D. Post-mortem inspection

Carcases and accompanying offal are to be subjected without delay after slaughter to post-mortem inspection. All external surfaces are to be viewed. Minimal handling of the carcase and offal or special technical facilities may be required for that purpose. Particular attention is to be paid to the detection of zoonotic diseases and diseases on OIE List A and, where appropriate, OIE List B. The speed of the slaughter line and the number of inspection staff present are to be such as to allow for proper inspection. Additional examinations are to take place, such as palpation and incision of parts of the carcase and offal and laboratory tests, whenever considered necessary: to reach a definitive diagnosis; or to detect the presence of: an animal disease, residues or contaminants in excess of the levels laid down under Community legislation, non-compliance with microbiological criteria, or other factors that might require the meat to be declared unfit for human consumption or restrictions to be placed on its use, particularly in the case of animals having undergone emergency slaughter. The official veterinarian is to require carcases of domestic solipeds, bovine animals over six months old, and domestic swine over four weeks old to be submitted for post-mortem inspection split lengthways into half carcases down the spinal column. If the inspection so necessitates, the official veterinarian may also require any head or any carcase to be split lengthways. However, to take account of particular eating habits, technological developments or specific sanitary situations, the competent authority may authorise the submission for inspection of carcases of domestic solipeds, bovine animals over six months old, and domestic swine over four weeks old, not split in half. During the inspection, precautions must be taken to ensure that contamination of the meat by actions such as palpation, cutting or incision is kept to a minimum. In the event of an emergency slaughter, the carcass shall be subjected to post-mortem examination as soon as possible in accordance with paragraphs 1 to 4 before it is released for human consumption.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-04 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.