd in the product they make under the terms of the Court Order.
The judge has indicated that there will be a further hearing at the High Court on 26 September 2013 and we will write to let you know the outcome.
For background information, see:
Letter of 26 April: http://food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/enforcement/enfe12014.pdf
Letter of 24 May 2012: http://food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/enforcement/enf-e-12-018.pdf
For a copy of the High Court Order, see: DSM - Order of the High Court