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BELGIUM - The European Commission (EC) has authorised the use of eight pig grading methods in Belgian pig slaughterhouses.

The use of the following methods are authorised for grading pig carcasses according to point 1 of Section B.IV of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 in Belgium: Capteur Gras/Maigre – Sydel (CGM), Giralda Choirometer Pork Grader (PG 200), Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4), Fat-O-Meater (FOM II), OptiScan TP, CSB Image-Meater, VCS 2000 and AutoFOM III.

Belgium had requested the Commission to authorise these new methods for grading pig carcasses on its territory, presenting detailed description of the dissection trial, indicating the principles on which this method is based, the results of its dissection trial and the equation used for assessing the percentage of lean meat in the protocol provided for in Article 23(4) of Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1249/2008 of 10 December 2008 laying down detailed rules on the implementation of the Community scales for the classification of beef, pig and sheep carcasses and the reporting of prices.

After examination of that request, the EC has ruled that the conditions for authorising that grading method are fulfilled and said that it should be authorised in Belgium from 30 September 2012. Until then, Belgium may continue to apply the methods for grading pig carcasses authorised under Decision 97/107/EC.

Further Reading You can view the full report by clicking here.

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