Animal By-Products

Animal by-products (ABPs) arise throughout the animal production and food chain. They include materials from farms, slaughterhouses and food-processing establishments, as well as products of animal origin that are no longer intended for human consumption.

Their safe management is important for animal health, public health, food safety and environmental protection. At the same time, many animal by-products are valuable materials that can be processed and used safely when appropriate controls are in place.

Food Control Consultants Ltd (FCC) provides specialist advice on the legislation, control, handling, processing, use and disposal of animal by-products, with particular reference to the European Union requirements and their practical implementation.

A Risk-Based Control System

Animal by-products vary considerably in the risks they may present. Effective regulatory systems therefore classify materials according to risk and establish appropriate requirements for their collection, transport, handling, processing, use or disposal.

FCC can assist competent authorities and businesses with systems covering:

classification of animal by-products;
separation and identification;
collection and transport;
documentation and traceability;
storage and handling;
processing and treatment;
permitted uses;
disposal;
approval and registration of establishments;
import and export controls; and
official supervision and enforcement.

The objective is to ensure that controls are proportionate to the risk and prevent animal by-products from creating unacceptable risks to animals, people or the food chain.

Animal By-Products Throughout the Production Chain

Animal by-products can arise at many points from primary production through slaughter, food processing, distribution and catering.

These may include materials associated with e.g.:

livestock production;
animal mortality – fallen stock;
slaughter and meat inspection;
slaughterhouse operations;
meat cutting and processing;
milk and dairy production;
fish and fishery products;
aquaculture;
food manufacturing;
retail and distribution;
catering and food service; and
international transport.

The regulatory requirements applying to these materials depend on their origin, nature, intended use and the risks associated with them.

Slaughterhouses and Food Processing

Slaughterhouses and establishments processing food of animal origin generate a variety of materials that may fall within animal by-product controls and effective systems need to ensure correct identification, segregation, handling, storage and removal of these materials while preventing contamination of food intended for human consumption.

FCC’s practical experience with slaughterhouses, meat-processing plants, dairies, fish-processing establishments and other food businesses allows animal by-product requirements to be considered as part of the wider operation of the establishment rather than as an isolated waste-management issue.

This includes the relationship between animal by-product controls and:

meat inspection;
food hygiene;
animal-health controls;
HACCP and prerequisite programmes;
traceability;
cleaning and disinfection;
pest control; and
establishment approval and supervision.

Collection, Transport and Traceability

Animal by-products need to remain identifiable and traceable from the point at which they arise through subsequent handling, processing, use or disposal.

Regulatory systems may therefore require appropriate:

identification and labelling;
containers and vehicles;
commercial or movement documentation;
record keeping;
registration of operators;
cleaning and disinfection;
segregation of different categories of material; and
traceability throughout the chain.

FCC can assist with the development and assessment of these systems for both competent authorities and operators.

Processing, Use and Disposal

Animal by-products are not necessarily waste. Depending on their nature and risk classification, materials may have legitimate uses following appropriate treatment and control. Regulatory systems need to distinguish between materials requiring safe disposal and destruction and those that may be processed or used for permitted purposes.

FCC can assist with assessment of:

processing and treatment requirements;
rendering and related activities;
permitted uses of processed materials;
disposal routes;
incineration and other destruction methods;
storage and handling arrangements;
approval and supervision of processing establishments; and
verification that required treatment standards are achieved.

The aim is to protect animal and public health while allowing safe and appropriate utilisation of animal by-products wherever possible.

Legislation and Competent Authorities

Animal by-product controls require a comprehensive legal and institutional framework.

FCC can assist governments and competent authorities with:

assessment of existing legislation;
drafting primary and secondary legislation;
development of implementing rules;
designation of competent authorities;
registration and approval procedures;
official-control requirements;
inspection and audit procedures;
traceability and documentation requirements;
enforcement provisions;
guidance for operators; and
training of officials and industry personnel.

Particular attention is given to ensuring that legal requirements can be implemented effectively by competent authorities and understood and applied by operators.

Approval and Supervision of Establishments

Facilities handling, processing, storing or disposing of animal by-products may require registration or approval and continuing official supervision.

FCC can assist with:

establishment requirements;
approval procedures;
assessment of premises and equipment;
operating procedures;
hygiene and biosecurity;
processing standards;
documentation and traceability;
inspection and audit systems; and
corrective-action procedures.

This work can involve both development of the competent-authority system and practical assessment of individual establishments.

Animal Health and Biosecurity

Poorly controlled animal by-products can provide pathways for the introduction or spread of animal disease and / or chemical contamination. Therefore, ABP controls form an important part of wider animal-health and biosecurity systems.

This is particularly relevant where material may contain pathogens capable of surviving in meat, food or feed waste or other products of animal origin and subsequently reaching susceptible animals.

Effective controls need to consider the entire pathway:

Generation → Collection → Transport → Processing or Use → Final Disposal

Breaking potential disease-transmission pathways is a fundamental objective of animal by-product regulation.

Imports, Exports and Border Controls

International movement of animal by-products and derived products are subject to veterinary import and export requirements.

Controls can include:

import conditions;
veterinary certification;
approved countries or establishments;
border checks;
documentation and traceability;
transport requirements;
restrictions on particular materials;
treatment requirements; and
controls at destination.

FCC’s expertise in veterinary border controls, SPS requirements and international trade enables these aspects to be considered as part of the wider animal by-product control system.

International Catering Waste

International catering waste from aircraft, ships and other international transport presents a specialised animal by-product and biosecurity issue.

Where catering waste contains, or may contain, products of animal origin, specific controls may apply to its collection, transport, handling and disposal because of the potential for animal pathogens to enter a country through food brought from another territory with different animal health standard.

FCC has undertaken specialist work on international catering waste (ICW) and the regulatory approaches used in different countries. Most recently, FCC undertook a study for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) examining the rules applicable to international catering waste, the animal-health risks on which these controls are based, differences between national regulatory systems and the practical implications for international aviation.

EU Animal By-Product Requirements

FCC has particular expertise in the European Union regulatory framework for animal by-products and its implementation.

This includes experience with the principles of risk categorisation, collection, transport, traceability, processing, permitted uses, disposal, establishment approval, official controls and import requirements.

FCC can assist countries, competent authorities and operators in assessing existing systems against EU requirements, identifying gaps and developing the legislation, procedures, facilities and controls required for implementation.

Training and Capacity Building

Animal by-product legislation can be technically complex and involves numerous actors across the production and disposal chain.

FCC can provide training for:

competent-authority personnel;
official veterinarians and inspectors;
slaughterhouse and food-industry personnel;
ABP collection and transport operators;
processing establishments; and
other organisations involved in handling animal by-products.

Training can be combined with practical assessments, development of procedures and implementation support.

From Regulation to Practical Control

Effective animal by-product management requires legislation, competent authorities and industry to operate as parts of the same system.

FCC’s experience across animal health, veterinary public health, food safety, food production, official controls, veterinary border controls and legislation allows ABP requirements to be considered across the complete chain.

Our approach can cover:

Legal Framework → Classification → Collection and Traceability → Processing or Disposal → Official Controls → Verification

The objective is a system that protects animal and public health while remaining practical, proportionate and capable of effective implementation.

Contact FCC

Contact Food Control Consultants Ltd to discuss assistance with animal by-product legislation and control systems, establishment assessment, processing and disposal requirements, official controls, veterinary border requirements or international catering waste.