Luncheon Meat Regulations, 1981

L.N. 1 03 of 1981

FOOD, DRUGS

AND

DRINKING

WATER

ACT,

(ACT NO. XL OF 1972)

Luncheon Meat Regulations, 1981

IN exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 of the Food,

Drugs a n d Drinking Water Act, 197 2 , the Minister of Health and

E nv ir o n m e n t on the ad vi c e of the Food St anda rd s Board, has made

,

t he f o l I o w i ng r eg ul a t i ons

-

These regulation may be cited as the Luncheon Meat Regula- Citation.

tions, 1981.

Regulation 3 (5)

Product without binder and edible offal

Product with

(but may include heart, tongue 01' head

binder

meat from mammals)

- Minimum ingoing

meat

90%

content

80%

*

30%

35 %

- Maximum fat content

The meat content includes meat, edible orfaI and pou]try meat.

*

In these regulations, unless th e context otherwise r e q u i r e s -

"edible offa1" means such offals as have been p asse d as fit

for human consumption and incIudes 1un g s (but not if the animal

from which the l un gs have been taken has been scalded by immer­

sion in hot water) but does not incIude ears, sca1p, snouts (incIud­

ing lips and muzzle), mucous membrane, sinews, genital system,

udders, i n t e stin e s and u r i n a r y bladder;

"meat" means the edible part of any mammal slallghtered in

a slaughterhouse;

"packaged" means pack ed in a c on t a i ne r manufactured of

materials which do not permit contamination under nOlmal condi­

tions of handling;

"pou1try meat" means the edible part of any domesticated bird

inc1uding chicken, turkey, duck, goose. guinea-fowl or pigeoil

sl au ghtere d in duly authorised premises.

Regulation 4(5)

Additive

Maximum level calculated on the total

net content of the final product

Ascorbic acid and sodium salt

l

500 mg/kg (expressed as ascorbic acid)

Isoascorbic acid and sodium salt f

singly or in combination.

flavourings as defined in the

Natura]

Codex Alimentarius and their identical

Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice.

synthetic equivalents

Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice.

Sodium citrate

500 mg!kg expressed as guanylic acid.

5'-Guany1ate, disodium

500 mg/kg expressed as inosinic acid.

5'-Inosinate, disodium

Monosodium glutamate

5000 mg/kg expressed as glutamic acid.

Nitrite, potassium and/or sodium salts

mg/kg total

nitrite

expressed

as

sodium nitrite.

Added phosphates (mono-, di- and po]y-),

sodium and potassium salts

3000 mg/kg (expressed as P�05) singly 01'

in combination.

G1ucono-delta-1actone

3000 mg!kg.

Erythrosine (CI 45430) to replace loss of

colour (for the product with binder

only)

]5 mg/kg.

--- ,, ------------

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(l) These reg u l a ti o n s shalI apply to pro duc ts d es i g na t e d as

Applicability

and cOl11positiol1.

luncheon meat which have been packed in any suitable material.

(2) Luncheon meat shal1 be prepared from me at which has

been comminuted and cured and which may have been smoked. Apart

from meat, edible offal and poultry meat may be used in the preparation

of th e product. The product may or may not contain binders.

Luncheon meat shaH c011tain the fol1owing ingredients:-­

(3)

meat, water, c u ri n g ingredients consisting

(sodium

of

sa l t

chloride) an d sodium Of potassium nitrite.

Luncheon meat may contain any of the following:­

(4)

e d i ble offal, fa t per se, cured a n d u nc u r e d p or k rind per se,

,

poultry meat;

c a r bo hydrate and protein binders;

meal, flour or starch prepa r e d from grain, 01' potato or sweet

potato;

br e ad , b is c uit or b a k er y p r odu c ts ;

milk p o w d er skimmed mi1k p o wder

butter milk p owde r

,

,

,

caseinate, whey powder, egg protein, dried blood serum, soya flour,

soya protein, textured v e g e t a ble protein, groundnut protein, wheat

gluten, lupi n meal, sunflower meal;

sucrase, invert

sugar, dextrose

(glucase),

lactose,

maltose,

glucose syrup (inc1uding com syrup);

spices, seasonings and condiments;

hydrolized protein.

(5) Luncheon meat shall conform with the requirements laid

dawn in the First Schedule to these regulations as regards meat and fat

content.

(]) The ingredients from which the product is prepared shall

be of a quality suitable for human consumption and free from objection­

able odours and flavours.

(2) No meat, inc1uding poultry meat and their products, shalI

be accepted by an establishment where luncheon meat is prepared or

manufactured unless the animals (inc1uding poultry) from which such

meat or products have been derived have been subjected to ante mortem

and post 1110rtem inspection and found free from disease at the time of

slaughter and fit for human consumption. Such animals shall not after

such inspection 01' inspections be or have been exposed to contamination

or processed of handled 01' subjected to the addition of any harmful

substance which renders them unfit for human consumption.

(3) The 111eat, inc1uding poultry meat and their products,

referred to in paragraph (2) of this regulation shalI be handIed, stored

or transported in such establishments, in such a manner that will protect

such meat and products from contamination and deterioration.

(4) The final product shall be clean and substantially free

from staining and contamination from the container. The meat and

poultry meat shaH be uniformly and thoroughly cured and the product

shall be capable of being sliced.

(5) Food additives in luncheon meat shall conform with the

requirements laid down in the Second Schedule to these regulations.

The heat treatment to which the product has been subjected

and the type of cure and packaging shall be sufficient to ensure that the

product presents 110 pu b li c health hazard and remains wholesome under

conditions of storage, transport and sale.

(1) Luncheon meat products that are heat treated after pack-

aging shall be packaged in hermetically sealed containers which do not

pre s en t any health hazard or permit contamination under the condition

of handling, storage, transport and sale indicated on the labe1. The con·

tainers shaH be c1ean and show the characteristics of sound containers

and where applicable to the type of container, shall show evidence of

vacuum.

(2) Luncheon 111eat products that are heat treated before

packaging shall be packaged in such a way that the product will with­

stand spoilage and present no public health hazard under the conditions

of handling, storage, transport and sale indicated on the label. The con­

tainers shall not present any health hazard or permit contamination

under normal conditions of handling. They shall be c1ean and, where

app1icable, show evidence of vacuum.

(3) When processed containers are cooled in water, the water

shaH be of potable quality or suitably treated so as not to constitute a

public health hazard.

(4) The final product shall be handIed and stored in such a

manner as to avoid contamination of the product.

(1) The label on the container shall designate the nature of Labellin!!.

the product as "Luncheon Meat". Such label shall aIso show a declara-

tion as to the presence of binders and of edible offal and a dec1aration

indicating the species of animal from which the meat is derived shall be

given in connection with the name of the product if their omission would

mis1ead the consumer.

(2) A complete list of ingredients shall be declared on the

label in descending order of proportion. The specific names shall be

used for ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid and their sodium sa1ts, and nit­

riles (potassiul11 and sodium). Added phosphates may be dec1ared by

The list of ingredients

c1ass title "phosphates".

shall indicate the

species of animals from which themeat is derived.

The net contents shall be decJared by weight in metric.

(3)

(4) The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distri­

butor, importer, exporter or vendor of the product shall be dec1ared on

the label, as well as the country of origin of the product. The cOlmtry

in which the processing is performed shall bc considered to be the

country of origin for the purposc of labelling. Each container shall be

embossed or otherwise permanently marked to identify the establishment

producing the luncheon meat, <IS well as the batch number of the lot.

(5) For products which are not fully shelf-stable, i.e. which

may be expected not to keep for a t least one year in normal conditions

of storage and sale, adequate storage instructions sha11 be given on the

labeJ. These instructions shall state the recommended maximum tem­

peralure or conditions of storage and, in the case of products sold to the

consumer, an indication of the recommended maximum period of storage

in specified conditions.

(1) No person may impor t manufacture, export 01' sel1 any Llll1cheon meat

,

luncheon meat which does net comply with the requirements ef these to cOlllply with

regllbtion�, etc.

regulations or which has not been produced in accordance with the

provisions of these regulations 01' of the Food, Drugs and Drinking

Water Act, ] 972, or of any regulations made thereunder.

(2) AllY luncheon meat which is allowed to be imported in

accordance with the provision of paragraph (1) of this regulation shall,

on importation, be accompanied by the document or documents as are

referred to in regulation 9 of the Canl1ed Food Regulations, 1977.

B