Purpose
Following the various court actions in relation to mechanically separated meat (MSM), this guidance aims to provide clarification on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the definition of MSM to ensure that businesses are complying with the law. The aim of this guidance is to explain how the definition of MSM in Regulation (EC) 853/2004, Annex I, point 1.14 (1) should be applied in Scotland.
This guidance supersedes the 2012 Guidance on the Moratorium regarding the production and use of desinewed meat (DSM) in the UK, which was officially withdrawn in November 2022.
It remains the case that Annex V of Regulation (EC) 999/2001 prohibits the use of bones or bone-in cuts of bovine, ovine and caprine animals to produce MSM.