Act No: CAP. 356
Act Title: MEAT CONTROL
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION
Arrangement of Sections
DECLARATION OF ANIMALS UNDER SECTION 2
[L.N. 117/1975.]

The Minister has declared the following to be “animals” to which this Act applies—

Bulls.

Hens.

Cows.

Chickens.

Heifers.

Turkeys.

Calves.

Geese.

Oxen.

Ducks.

Sheep.

Guinea fowls.

Goats.

Pigeons.

Pigs.

REGULATIONS UNDER SECTION 3

MEAT CONTROL (SLAUGHTERHOUSE) REGULATIONS, 1973
[L.N. 213/1973, L.N. 123/2007.]
1.

These Regulations may be cited as the Meat Control (Slaughterhouse) Regulations, 1973.
6.

(1) No person shall part with the possession of a carcass of any animal slaughtered in an export slaughterhouse, unless such carcass has been inspected by an inspecting officer.

(2)

Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence.
7.

It shall be lawful for any inspecting officer to detain, or order the disposal or destruction of, any animal, carcass, or meat which, in his opinion, is unfit for human consumption.
8.

(1) No person, other than an inspecting officer, shall attach to or remove from any animal, carcass or meat or alter or cause to be attached to or removed from any animal, carcass or meat or permit the alteration of any tags, token or mark used in the process of inspection.

(2)

Any person who contravenes paragraph (1) of this regulation shall be guilty of an offence.
9.

(1) No person shall remove or dispose of any animal, carcass or meat which has been marked or tagged except with the consent of and in accordance with instructions of an inspecting officer.
(2)

Any person who contravenes this regulation shall be guilty of an offence.
10.

Any person who obstructs or hinders an inspecting officer acting in the course of his duties shall be guilty of an offence.
14.

Any person who is guilty of an offence under these Regulations shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
15.

These Regulations shall be in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of any other written law relating to public health for the time being in force.

SCHEDULE

A – CONDITIONS AND FACILITIES FOR INSPECTION
1.

Adequate and well equipped areas reserved for the exclusive use of the inspecting officers shall be provided.
2.

No department of an export slaughterhouse shall be operated except under the supervision of an inspecting officer.
3.

No carcass, or meat shall be removed from an export slaughterhouse until after due notice has been given to the inspecting officer.
4.

The following facilities and conditions and such others as may be essential to efficient conduct of inspection and maintenance of sanitary conditions shall be provided by each export slaughterhouse—

(a)

satisfactory lairages, equipment and assistants for conducting ante-mortem inspection and for separating, marking and holding apart from passed animals those marked “suspect” and “condemned”. It shall also provide satisfactory lairages, crushes and races which shall be paved, drained and supplied with adequate water connection for cleaning purposes. Sufficient natural and artificial light shall be provided for the inspection;
(b)

sufficient natural and abundant artificial light at all places and such times of day when natural light may not be adequate for proper conduct of inspection. Rooms shall be kept sufficiently free from vapours and steam for inspection to be properly made. Equipment and substances which generate gases or odours shall not be used except as specially permitted by the inspecting officer;
(c)

racks, receptacles, or other suitable devices for retaining such parts as the head, tongue, tail, thymus gland and viscera, and other parts and blood to be in the preparation of meat until after the post-mortem is completed, in order that they may be accurately identified in case of condemnation of the carcass. Equipment, trucks and receptacles, for the handling of viscera of slaughtered animals so as to prevent contact with the floor. Trucks, racks, marked receptacles, tables or other necessary equipment for the separation and sanitary handling of carcasses or parts marked “RETAINED”;
(d)

tables, benches and other equipment on which inspection is performed, of such design, material and construction as to enable inspecting officers to conduct their inspection in a ready, efficient and hygienic manner;
(e)

watertight metal trucks or receptacles for holding and handling diseased carcasses and parts, so constructed as to be easily cleaned; such trucks or receptacles to be marked in a conspicuous manner with the word

“CONDEMNED” in letters not less than five centimetres high, and when required by the inspecting officer, to be equipped with facilities for locking or sealing;
(f)

adequate arrangements, including liquid soap and cleansers, for cleansing and disinfecting hands, for sterilizing all implements used in dressing diseased carcasses, floors and such other articles and places as may be contaminated by diseased carcasses or otherwise;
(g)

in export slaughterhouses in which slaughtering is done, rooms, compartments or specially open places, to be known as “final inspection places”, at which the final inspection of detained carcasses may be conducted. Competent assistants for handling of detained and retained carcasses and parts shall be provided by the export slaughterhouses. Final inspection places shall be adequate in size and their rail arrangements and other equipment shall be sufficient to prevent carcasses and parts, passed for food and other treatment, from being contaminated by contact with condemned carcasses. They shall be equipped with hot water, sterilisers, tables and other equipment required for ready, efficient and hygienic conduct of the inspection. The floors shall be of such construction as to facilitate the maintenance of hygienic conditions and shall have proper drainage connexions, and when the final inspection place is part of a large floor, it shall be separated by a curb, railing or otherwise;
(h)

rooms, compartments and receptacles in which carcasses and meat may be held for further inspection. These shall be in such number and in such locations as the needs of the inspection in the export slaughterhouse may require. They shall be equipped for secure locking and shall not leave the custody of the inspecting officer. Every such room, compartment and receptacles shall be marked conspicuously with the word “RETAINED” in letters not less than five centimetres high. Rooms or compartments for these purposes shall be secure and capable of being kept clean, including hygienic disposal of the floor liquids.

B – SANITATION

1.

Each export slaughterhouse shall provide the following amenities—

(a)

an installation supplying adequate quantities of portable water;
(b)

an ample supply of water at not less than 82 degrees centigrade shall be furnished and used for the cleaning of inspection equipment, floors and the like, which are subject to contamination by the dressing and handling of diseased carcasses, viscera and parts. Whenever necessary to determine compliance with this requirement, conveniently placed thermometers shall be installed to show the temperature of the water at the point of use;
(c)

hot water for cleaning rooms and equipment other than those mentioned in subparagraph (b) of this paragraph shall be delivered under pressure to sufficient and convenient outlets and shall be of such temperature as to accomplish a thorough cleaning;
(d)

the floors, walls, ceilings, partitions, posts, doors and other parts of all structures shall be of such materials, construction and finish as will make them capable of being readily and thoroughly cleaned. The floors shall be kept watertight. The rooms and compartments used for edible products shall be separate and distinct from those used for inedible products;
(e)

butchers and others who dress and handle diseased carcasses or parts shall, before handling and dressing other carcasses or parts, cleanse their hands with liquid soap and hot water, and rinse them in clean water. Implements used in dressing diseased carcasses shall be thoroughly cleansed in boiling water, or in a prescribed disinfectant followed by rinsing in clean water. The employees of the establishment who handle any product shall keep their

hands clean, and, in all cases, after visiting the toilet rooms or urinals shall wash their hands before handling any meat or implements used in the preparation of meat;
(f)

protective clothing of a light colour and of such material as to render them easily cleaned and in such numbers as to be sufficient for changing every day or whenever it is deemed necessary by the inspecting officer;
(g)

protective coverings for meat. Inspecting officers in charge shall require the use of such protective coverings for meat as it is distributed from export slaughterhouses as will afford adequate protection for the meat against dirt, insects and the like, considering the means intended to be employed in transporting the meat from the export slaughterhouse.
2.

Adequate sanitary facilities and accommodations shall be furnished by every export slaughterhouse and the specific requirements shall be as follows—

(a)

dressing rooms, toilet rooms and urinals shall be sufficient in number, ample in size and conveniently located;
(b)

modern lavatory accommodations with hot and cold running water, liquid soap, towels or other equipment for drying of hands, and bacteriocidal barrier cream shall be situated outside toilet rooms or urinals and their use by employees of the establishment shall be supervised;
(c)

drainage from toilet rooms and urinals shall not be discharged into a grease catchbasin;
(d)

properly located facilities for cleansing and disinfecting utensils and hands of all persons handling any product.
3.

All operating and storage rooms and departments of export slaughterhouses used for inedible products shall be maintained in acceptably clean condition. The outer premises of every export slaughterhouse shall be properly paved and drained and kept in clean and orderly condition. All catchbasins on the premises shall be of such construction and location and shall be given such attention as will ensure their being kept in acceptable condition as regards odours and cleanliness. The accumulation of any material in which pests may breed or feed upon is forbidden. No sanitary nuisance shall be allowed in any export slaughterhouse.
4.

No export slaughterhouse shall employ, in a department where any meat is handled or prepared, any person affected with communicable diseases in a transmissible stage.
5.

No export slaughterhouse shall maintain any person affected with communicable diseases in a transmissible stage, nor any person living with other persons affected with such disease, in a department where meat is handled or prepared.
6.

Drawings and specifications shall be furnished in advance of alterations and construction. The copies of drawings shall be submitted to the Director of Veterinary Services for approval. The drawings shall be complete with specifications and consisting of floor plans showing the location of such features as the principal pieces of equipment, floor drains, principal drainage lines, handwashing basins and hose connexion for cleanup purposes. They shall further show roof plans, elevations, cross and longitudinal sections of the various buildings showing such features as principal pieces of equipment, heights of ceilings, conveyor rails and character or floors and ceilings. Further shall be submitted a plot plan showing such features as the limits of the plant premises, locations in outline or buildings on the premises, cardinal points of the compass and roads and railways serving the plant, all properly drawn to scale.

C – INSPECTION

I – Duties of Inspecting Officers

1.

All regulations regarding hygiene and sanitation set forth in these Schedules shall whenever applicable be observed by inspecting officers.
2.

Every inspecting officer shall possess at least two knives, which shall be kept in clean condition; and knives which are soiled by diseased matter shall not be used until they have been properly cleaned and disinfected.
3.

Every inspecting officer shall incise all the organs and parts of a carcass, as provided herein; and if the routine incisions are not sufficient to reach a diagnosis the inspecting officer may incise other parts or demand the cutting up of the carcass.
4.

When incising diseased parts, every inspecting officer shall avoid contaminating the healthy parts of the carcass or organs, and the floor and other parts of the premises.
5.

Any carcass, organs or part detained for further inspection or bacteriological examination shall be marked by the inspecting officer with a label stating “DETAINED”.

6.

The carcass, organ or part marked “DETAINED” shall be removed to a detention room, where it shall remain until a final decision has been reached.
7.

The identity of every such detained carcass, organ or part shall be maintained until the final inspection has been completed.
8.

Where a slaughtered animal is found by the inspecting officer to be free from disease or other conditions which may be injurious to the consumers of the meat, well nourished and in sound and wholesome condition, the carcass shall be passed as fit for consumption, and shall be stamped by the inspecting officer with the official mark of approval.
9.

The official mark of approval shall consist of either an ink brand, burning brand or like device using such ink, design or size as the Director of Veterinary Services may require. The stamps shall be placed on such parts of the carcass, organs and parts as the Director of Veterinary Services may require.
10.

Each inspecting officer shall be given a number. Every inspecting officer shall, when conducting final inspection, stamp every carcass on both sides with an inspection mark; every inspecting officer is personally responsible that the stamp embossed with his individual number is kept under lock when not in use.

II – Ante-Mortem Inspection

1.

All (cattle, sheep, swine and goats) animals shall be inspected ante-mortem at arrival in the export slaughterhouse immediately before slaughter except in case of emergency.
2.

No animal which has entered the yards or lairages shall be removed therefrom, whether for slaughter or otherwise, unless permission in writing has been granted by the inspecting officer.
3.

The ante-mortem inspection shall be carried out (if possible) on the unloading ramp and in the lairages. Ample light must be available for the inspection.
4.

During the inspection the following details shall be noted—

(a)

disease symptoms which may influence the general health of the animal or depreciate the meat;
(b)

the presence of notifiable infectious diseases or symptoms which may suggest that such disease is developing;
(c)

species, sex, colour, age, behaviour and body temperature.
5.

In particular attention shall be paid to the following—

(a)

(condition) state of nutrition;
(b)

manner of standing and walking;
(c)

reaction to environment;
(d)

hide, skin and hair;
(e)

digestive system (lips, mouth, anus, rumination, quality of faeces and appetite);
(f)

vulva, vagina and mammary gland;
(g)

respiratory system (nasal openings and respiration).
6.

Every animal suspected on ante-mortem inspection shall be set apart and tagged “SUSPECT” and slaughtered either in the casualty block or when the killing of the normal animals has been carried out.
7.

Any inspecting officer carrying out the ante-mortem inspection shall notify in writing the officer in charge or the inspecting officers (on the killing floor) conducting post-mortem inspection of the reason why the animals have been classed as “SUSPECT”.
8.

Any animal showing on ante-mortem inspection a disease or condition that would necessitate condemnation of the carcass on post-mortem inspection shall be tagged “CONDEMNED”.
9.

Any swine having a temperature of 106 degrees fahrenheit or higher and any cattle, sheep or goats having a temperature of 105 degrees fahrenheit or higher shall be marked “CONDEMNED”. In case of doubt as to the cause of the high temperature, or when for other reasons such action appears warranted, any such animals may be held for a reasonable time, under the supervision of an inspecting officer, for further observation and taking of temperature before final disposition of such animals is determined.
10.

Animals tagged “CONDEMNED” shall, if not already dead, be killed in the post-mortem room only, and shall not be conveyed into any department of the establishment used for edible products.

III – Post-Mortem Inspection

1.

(a) The post-mortem inspection shall follow as soon as possible after the slaughter

of the animal, except in cases of emergency slaughter.
(b)

Evisceration shall be effected within 30 minutes in pigs and 45 minutes in cattle, sheep and goats after slaughter.
(c)

The carcass shall not be cut up in any manner until the inspecting officer has carried out his examination.
(d)

All hair, scurf and dirt, and hoofs and claws shall be removed from pig carcasses, and the carcasses shall be thoroughly washed and cleaned before any incision is made for inspection and evisceration.
(e)

When a carcass is to be dressed with the skin or hide left on, the skin or hide shall be thoroughly washed and cleaned before any incision is made for the purpose of removing any part thereof or evisceration, except that where calves are slaughtered by the Jewish or Moslem method the heads shall be removed from the carcass before washing of the carcass.
(f)

No serous membrane shall be removed nor shall any evidence of disease be modified or obliterated by washing, scrapping or stripping or in any other manner before inspection by an inspecting officer.
(g)

(i) The organs of the abdomen, pelvis and thorax shall be removed and the

tongue in calves and pigs.
(ii) The head and feet may be cut off, if so desired, from cattle, sheep and goat carcasses.
(iii) Ears, eyes, sexual organs, the navel in pigs and the anus shall be removed immediately.
(h)

If several animals of the same species are slaughtered together, the parts and organs removed from a carcass shall be kept beside that carcass or otherwise be marked to enable their identification with the carcass from which they have been removed.
(i)

No part or organ shall be removed without the knowledge and permission of the inspecting officer before the inspection of the carcass and viscera is fully completed.
2.

(1) The carcass shall be examined visually to ascertain the following—

(a)

(condition) state of nutrition;
(b)

evidence of bruising, haemorrhage, injuries or discoloration;
(c)

efficiency of bleeding;
(d)

local or general dropsy (oedema);
(e)

abnormalities, swellings or deformities of bones, joints, muscles or other tissues;
(f)

conditions of serous membranes (pleura and peritoneum).
(2)

Viscera shall be examined either in situ or as they are removed from the carcass.
(3)

Lymph nodes shall be examined by palpation and deep, multiple, longitudinal incisions and if required they shall be removed for detailed inspection.
(4)

The carcass muscles shall be inspected by viewing and incision.
(5)

Any carcass, organ or part demanding a more detailed examination shall be retained in accordance with paragraph C.I: 5 of this Schedule.
(6)

Any incision or excision shall be made if possible in such manner as not to impair the market value of the carcass, organ or part.
3.

A visual inspection, alone or together with palpation and or incision of the following parts or organs shall be carried out as a routine measure—

(a)

blood—(note—colour, clothing, staining ability and presence of foreign matter);
(b)

head—(pharynx, tongue, lips, sub-maxillary and retro-pharyngeal lymph nodes);
(c)

lungs—(trachea, bronchial and mediastinal lymph nodes);
(d)

heart—(peri-, ecto- and endorcardium, myocardium);
(e)

diaphram;
(f)

liver—(surface and substance, bile ducts and lymph nodes);
(g)

stomach and intestines—(omentum, mesentery and mesenteric lymph nodes);
(h)

kidneys—(surface and substance, and if necessary renal lymph nodes);
(i)

spleen—(incision only if necessary);
(j)

uterus—(ovaries, vagina and vulva);
(k)

testicles;
(l)

mammary gland—(supramammary lymph nodes);
(m)

feet;
(n)

muscles—(routine incisions, see detailed inspection of cattle, calves, etc., in paragraph (4) of this section);
(o)

fat, connective tissue, bones, joints and tendon sheaths;
(p)

carcass lymph nodes—(routine inspection in accordance with paragraph (4) of this section).
4.

Details of inspection methods in cattle, calves, pigs, sheep and goats are as follows—

(a)

Cattle.—Visual inspection of gums and palate; visual inspection, palpation and incision of tongue (ventral aspect-root) which should be loosened but not detached; extensive incisions of the external muscles of mastication parallel to the lower jaw; visual inspection of the heart after opening of pericardium and an incision into the heart muscle shall be made from the base to the apex (further incisions shall be made if Cysticercus bovis is suspected) visual inspection of oesophagus; visual inspection of the muscles exposed during splitting of carcass; the following routine inspection shall be made into each side; three incisions into the muscles of the shoulder proximal to the elbow

joint (M. triceps brachii), any other incision or excision shall be permissible, without mutilation of the carcass, if the presence of Cysticercus bovis is suspected; the prescapular, external and internal iliac, external inguinal/supramammary, ischiadic and renal lymph nodes shall be incised; the stomach, intestines and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be viewed, the latter if necessary incised; the lungs shall be viewed, palpated and their basic lobes incised in order to open the bronchii; the liver shall be visually inspected, palpated and incised (an incision shall be made across the thin left lobe and under the caudate lobe); the adrenal glands shall be examined by observation and palpation; the outer surface of the uterus and the substance of the uterus and of the ovaries shall be examined; if considered necessary, the former shall be incised.
(b)

Calves.—In addition to the foregoing, the navel and the joints shall be examined by observation and (if necessary) the carpal and tarsal joints shall be incised; the presence, consistency and colour of the fat around the kidneys shall be noted; the skeletal muscles shall be viewed to ascertain their colour and consistency; visual inspection and if necessary incision of all parts known to be predilection sites for Cysticercus bovis regardless of the age of the calf; visual inspection of visceral surface of the liver.
(c)

Pigs.—The carcass of baconers and heavier pigs shall be split before inspection and the back-bone and tail inspected; the submaxillary and ratropharyngeal lymph nodes shall be exposed and incised; the lips and gums shall be viewed; the tongue shall be detached from the head bones, palpated, viewed and incised; the pericardium shall be opened up and the heart visually inspected and incised by one cut stretching from the base to the apex; the leaf fat shall be detached and the kidneys exposed; the lungs shall be viewed, palpated and their basic lobes incised in order to open the bronchii; all exposed muscles shall be visually examined, especially neck, loin and ham muscles as well as the fleshy part of the diaphragm; the prescapular, iliac, superficial inguinal supra mammary lymph nodes shall be examined by palpation and if necessary incised; the gastrosplenic and mesenteric lymph nodes shall be incised; incisions into shoulder muscles may be omitted.

Examination for Trichinella spiralis—

(i) one piece of muscle of about thirty grammes shall be taken from the thick fleshy part of the diaphragm;
(ii) using scissors, either four (trichinoscope) or 12 (microscopse) grain-sized pieces shall be cut out longitudinally to the muscle fibres as near as possible to the tendons and placed in a compressory and examined;
(iii) in case Trichinellae are found, six new samples should be taken from different parts of the pig and examined in the same way;
(iv) in case salted or smoked samples shall be examined, they shall first be put in boiling hot water for 20 minutes and shall be treated with two to five per cent solution of sodium hydroxide immediately before examination;
(v) all boars, sows and gilts which have been used for breeding, all pigs with a Cold Dressed Weight of more than 90 kilogrammes and every fifth pig out of every mob shall be examined.
(d)

Sheep and Goats.—The lips, gums, tongue and nasal cavities shall be examined as practicable; the prescapular, superficial inguinal/supramammary and precrural lymph nodes shall be examined in detail; the lungs shall be viewed, palpated and their basic lobes incised; the liver shall be viewed and palpated, and an incision shall be made into the thickest portion of the organ or across the thin left lobe; the mammary gland shall be examined by observation and palpation.
5.

All carcass lymph nodes and organs shall be examined in detail in carcasses derived from animals marked “SUSPECT” during ante-mortem inspection and in carcasses derived from an emergency slaughter.
6.

No carcass derived from an animal judged “SUSPECT” during ante-mortem inspection or slaughtered in emergency shall be passed fit for human consumption unless it has been proved by bacteriological examination to be free from organisms causing meat-borne diseases or if any of the following diseases and conditions have been established during ante- and post-mortem inspection—

(a)

sheep pox, erysipelas, swine fever;
(b)

bone fractures (with perforation of hide or skin); external injuries (without affecting the general health); foreign body in the oesophagus (with perforation); prolapse of the uterus, bladder or rectum provided slaughter has taken place immediately after the incident and no complication or fever was recorded;
(c)

delay in evisceration after killing of more than 45 minutes in cattle or 30 minutes in calves, pigs, sheep and goats;
(d)

presence of diffuse chronic pleuritis and peritonitis;
(e)

animals which were found healthy prior to slaughtering but showed symptoms on post-mortem inspection of illness which may be dangerous to humans;
(f)

animals which are known to be symptomless carriers of organisms which may cause meat-borne diseases.
7.

Carcasses from which samples have been taken for bacteriological examination shall be “RETAINED” under lock and key until a final decision can be reached.
8.

The carcass and viscera shall be judged unfit for human consumption if affected with or showing lesions of any of the following diseases or conditions—

(i) anthrax;
(ii) abscesses, multiple;
(iii) anaplasmosis and redwater, save where the carcass is in good condition;
(iv) actinomycosis and actinobacillosis, generalized;
(v) blackleg;
(vi) bluetongue;
(vii) brucellosis in goats;
(viii) bruising, generalized;
(ix) cysticercosis, generalized (C. bovis);
(x) cysticercosis localized and generalized (C. cellulosae);
(xi) cysticercosis localized and generalized (C. ovis);
(xii) coccidiosis;
(xiii) caseous lymphadenitis, if the carcass is in poor condition or the lesions are either multiple, acute and actively progressive, or inactive but widespread;
(xiv) decomposition, generalized;
(xv) dropsy, generalized;
(xvi) emaciation, pathological or in connexion with dropsy;
(xvii) enteritis in young animals, regardless of causal agent;
(xviii) erysipelas, acute;
(xix) east coast fever, save where the carcass is in good condition;
(xx) fever;
(xxi) foot-and-mouth disease;
(xxii) heartwater, save where the carcass is in good condition and not feverish;
(xxiii) immaturity, unborn and stillborn carcasses;
(xxiv) jaundice, if discoloration of the carcass is still present after 24 hours of cooling, or if the carcass is in poor condition, or dropsical, or if an unpleasant taste or smell is noted when carrying out the boiling or frying test;
(xxv) leptospirosis;
(xxvi) leukosis;
(xxvii) mammitis, acute, septic;
(xxviii) malignant catarrh;
(xxix) metritis, acute, septic;
(xxx) Nairobi sheep disease;
(xxxi) naval ill;
(xxxii) paratyphus in pigs;
(xxxiii) pig paralysis;
(xxxiv) parturient paresis, carcass judged according to its merit;
(xxxv) pasterurellosis;
(xxxvi) pleurisy, acute, diffuse, septic;
(xxxvii) pneumonia, acute, septic;
(xxxviii) pericarditis, acute, septic;
(xxxix) peritonitis, acute, septic diffuse;
(xl) pigment formation, generalized;
(xli) polyarthritis;
(xlii) rabies;
(xliii) rinderpest;
(xliv) salmonellosis, generalized;
(xlv) sarcocystosis, if the meat is watery and discoloured;
(xlvi) septicaemia and pyaemia;
(xlvii) tetanus;
(xlviii) transit fever, save when carcass is in good condition;
(xlix) trichinellosis;
(l) trypanosomiasis, save where the carcass is in good condition and does not show lesions of fever and dropsy;
(li) tuberculosis, if the carcass is emaciated or fevered owing to an acute blood infection, or the lesions are generalized, extensive or acute or actively progressive;
(lii) tumours, generalized or malignant;
(liii) swine fever.
9.

Blood shall be unfit for human consumption when—

(a)

the carcass and organs are condemned;
(b)

the carcass or organs are found to be affected with any infectious disease;
(c)

it is contaminated by stomach contents or other extraneous matter.
10.

An organ or part of a carcass shall be unfit for human consumption if affected with or showing lesions of the following diseases or conditions—

(i) tuberculosis—

(ii) sarcocystosis; the affected muscles only shall be condemned, provided the infestation is localized and the meat normal;
(iii) liver fluke, tapeworm cysts, round worms, tape worms, etc., provided that the affected parts shall not be rejected when the lesions are slight and not numerous and the part is not changed in structure and appearance and that adequate trimming can be carried out;
(iv) abscesses, abrasions, bruises, tumours, etc., provided that the affected parts together with the surrounding tissues shall be removed if the lesions are localized or encapsulated and the regional lymph nodes or the general system does not show any symptoms indicating spread or secondary infection;
(v) pleuro-pneumonia: the lungs and pleura shall be condemned;
(vi) actinomycosis and actinobacillosis: the affected parts and the corresponding lymph nodes shall be condemned;
(vii) inflammation: the diseased part only shall be condemned if the area is small and localized and the regional lymph nodes or general system is not involved;
(viii) malformations: the affected parts shall be condemned;
(ix) diamond skin lesions: the whole skin shall be stripped and condemned and hemorrhages in the fat shall be trimmed and condemned;
(x) degeneration: the affected organ shall be condemned. The whole carcass shall be condemned in case of degeneration of muscles when the larger part of the ham and back muscles show advanced and extensive degeneration;
(xi) pigmentation, calcification, infiltration, haemorrhagic or watery, the affected parts shall be condemned;
(xii) decomposition, superficial, moulds superficial, maggots, etc.: the affected part together with the surrounding tissues shall be condemned;
(xiii) contamination: the contaminated part together with the surrounding tissues shall be condemned;
(xiv) arthritis: the affected part shall be condemned;
(xv) listeriosis: the head shall be condemned.
11.

All cattle, calf, sheep and goat lungs intended for food purposes shall be inspected to determine whether foreign matter is present in the air passages. The main bronchii and branches shall be slit by the inspecting officers as requested by the officer in charge and, if ingesta or other objectionable foreign matter has entered these passages, the lungs shall be condemned.
12.

All lungs from pigs which have been submerged to scalding in a scalding tank shall be condemned.
13.

Lactating mammary glands and diseased mammary glands of cattle, sheep, pigs and goats shall be removed without opening the milk ducts or sinuses. If pus or other objectionable material is permitted to come in contact with the carcass, the parts of the carcass thus contaminated shall be removed and condemned.
14.

A carcass shall be deemed conditionally fit for human consumption if infected with cysticercus bovis under the following conditions—

(a)

any carcass showing one to five cysts shall be retained for a minimum of ten days in a temperature not above minus ten degrees centigrade or sterilised by heat in accordance with paragraph C.III: 15 of this section, and then released unconditionally for sale;
(b)

any carcass of which the head or tongue, or thoracic or abdominal viscera, are infested with one or more cysts shall be retained and treated and released in accordance with subparagraph (a) of this paragraph;
(c)

any carcass showing six to twenty cysts shall be retained and treated in accordance with subparagraph (a) of this paragraph, but released conditionally as “contract” meat only, meaning that the meat can only be sold to specified users or retailers.
15.

Carcasses which have been declared conditionally fit shall be processed by either of the following methods—

(a)

sterilization by heat treatment, carried out by steaming, boiling or rendering—

(i) steaming, which entails heating by steam under moderate pressure in an autoclave for a period of not less than one hour;
(ii) boiling, which entails heating in a closed or open vat at temperature of not less than 77 degrees centigrade for a period of not less than 2½ hours;
(iii) rendering, which entails cooking of pork fat and tallow for a time sufficient to render them effectively into a lard or tallow provided all parts of the product are heated to a temperature not lower than 77 degrees centigrade for a period of not less than 30 minutes; carcasses or parts subjected to heat treatment, preferably by steaming shall be cut up into pieces not greater than ten centimetres in thickness; the sterilization shall be regarded as adequate when the deeper portions of the meat have assumed a grey colour in the case of beef and a greyish-white colour in the case of pork, and where the muscles juice which exudes when the meat is cut has lost its reddish tint; and the heat treatment shall be carried out during regular hours of work under the direct supervision of an inspecting officer;
(b)

freezing, as means of sterilization of carcasses affected with Cysticercus bovis, shall be carried out in a cold storage room the temperature of which shall be maintained at a constant level of not more than minus ten degrees centigrade for a period of at least ten days—

(i) before any carcass infested with Cysticercus bovis is placed in cold storage for sterilization all obviously diseased parts shall be removed and a tag securely affixed to each side;
(ii) a record of every carcass placed in cold storage for sterilization shall be kept;
(iii) the thermograph recordings of the temperature of a separate cold storage room reserved for the sterilization of carcasses infested with Cysticercus bovis shall be preserved for a period of at least one month from the date on which the carcass was removed therefrom, and shall be available for inspection;
(iv) the cold storage room in which carcasses infested with Cysticercus bovis are held shall be kept under lock and key, and shall be under personal supervision of the inspecting officer.
16.

Carcasses and parts declared conditionally fit for human consumption which have not been submitted to the treatment prescribed in paragraph C.III: 15 of this Schedule shall be regarded as unfit for human consumption.
17.

Judgment and procedure in diseases and conditions not dealt with in paragraphs C.III: 1 – C.III: 16 of this Schedule shall be within the discretion of the inspecting officer in charge of the establishment.

D – DISPOSAL OF CONDEMNED CARCASSES AND PARTS

1.

Carcasses and parts judged unfit for human consumption shall be removed to the disposal plant not later than 24 hours after Judgment. Each carcass or part which is found on final inspection to be unsound, unhealthy, unwholesome, or otherwise unfit for human consumption shall be conspicuously marked “CONDEMNED” on the surface tissues thereof by inspecting officer at the time of inspection. Condemned detached part and organs of such character that they can not be so marked shall be placed immediately in trucks or receptacles or chutes which shall be kept plainly marked “CONDEMNED”, in letters not less than five centimetres high. All condemned carcasses, parts and organs shall remain in the custody of the inspecting officer and shall be tanked as required in this Schedule at or before the close of the day on which they were condemned.
2.

All tanks and equipment used for rendering, preparing or storing of inedible products shall be in rooms or compartments separate from those used for rendering, preparing and storing edible products. There shall be no connexion between rooms or compartments containing inedible products and those containing edible products, except that there may be one connecting doorway between the slaughtering or viscera separation department and the tank charging room of the inedible products rendering department. Pipes and chutes installed in accordance with requirements of the Director of Veterinary Services may be used to convey inedible and condemned material from edible departments to inedible meat departments.
3.

(a) Condemned carcasses and meat shall be disposed of by tanking under direct

supervision of an inspecting officer who shall ensure that condemned carcasses and meat are placed in the tank in his presence; shall also ensure that the contents of the tank are subjected to sufficient heating for sufficient time to destroy effectively the contents for food purposes and to render them sterile.
(b)

The rendered fat from condemned materials shall be held until an inspecting officer shall have the opportunity to determine whether it has been effectively denatured. Samples shall be taken as frequently as is necessary by an inspecting officer to ensure denaturing.
4.

The tank discharging room of the inedible products rendering department or any other place where rendered inedible products are processed or stored shall be kept in an acceptably clean condition: adequate precautions shall be maintained to prevent dust or any other objectionable material from contaminating edible products, water supplies and all premises: inedible products shall be stored in a dry, pest-proofed place and in such a manner as to prevent all possibilities of it being mixed with edible products.
5.

Where a disposal plant is not available, carcass and parts unfit for human consumption shall be destroyed by burning or burial at least five metres below ground level.

E – RE-INSPECTION OF PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES TO BE SUPERVISED

1.

All products, whether fresh, cured, or otherwise prepared, even thought previously inspected and passed, shall be re-inspected by inspection officers as often as may be necessary in order to ascertain whether they are sound, healthy, wholesome and fit for human consumption at the time they leave an export slaughterhouse. If upon re-inspection any article is found to have become unsound, unhealthy, unwholesome, or in any way unfit for human consumption, the original mark, stamp or label thereon shall be removed or defaced and the article condemned.
2.

No meat shall be brought into an export slaughterhouse unless it has been previously inspected and passed by an inspecting officer or unless it can be identified by marks, seals, brands or labels as having been so inspected and passed, or if it has been processed elsewhere than in an export slaughterhouse. All meat brought into an export slaughterhouse shall be identified and reinspected at the time of receipt, and be subjected to further re-inspection in such manner and at such times as may be deemed necessary. If upon such re-inspection any article is found to be unsound, unhealthy, unwholesome or otherwise unfit for human consumption the original mark, stamp, or liable shall be removed or defaced and the article condemned.
3.

All processes used in curing, pickling, rendering, canning or otherwise preparing any product in an export slaughterhouse shall be supervised by inspection officers; on fixture or appliances, such as tables, trucks, trays, tanks, vats, machines, implements, cans, or containers of any kind shall be used unless they are of such materials and construction as will not contaminate the meat and are clean and sanitary. All steps in the processes of manufacture shall be conducted carefully and with strict cleanliness in rooms or compartments separate from those used for inedible products.
4.

Samples of products, water, dyes, chemicals, preservatives, spices, or any other articles in an export slaughterhouse shall be taken at the expense of the abattoir operator, for examination, as often as may be deemed necessary for the efficient conduct of inspection.

F – FOOD ADDITIVES AND INJURIOUS SUBSTANCES

1.

No meat intended for export may contain any additive or substance prohibited by the receiving country.
2.

All animals which have received any kind or antibiotics or chemotherapeutic agents within as many days prior to slaughter as may be determined by the importing country, shall be excluded from export, unless the testing of kidney tissue for residues proves to be negative.
3.

All animals which have received oestrogenic hormones within such a time prior to slaughter as may be determined by the importing country, shall be excluded from export.

G – CANNING

1.

Containers shall be cleaned thoroughly immediately, before filling, with the container in an inverted position by steam or if necessary with running water of a temperature of at least 82 degrees centigrade. The use of efficient jet-vacuum equipment for cleaning cans is permitted. Every precaution must be taken to avoid subsequent soiling of the inner surfaces of the containers.
2.

Manual handling of containers before sealing shall not be permitted.
3.

Nothing less than perfect closure is acceptable for hermetically sealed containers.
4.

The containers shall be thoroughly cleaned immediately after closing.
5.

Heat processing shall follow promptly after cleaning.
6.

Careful inspection shall be made of the containers by competent establishment employees immediately after closing and containers which are defectively filled, defectively closed or those showing inadequate vacuum, shall not be processed until the defect has been corrected. The containers shall again he inspected by establishment employees when they are dry and have cooled sufficiently for the sealing compound to have set after processing by heating. The content of defective cans shall be condemned unless correction of the defect is accomplished within six hours following the sealing of the containers or completion of the heat processing, as the case may be, except that—

(a)

if the defective condition is discovered during a daily run, the cans with the product may be held in coolers at a temperature not exceeding three degrees centigrade under conditions that will promptly and effectively chill them until the following day when the defect may be corrected;
(b)

low vacuum or overstuffed cans of meat which have not been handled in accordance with the above may be incubated under the supervision of an inspection officer, after which the cans shall be opened and the sound meat passed for human consumption.
7.

Manual handling of containers shall not be permitted until they are dry and have cooled sufficiently for the sealing compound to set after heat processing. Every precaution shall be taken to avoid knocking and bumping of the cans before the sealing compound has set after heat processing.
8.

Canned meats shall not be passed unless after cooling to atmospheric temperature, they show the external characteristics of sound cans; that is, the cans shall not be overfilled; they shall have concave sides excepting the seam side, and all ends shall be concave; there shall be no bulging; the sides and ends shall conform to the meat; and there shall be no loose or slack tin.
9.

All canned meat shall be plainly and permanently marked on the container by code or otherwise with the identity of the contents and date of canning. The code used and its meaning shall be on record in the officer of the inspecting officer in charge.
10.

Canned meat must be processed at such temperature and for such period of time as will ensure keeping without refrigeration under usual conditions of storage and transportation when heating is relied on for preservation.
11.

Lots of canned meat shall be identified during their handing preparatory to heat processing by tagging their baslets, cages or cans with a tag which will change colour on going through the heat processing or by other effective means so as to positively preclude failure to heat process after closing.
12.

Facilities shall be provided to incubate as least representative sample of the meat of fully processed canned meat. The incubation shall consist of holding the canned meant for at least 14 days at 37 degree centigrade—

(a)

the extent to which incubation test shall be required depends on condition such as the record of the export slaughterhouse in conduction canning operations, the extend to which the export slaughterhouse furnishes competent supervision and inspection in connexion with the canning operations, the character of the equipment used, and the degree to which such equipment is maintained at maximum efficiency. Such factors shall be considered by the inspection officers in determining the extent of incubation testing at a particular export slaughterhouse;
(b)

in the event of failure by an export slaughterhouse to provide suitable facilities for incubation of test samples, the inspecting officer may require holding of the entire lot under such conditions and for such period to time as may, in his discretion be necessary to establish the stability of the product.
13.

Facilities shall be maintained by the establishment for the bacteriological examination of such number of incubated or non-incubated cans as shall be determined by the inspection officer.

H – MARKING AND LABELLING OF MEAT AND MEAT CONTAINERS

1.

Export slaughterhouses shall furnish such ink brands, burning brands and like devices for marking products as the Director of Veterinary Services may require. An export slaughterhouse shall also furnish all ink for marking products. Such ink must be made with harmless ingredients that are approved for the purpose by the Director of Veterinary Services.
2.

No person shall procure, make, or prepare, or cause to be prepared, made, or procured, labels, brands, or other marking devices bearing the inspection legends or any abbreviations, copy or representation thereof for use on any product without the written authority from Director of Veterinary Services. Every such branch and device which bears the inspection legend shall be delivered into the custody of the inspecting officer in charge, and shall be used only under the supervision of an inspecting officer. When not in use they shall be kept under lock and key by the inspecting officer in charge.
3.

All brands and marking devices provided for the Meat Inspectorate shall be used only under the supervision of an inspection officer and when not in use for marking shall be kept locked in properly equipped lockers, the keys of which shall not leave the possession of the inspecting officer in charge.
4.

No person shall affix, or place, or cause to be affixed or placed, the inspection legend, or any abbreviation, copy or representation thereof, to or on any meat, or container thereof except under the supervision of an inspecting officer.
5.

No person shall fill, or cause to be filled, in whole or in part, with meat, any container bearing or intended to bear, the inspection legend, or any abbreviation, copy or representation thereof, except under the supervision of an inspection officer.
6.

No person shall remove, or cause to be removed from an export slaughterhouse any article which these Regulations require to be marked in any way unless the same is clearly and legibly marked in compliance with these directives.
7.

Any container of inedible product which has the physical characteristics of edible product or can be mistaken for such shall be marked conspicuously with the word “INEDIBLE”, in clear and legible letters.
8.

No inspection legend which has been previously used shall be used again for the identification of any product unless all stencils, marks, labels or other devices on previously used containers correctly indicate the article to be packed therein and such containers are refilled under the supervision of an inspection officer.

I – EXPORT STAMPS AND CERTIFICATES

(a)

Upon application of the exporter, the inspecting officer in charge is authorized to issue certificates for shipments of inspected and passed meat to any foreign country. Certificates should be issued at the time the articles leave the export slaughterhouse, if not issued at that time, they may be issued later only after identification and re-inspection of the meat.
(b)

Export certificates shall be issued in serial numbers and in triplicate form. Quadruplicate or more certificates may be issued for any exportation on the request of the exporter. Each certificate shall show the names of the exporter and the consignee, the destination, the numbers of the stamps, if any, attached to the articles to be exported, the number and type of packages, the shipping marks, the kind of product, the weight and any such information the consignee requires.

J – RECORD

1.

Every inspection officer shall keep a daily record book of slaughter and condemnation.
2.

In public abattoirs and meat production plants, a record book shall be maintained in which shall be recorded daily all slaughtering and condemnations carried out on the premises; this record book shall be closed at the end of the calendar year, and an annual report shall be made to the Director of Veterinary Services during the month of January.
3.

Daily record books shall be kept for at least three years and annual reports for at least fifteen years before being destroyed.
MEAT CONTROL (LOCAL SLAUGHTERHOUSES) REGULATIONS, 1973
[L.N. 214/1973, L.N. 230/1976, L.N. 5/1980, L.N. 291/1988.]
MEAT CONTROL (INSPECTION FEES) REGULATIONS, 1974
[L.N. 12/1974, L.N. 221/1976, L.N. 35/1977, L.N. 325/1989, L.N. 96/1995.]
1.

These Regulations may be cited as the Meat Control (Inspection Fees) Regulations, 1974.
3.

The inspection fee shall be paid to the inspecting officer at the time of inspection.
MEAT CONTROL (POULTRY MEAT INSPECTION) REGULATIONS, 1975
[L.N. 191/1975.]
1.

These Regulations may be cited as the Meat Control (Poultry Meat Inspection) Regulations, 1975.
2.

In these Regulations unless the context otherwise requires—

“carcass” means the body of any slaughtered animal after bleeding and dressing;

“giblets” means the properly trimmed and washed liver from which the gall bladder has been removed, the heart with or without the pericardial sac, the gizzard from which the lining and the contents have been removed and any other pan of the carcass considered to be edible by the consuming country;

“inspecting officer” means any Veterinary Officer, Health Inspector, or any other person duly authorized in writing by the Director of Veterinary Services to be an inspecting officer;

“poultry” means any bird commonly considered to be a domestic bird, and includes any domesticated edible bird.
3.

All poultry intended for human consumption shall be inspected both at the ante-mortem and post-mortem.
4.

The provisions set out in the Schedule shall apply to all poultry slaughterhouses.
5.

The Meat Control (Export Slaughterhouse) Regulations, 1973 (L.N. 2213/1973), with the exception of Part C. II and C. III of the Schedule thereto, and the Meat Control (Local Slaughterhouses) Regulations, 1973 (L.N. 214/1973), with exception of Part C4 of the Schedule thereto, shall apply mutatis mutandis for the purposes of these Regulations.

SCHEDULE

A – POULTRY PROCESSING EQUIPMENT
1.

The rate of flow of water into scalding tanks shall provide a continuous replacement of water so as to protect against a build up of contamination in the scalding tanks, and such tanks shall be emptied regularly at reasonable intervals.
2.

Machines used for plucking shall be designed to stop the scatter of feathers and all feathers shall be removed whenever circumstances reasonably require such removal and shall be stored in suitable containers for disposal.
3.

(a) Wax dipped poultry shall be handled so that the set wax and the removed feathers shall fall into a suitable container.
(b)

Feather separation sieves included in wax dipping machines shall be removable and cleaned once daily.
(c)

At the close of the working day all reclaimed wax shall be heated to a temperature of not less than 80°C (176°F) for a period of not less than 20 minutes, and shall be skinned, washed and filtered or passed through a centrifugal cleaning machine and afterwards stored in a clean place.
(d)

Wax, other than clean wax stored in a clean place, shall not be used for dipping.
4.

(a) Eviscoration troughs shall be constructed of stainless steel or other suitable material.
(b)

The water flow shall be in the opposite direction to that in which the carcasses are travelling so that the carcass arrives for cooling at the point where clean water enters the trough.
(c)

The number and placing of the water outlets shall be so constructed as to prevent the accumulation of build up material in the troughs.
5.

(a) Storage containers for inedible material shall be leak proof, constructed of metal or other suitable impervious material which is easy to clean and covered with close-fitting lids.
(b)

Where chutes or other continuous disposal methods are used, they shall be so constructed as to protect against contamination or offensive odours.
6.

Equipment used for chilling the carcasses and edible material shall be constructed of stainless steel or other suitable material and shall be so operated as to protect against the build up of microorganisms.

B – OPERATING PRACTICES

1.

Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls or pigeons shall be processed completely separate from one another either in time or place to prevent the risk of cross contamination of the meat of the aforesaid kinds of birds.
2.

Poultry carcasses, poultry parts and other material found unfit for human consumption shall be kept in a separate room securely locked and disposed of regularly and at least once a day.
3.

(a) Temperatures and procedures which are used for cooling and freezing

carcasses and all edible portions thereof shall be in accordance with operating practices which ensure the prompt removal of the heat, and preserve the condition and wholesomeness of the carcass and all edible portions thereof.
(b)

After preparation of the carcass there shall be no delay in cooling the carcass to an internal body temperature of 4°C (39°F) or lower.
4.

Giblets should be chilled to 4°C (39°F) or lower within 2 hours from the time they are removed from the bird.

C – PACKAGING OF FINISHED PRODUCT

1.

There shall be a separate packing room for the different kinds of processed poultry.
2.

Packing shall be done under conditions which preclude the introduction of contamination into the product including separate wrapping of giblets.

D – ANTE-MORTEM INSPECTION

1.

There shall be a separate room for storing live birds and for carrying out ante-mortem inspection.
2.

(a) The ante-mortem inspection shall be carried out immediately before any slaughter.
(b)

Sufficient light shall be provided for inspection.
3.

No poultry which has been brought to the slaughterhouse compound for purposes of slaughter shall be removed therefrom whether for slaughter or otherwise unless permission in writing has been granted by the inspecting officer.
4.

During the inspection, the following details shall be noted—

(a)

disease symptoms which may influence the general health of the bird;
(b)

the presence of notifiable infectious disease or symptoms which may suggest that such disease is developing;
(c)

emaciation, dirty ruffled feathers, abscesses and infected wound, discoloured and cedematous comb, diarrhoea, gaping or sneezing, discharge from eyes and or nostrils, lameness and central nerve disorder.
5.

Any poultry which, on ante-mortem inspection is found with, or suspected of any of the features enumerated in paragraph 4 of this Part shall be marked or identified and taken aside and slaughtered when killing of the normal poultry has been carried out.
6.

Any inspecting officer carrying out the ante-mortem inspection shall notify in writing the officer in charge or the inspecting officer conducting post-mortem, of the reason for the poultry to be suspected.
7.

No carcass derived from a bird found to be “Suspect” by the inspecting officer during ante-mortem inspection shall be passed fit for human consumption unless it has been proved by bacteriological examination to be free from organisms causing meat borne diseases.
8.

The carcasses from which samples have been taken for bacteriological examination shall be retained under lock and key until final decision is reached.
9.

Any bird showing on ante-mortem inspection a disease or condition that would necessitate condemnation on post-mortem inspection shall be condemned.
10.

The condemned birds shall, if not already dead, be killed in the post-mortem room only and be disposed of immediately, and shall not be given or exposed to any human being for consumption.

E – POST-MORTEM INSPECTION

1.

(a) (i) The post-mortem inspection shall be conducted at the time of

evisceration.
(ii) The carcass shall be opened so as to ensure sufficient exposure of the organs and body cavity for a proper examination.
(iii) The liver, spleen, gizzard, proventriculus, crop and intestines shall be drawn out but in such a way that the organs are still connected to the body.
(b)
(i) The external inspection shall comprise of the dorsal, lateral and ventral surfaces of the body as well as the head, tail, wings and legs.
(ii) The internal surface is inspected at the time of the inspection of the extracted organs.
(c)

At the external inspection, attention shall be specially directed towards the following diseases and conditions which can determine segregation or condemnation of the bird—

eczematous diseases, wounds, other lesions, staining, inadequate bleeding, haemorrhages in the skin (in the subcutaneous tissue or musculature), heavy contamination, atrophy, presternal bursitis, joint and tendon sheath inflamation, abscesses and tumours.
(d)
(i) At the internal inspection, the abdominal and thoracic organs shall be examined together with the serious membranes and the air sacs, and it shall be noted whether there is an abnormal odour or a collection of blood, exudate in the body cavity.
(ii) On inspection of the organs, it should be noted whether there are inflammatory or other pathological conditions.
2.

The carcass and organs shall be condemned and shall be unfit for human consuption if affected with or showing lesions of any of the following diseases or conditions—

(i) anthrax;
(ii) abscesses, multiple;
(iii) fowl cholera;
(iv) fowl pest (fowl plague);
(v) new castle disease;
(vi) newcastle disease;
(vii) tuberculosis;
(viii) fowl typhoid;
(ix) salmonellosis (except S, gallinarum and pullroum);
(x) septisaemia;
(xi) erysipelas;
(xii) pseudotuberculosis;
(xiii) listeriosis;
(xiv) ontithosia/psitacosis
(xv) botulism;
(xvi) toxoplasmosis;
(xvii) coligranulimatosis;
(xviii) infectious coryza;
(xix) chronic respiratory disease;
(xx) infectious sinusitis (in turkeys);
(xxi) infectious bronchitis;
(xxii) infectious synovitis;
(xxiii) fowl pox;
(xxiv) viral hepatitis (in ducks);
(xxv) avian leukosis complex;
(xxvi) spirochetosis;
(xxvii) mycotic diseases;
(xxviii) emaciation;
(xxix) ascites;
(xxx) poisonings;
(xxxi) staining (icterus, cyanosis);
(xxxii) avian monocytosis (blue comb disease);
(xxxiii) abnormal smell as a result of either disease, treatment or feeding;
(xxxiv) treatment with antibiotics or chemotherapautics if slaughtered before 6 days after treatment;
(xxxv) contamination with oil, paints, etc.;
(xxxvi) insufficient bleeding;
(xxxvii) pericarditis—acute, septic;
(xxxviii) pleurisy acute, diffuse, septic;
(xxxix) pigmentation—generalized;
(xl) salpingitis—acute, septic with complications;
(xli) cloaca inflammation;
(xlii) infected bone fracture;
(xliii) joint and tendon sheath inflammation in acute and chronic cases when carcass is emaciated;
(xliv) osteopetrosis;
(xlv) ectoparasites—if the carcass is emaciated and anaemic;
(xlvi) histomoniasis (blackhead) save where disease is in the process of healing and the carcass is in good condition;
(xlvii) trichomoniasis;
(xlviii) coccidioisis in acute or chronic cases with emaciation;
(xlix) air sac mites;
(l) rickets and porosis, save where the carcass is in good condition;
(li) endoparasites—if the carcass is emaciated, anaemic;
(lii) hock disorder in turkeys—save where the carcass is in good condition;
(liii) overscalding.
3.

An organ or part of a carcass shall be condemned and shall be unfit for human consumption if affected with or showing lesions of the following diseases or conditions—

(i) abscesses, abrasions, bruises, tumours, cysts: provided that the affected parts together with the surrounding tissues shall be removed if the lesions are localized or encapsulated and there are no signs of spread or secondary infection;
(ii) ectoparasites, gapeworm infection: provided that the affected parts shall not be rejected when the lesions are slight and not numerous and the part is not changed in structure or appearance and that the carcass is in good condition and adequate trimming can be carried out;
(iii) inflammation— the diseased part only shall be condemned if the area is small and localized and no signs of spread to other organs or tissues;
(iv) malformation— the affected parts shall be removed;
(v) degeneration— the affected organ shall be condemned. The whole carcass shall be condemned in case of degeneration of muscles when the larger part of the leg and the chest muscle show advanced and extensive degeneration;
(vi) pigmentation— calcification, infiltration, haemorrhages: the affected parts shall be condemned;
(vi) arthritis— the affected joint shall be condemned if there are no signs of generalization;
(viii) bone fracture— the affected part shall be condemned provided it is a fresh fracture and there are no signs of infection or generalization;
(ix) crop— lameness or constipation, proventiculus or gizzard constipation,

the affected part shall be condemned if the carcass is in good condition and there are no complications.
4.

Judgement of the disease and conditions not dealt with in paragraph E2 and E3 of this Schedule shall be within the discretion of the inspecting officer.
MEAT CONTROL (TRANSPORT OF MEAT) REGULATIONS, 1976
[L.N. 42/1976, L.N. 428/1989, L.N. 310/1996.]
1.

The Regulations may be cited as the Meat Control (Transport of Meat) Regulations, 1976.
2.

In these Regulations, except where the context otherwise requires—

“carrier” means any vehicle, aircraft, cart, bicycle, train or any motorized or hand driven transport system in or on which meat may be carried by or on behalf of the holder of a permit to any place for the purposes of selling;

“container” means any box, detachable compartment, receptacle or any other arrangement in which meat may be carried by or on behalf of the holder of a permit, to any place for the purposes of selling;

“inspecting officer” means any veterinary officer, health inspector or any tether person duly authorized in writing by the Director of Veterinary Services to be an inspecting officer for the purposes of these Regulations;

“permit” means a valid permit issued under regulation 4.
3.

No person shall transport, cause or suffer any meat to be transported unless such person holds a permit to transport meat.
4.

(1) An application for a permit shall be made in prescribed under the Second Schedule.

(2)

On receipt of an application for a permit and being satisfied that the carrier or container complies with the standard specifications made under these Regulations, the inspecting officer shall issue a permit to the applicant upon payment of one hundred shillings.
(3)

A permit shall remain valid up to the 31st December of the year in which it is issued.

[L.N. 428/1989, r. 2.]
5.

Any holder of a permit who uses a carrier or container which does not comply with the standard specifications made under these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence.
6.

Any carrier or container may be inspected by the inspecting officer whenever he deems it necessary to do so.
7.

Any person who uses, permits or causes to be used a carrier or container which does not conform in all respects to the hygienic standards prescribed in the First Schedule shall be guilty of an offence.
9.

Any person who contravenes any of these Regulations, or who fails to comply with any notice, regulation or prohibition issued under these Regulations, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand shillings or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.

FIRST SCHEDULE

[Regulation 7.]

Dtl STANDARDS OF HYGIENE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF MEAT
1.

No other products except those listed in the Second Schedule shall be transported in a carrier or container in which meat is transported.
2.

Livestock, live animals and dead or slaughtered carcasses not flayed and eviscerated shall not be transported in a carrier or container in respect of which a permit has been issued.
3.

Meat shall be placed in such a manner that it shall not be in direct contact with the floor of a carrier or container.
4.

Organs, such as liver, heart, brains, lungs, kidneys and clean tripe, shall be transported in receptacles, which are water tight and which can be easily cleaned and disinfected, unless they are frozen in which case they may be transported in carbons or heavy paper wrapping or plastic bags or other approved packing material.
5.

Rough tripe, intestines or other parts of an animal which may contaminate other meat or may have an offensive odour shall be transported in receptacles which are watertight and are easily cleaned and disinfected and which have close-fitting lids so secured as not to fall off during transport.
6.

Any person who, during any loading or un-loading of meat, handles meat, shall before such handling, wash his hands and other exposed parts of his body in clean disinfectants and shall, during loading or un-loading, be wearing clean protective clothing which covers the parts of his body, with the exception of his hands, which may come into contact with the meat, and the said clothing must not be worn during the actual transport by either the driver or any attendant.
7.

No person shall be allowed to stay in the compartment where meat is kept during transport.
8.

Any carrier or container shall, before it is loaded with meat be thoroughly washed using an approved detergent and shall thereafter be rinsed with clean, potable water and then once again rinsed with clean, potable water to which an approved sanitizing agent has been added.
9.

Meat handling equipments and containers, such as hooks, shelves, racks and receptacles, shall be rinsed in clean potable water.
10.

The following detergents are approved for use in carriers or containers—

sodium bicarbonate;

sodium carbonate (soda ash);

trisodium phosphate;

soap;

synthetic detergents (wetting agents).
11.

The following sanitizing agents in the following maximum concentrations are approved for use in the carriers or containers as a rinser—

Quartenary ammonium compunds ...................................... 50 p.p.m.

Aqueous solutions of iodine .................................................. 50 p.p.m.

Sodium hypochlorite .............................................................. 50 p.p.m*

Chloramine T........................................................................... 50 p.p.m*

* Calculated as available chlorine.
12.

The engine of a carrier shall not be allowed to run whilst loading or un-loading is in process and all doors and lids shall be securely closed before the engine is started.
13.

Fuelling of carriers shall not take place whilst the doors or the lids of a carrier are open.

CONSTRUCTION OF CARRIERS OR CONTAINERS

A. – General Requirements

14.

The walls, ceiling and floor, of the compartment in which the meat is kept shall be made from smooth, crack and corrosion resistant material, which is impermeable to water and be of a light colour and easily cleaned and disinfected.
15.

The compartment in which the meat is carried shall be dustproof and water-tight and its doors and lids be fitted so as to be dust and water-tight.
16.

Ventilation inlets and outlets and drainage outlets of the space of the carrier in which meat is contained shall be equipped with dust filters.
17.

For the transportation of carcass meat, whether in whole carcass sides, quarters or boned cut meat, rails and shelves shall be used and constructed as follows—

(a)

rails.—the hooks shall be of such a construction as to prevent the meat from falling down during transportation; minimum rail spacing for hindquarters and boned cut meat shall be 40 centimetres and for forequarters 35 centimetres; minimum space between rails shall be 60 centimetres;
(b)

shelves or racks.—these shall be made from rust and corrosion resistant material and be easy to dismantle and clean; the lowest shelf of rack shall not be less than 5 centimetres from the floor and there shall be a free space of not less than 5 centimetres between the meat in a fully loaded shelf or rack and the next shelf or rack or the ceiling respectively;

the shelves or racks shall not extend nearer to any wall than 5 centimetres. No carcass meat shall be stacked on top of each other. Other meat shall be transported in accordance with paragraphs 3, 4 and 5.
18.

Frozen meat, packed in cartons or boxes, may be stacked on top of each other and frozen carcass meat may, if properly packaged in suitable packing material, be stacked.
19.

Carriers or containers used for the transport of meat shall be painted and marked as follows—

(a)

vehicles.—the entire vehicle shall be painted white and there shall be a red strip, of a width of 30 centimetres painted along the centre line of the vehicle on both sides and the rear and shall be displayed in red the legend MEAT in block letters not less than 20 centimetres high on both sides and the rear;
(b)

trailers.—the entire trailer shall be painted white and there shall be displayed on all sides in red legend MEAT in block letters not less than 20 centimetres high;
(c)

trucks on which trailers are mounted.—the legend MEAT shall be painted in red on a white background and shall be displayed on both sides and the rear end of the truck. The legend shall be in block letters not less than 20 centimetres high.

Other legends in the form of advertising, name of proprietor or other labels may be displayed on the carriers if it is placed not nearer to the word MEAT than 60 centimetres.

B. – Specific Requirements

Transport of less than 50 kilometres or two hours duration

20.

(a) The meat may be transported in non-insulated vehicles provided that they are

fitted with sub-protection in the form of a double roof, the components of which shall be not less than 4 centimetres apart. Carriers of this type shall be fitted with a roof-top rotating ventilator and air outlets to provide for adequate ventilation.
(b)

The meat may be transported in containers in the form of detachable compartments, boxes or other receptacles constructed according to Part A. Such containers shall at all times be protected from direct sunlight and be placed on the vehicle in such a fashion that other products, carried on the same carrier, can under no circumstances, contaminate the contents of the container when this is opened.

Transport of less than 200 kilometres or four hours duration

21.

The meat shall be transported in insulated carriers the insulation being such as to allow only a maximum increase in the meat temperature of 1°C. per hour.

Transport of more than 200 kilometres or more than four hours duration

22.

Meat shall be transported in insulated carriers equipped with mechanical refrigeration or otherwise being refrigerated sufficiently enough to ensure that the increase in the temperature of meat is less than 3°C. during 12 hours’ daylight transport.

SECOND SCHEDULE

[Regs. 4 & 8, L.N. 310/1996, r. 2(iii).]

MEAT CONTROL (LOCAL SLAUGHTERHOUSES) (LICENSING) REGULATIONS, 1980
[L.N. 5/1980.]
MEAT CONTROL (SLAUGHTERHOUSES) (LICENSING) REGULATIONS, 1996
[L.N. 311/1996, L.N. 126/2007.]
1.

The Regulations may be cited as the Meat Control (Slaughterhouses) (Licensing) Regulations, 1996.
2.

In these Regulations, except where the context otherwise requires—

“Director” means the Director of Veterinary Services;

“licensing officer” means any person authorised in writing by the Director to issue slaughterhouses licences under these Regulations;

“slaughterhouse” means any abattoir or any other place where animals are slaughtered and meat is prepared or meat products are manufactured for the purpose of export.
(2)

An application for a licence under these Regulations shall be in the prescribed form set out in the First Schedule.
(3)

On receiving an application for the slaughterhouse licence made under paragraph (1), the licensing officer may, if he is satisfied that the applicant has fulfilled the requirements of the Meat Control (Slaughterhouse) Regulations and on the advice of the inspecting officer, issue a licence of the applicant upon payment of fee of five thousand shillings.

[L.N. 126/2007, r. 4.]
(2)

Where the Director orders any slaughterhouse closed in accordance with regulation 12 of the Meat Control (Slaughterhouse) Regulations, any licence issued in respect thereto shall cease to have effect.

[L.N. 126/2007, r. 5.]

FIRST SCHEDULE

[Reg. 3.]

Dtl MEAT CONTROL (LOCAL SLAUGHTERHOUSES) (LICENSING) REGULATIONS APPLICATION FOR A RENEWAL OF A SLAUGHTERHOUSE LICENCE

To: The Inspecting Officer ................................................... (Name of District

I hereby apply for a slaughterhouse licence under the Meat Control (slaughterhouses) (Licencing) Regulations, 1996.

Name of applicant .....................................................................................................

(Owner of slaughterhouse, firm or company)

...............................................................................................................................

Previous Licence number and date of issue (if renewal) .......................................

...............................................................................................................................

General business postal address of applicant ...........................................................

...............................................................................................................................

Date ............................................

......................................................... Signature of Applicant

*Delete whichever is not applicable.

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

The slaughterhouse to which this application relates fulfils all the requirements of the Meat Control (Export Slaughterhouses) Regulations, and I recommend that the applicant be issued with a licence.

Date .........................................................

...............................................................Inspecting Officer

SECOND SCHEDULE

[Reg. 5.]

MEAT CONTROL (EXPORT SLAUGHTERHOUSES) (LICENSING)
REGULATIONS, 1996

Licence No. ............................................

Issued to .................................................

(Name and address of the owner of the slaughterhouse, firm or company)

This licence expires on the 31st December, 20 ..........................

Date .........................................................

...............................................................Licensing Officer

Fee paid: KSh. 5,000.

MEAT CONTROL (LOCAL SLAUGHTERHOUSE) REGULATIONS, 2010

ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS

1.

Citation.
2.

Interpretation.
3.

Declaration of slaughterhouses.
4.

Categorization of slaughterhouses.
5.

Powers of the Director of Veterinary Services.
6.

Official number for each slaughterhouse.
7.

Emergency slaughter.
8.

Inspection of carcass or meat.
9.

Disposal or destruction of an animal or meat.
10.

Tag, token or marks on animals or meat.
11.

Obstructing an inspection officer.
12.

Access to slaughterhouse.
13.

Access to records.
14.

No supplying into a higher category of slaughterhouse.
15.

Application for upgrading a slaughterhouse.
16.

Offence and general penalty.

SCHEDULES

FIRST SCHEDULE

SECOND SCHEDULE

THIRD SCHEDULE