Chapter One General Provisions

Article 1
The Rules of Meat Inspection are drawn up pursuant to the provisions specified in the paragraph 2, Article 29 of the Livestock Farming Law (referred to as the Law hereinafter).

Article 2
Meat Inspection includes the ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of livestock and poultry, and the related inspection works at the premises of slaughterhouse.

Article 3
The terms used in the Rules herein are defined as follows:
1. Veterinary meat inspector: Veterinarian carrying out meat
   inspection in accordance with paragraph 3 of Article 29 of the
   Law.
2. Carcass: The whole or cut body of livestock or poultry which
   is well bled and eviscerated.
3. Viscera: The internal organs of livestock or poultry in the 
   chest, abdominal or pelvic cavities.
4. Suspected livestock or poultry: Livestock or poultry which
   requires further examination as deemed necessary by the
   veterinary meat inspector in the ante-mortem inspection.
5. “Pass” refers to any of the following conditions:
 (1) Livestock or poultry interpreted as fit for slaughter
     subsequent to ante-mortem inspection.
 (2) Carcasses or viscera of livestock or poultry interpreted as
     edible after post-mortem inspection.
6. “Fail” refers to any of the following conditions:
 (1) Livestock or poultry interpreted as unfit for slaughter after
     ante-mortem inspection.
 (2) Carcasses or viscera of livestock or poultry interpreted as
     inedible after post-mortem inspection.
7. Detention: A disposition instructed by the veterinary meat
   inspector to the slaughterhouse to deliver livestock, poultry,
   or their carcasses or viscera under inspection to a designated
   place for holding when it is so interpreted by the veterinary
   meat inspector that the said livestock, poultry or their
   carcasses or viscera requires more detailed examination,
   testing or other actions before a decision of pass/fail can
   be made.
8. Passed for cooking: Carcass or livestock interpreted as edible
   after the required heating process.
9. Passed for freezing: Carcass or livestock interpreted as
   edible after the required freezing process.

Article 4
A slaughterhouse shall appoint adequate and experienced workers to carry out the following tasks in accordance with the instructions of veterinary meat inspector at the time of meat inspection:
1. Driving, moving, isolating and handling livestock or
   poultry during ante-mortem inspection.
2. Marking the livestock, poultry and their carcasses and
   viscera.
3. Cutting, displaying or arranging the objects for inspection.
4. Moving carcasses or viscera to be detained to the detention
   line (area).
5. Cutting, trimming, cleaning or disinfecting carcasses or
   viscera.
6. Disposing livestock, poultry, and their carcasses and
   viscera interpreted as “fail.”
7. Other tasks relating meat inspection as specified by the
   central competent authorities.

Article 5
Slaughterhouse shall present carcasses and corresponding viscera synchronously for the veterinary meat inspector to conduct inspection.

Article 6
Livestock or poultry should be held for sufficient time prior to the ante-mortem inspection. The aforesaid inspection shall be carried out in the holding pens/areas of the slaughterhouse.

Article 7
Suspected livestock or poultry shall be slaughtered separately or slaughtered on the same day after all the livestock or poultry which pass the ante-mortem inspection are slaughtered.

Article 8
Where livestock, poultry, or their carcasses or viscera are found in sampling test containing residues of harmful substance or foreign objects which do not conform to relevant regulations, the slaughtered carcasses or viscera shall be interpreted as “fail.” Other livestock or poultry originated from the same source of production as the tested ones may be retrieved by their owner after a release paper is signed by the veterinary meat inspector if the test result is examined by the veterinary meat inspector and indicates the possibility of the livestock and poultry having the same kind of residues. The livestock or poultry which is not retrieved by their owner will be interpreted as “fail.”

Chapter Two Ante-mortem Inspection of Livestock

Article 9
Livestock having any of the following conditions may be slaughtered on an emergency basis, subject to the approval of veterinary meat inspector:
1. Accidental injury that renders the livestock in untreatable state.
2. Difficult labor, prolapse of uterus, parturient paresis or
   acute tympany.
3. Transport stress that causes debilitation.
4. Undergone surgical or obstetric operation.
5. Other non-infectious, acute diseases designated by the
   central competent authorities.
Livestock stated in the preceding paragraph must be free of other complications that might endanger human health.

Article 10
Livestock having any of the following diseases, symptoms or states, and interpreted as suspected shall be detained according to the instructions of veterinary meat inspector:
1. Foot-and-mouth disease.
2. Rabies.
3. Pseudorabies.
4. Vesicular stomatitis.
5. Anthrax.
6. Tetanus.
7. Severe tuberculosis.
8. Paratuberculosis.
9. Severe brucellosis.
10. Leptospirosis.
11. Hemorrhagic septicemia.
12. Shipping fever.
13. Septicemic salmonellosis.
14. Severe necrobacillosis.
15. Systemic or extensive actinomycosis or actinobacillosis.
16. Babesiosis.
17. Anaplasmosis.
18. Tryanosomiasis.
19. Severe bovine cysticercosis.
20. Severe echinococcosis.
21. Hog cholera.
22. African swine fever.
23. Swine vesicular disease.
24. Vesicular exanthema.
25. Systemic swine erysipelas.
26. Trichinellosis.
27. Severe porcine cysticercosis.
28. Rinderpest.
29. Bovine malignant catarrhal fever
30. Bovine parainfluenza.
31. Blue tongue.
32. Gas gangrene.
33. Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia.
34. Sheep pox and goat pox.
35. Sheep scabies.
36. Severe caseous lymphadenitis of sheep and goat.
37. Equine infectious anemia.
38. Equine epidemic encephalitis.
39. Glanders.
40. Pseudoglanders.
41. Uremia.
42. Extensive myolitis.
43. Polyarthritis.
44. Malignant tumor or tumor with marked metastasis.
45. Severe jaundice.
46. Cachexia.
47. Pernicious anemia.
48. Toxicosis that may pose a risk to human health.
49. Severe subcutaneous hematoma or edema.
50. Residues of harmful substances or foreign objects
    non-complying with relevant regulations.
51. Any other disease, symptom or state designated by the
    central competent authorities.

Article 11
Dead livestock or livestock having any of the diseases, symptoms or states as provided in Article 10 shall be disposed in accordance with relevant regulations, and shall not be slaughtered for food.

Chapter Three Postmortem Inspection of Livestock

Article 12
Livestock carcass or viscera shall be detained if it is deemed in post-mortem inspection that further examination, test or other action is required before a decision of pass/fail can be made.

Article 13
Livestock carcasses or viscera having any of the following conditions and interpreted as pass for heating or freezing shall be processed by heating or freezing under the supervision of a veterinary meat inspector before it can be released for food:
1. Moderate or mild bovine cysticercosis, porcine cysticercosis
   or echinococcosis.
2. Toxoplasmosis.
 

Article 14
Livestock carcasses or viscera having any of the following conditions shall be interpreted as fail and shall not be released for food:
1. Having any of the diseases, pathological changes or states as
   specified in Article 10.
2. Dead before slaughter.
3. Not well bled.
4. Emitting marked objectionable smell or special odor.
5. Not eviscerated within a prescribed period of time after slaughter.
6. Having residues of harmful substances or foreign objects
   non-complying with relevant regulations.
7. Having other conditions deemed inedible by the central 
   competent authorities. 

 

Article 15
Livestock carcass or viscera having any of the following conditions shall have the affected part removed before the normal parts may be released for food; where the slaughter operator refuses to or cannot remove the affected part, the entire carcass or viscera shall be interpreted as fail and deemed inedible:
1. Udders, uterus or testicles of livestock infected by
   brucellosis or localized pathological lesions caused by
   brucellosis.
2. Localized lesion caused by hog erysipelas.
3. Localized necrotic lesion.
4. Localized lesion caused by tuberculosis.
5. Localized suppurative lesion caused by actinomycosis
   or actinobacillosis.
6. Head of livestock affected by listeriosis.
7. Head with deformed cheek and nasal cavity caused by severe
   atrophic rhinitis.
8. Head and viscera of livestock affected by toxoplasmosis.
9. Pathological changes caused by parasites or tissues that are
   inseparable from the parasite.
10. Mastitis or lactating udder.
11. Superficial, localized trauma, abscess or necrotic lesion.
12. Localized arthritis.
13. Localized lesion caused by footrot.
14. Localized subcutaneous edema.
15. Localized tumor.
16. Localized pustular sore or trauma.
17. Localized pathological change.
18. Apparent deformity.
19. Parts contaminated by inflammatory exudate.
20. Severe mechanical injury and contaminated part.
21. Lungs of livestock inhaling blood or large amount of
    foreign objects.
22. Parts contaminated by feces or urine.
23. Local tissue not well bled.
24. Local tissue or viscera inflated with water.
25. Other abnormal changes of tissues or viscera.
26. Having residues of harmful substances or foreign objects non-
    complying with relevant regulations.
27. Parts deemed as inedible by veterinary meat inspector.

Chapter Four Ante-mortem Inspection of Poultry

Article 16
Poultry having any of the following conditions and being interpreted as suspected poultry shall be detained according to the instructions of the veterinary meat inspector:
1. Highly pathogenic avian influenza.
2. Systemic fowl pox.
3. Systemic avian infectious bronchitis.
4. Systemic avian infectious laryngotracheitis.
5. Newcastle disease.
6. Avian leukemia-sarcoma complex.
7. Inclusion body hepatitis.
8. Marek’s disease.
9. Psittacosis.
10. Fowl cholera.
11. Avian tuberculosis.
12. Avian colibacillosis.
13. Systemic infectious Coryza.
14. Pullorum disease.
15. Salmonellosis.
16. Staphylococcosis.
17. Listeriosis.
18. Toxemia.
19. Pyemia.
20. Septicemia.
21. Mycosis.
22. Protozoiasis.
23. Toxoplasmosis.
24. Parasitosis with systemic symptoms.
25. Systemic degeneration.
26. Gout with systemic symptoms.
27. Severe edema.
28. Severe ascites.
29. Systemic hemorrhage.
30. Systemic inflammation.
31. Muscular atrophy.
32. Neoplasm other than Marek’s disease or avian leukemia-
    sarcoma complex.
33. Viscera having abnormal shape, size, texture, color or odor.
34. Abnormal body temperature caused by sunstroke or heat stroke.
35. Jaundice.
36. Trauma.
37. Toxicosis.
38. Obviously emaciated or underdeveloped.
39. Systemic reaction caused by administration of biological
    preparation.
40. Having residues of harmful substances or foreign particle
    non-complying with relevant regulations.
41. Any other disease, symptom or state designated by the
    central competent authorities.

Article 17
Dead poultry or poultry having any of the diseases, symptoms or states provided in Article 16 shall be disposed in accordance with relevant regulations and shall not be slaughtered for food.

Chapter Five Postmortem Inspection of Poultry

Article 18
Poultry carcass or viscera having any of the following conditions shall be detained and removed from the slaughter line. Otherwise, it shall be interpreted as fail:
1. When a poultry carcass passing the inspection station, its
   corresponding viscera is missing, incomplete or not taken out,
   or not well presented for inspection.
2. More detailed examination, testing or other actions is
   required before a decision of pass/fail can be made. 

 

Article 19
Poultry carcass or viscera having any of the following conditions shall be interpreted as fail and shall not be released for food:
1. Having any of the diseases, pathological changes, or states as
   specified in Article 16.
2. Dead before slaughter.
3. Severely contaminated by lubricant, inflammatory exudate or
   content of digestive tract.
4. Not well bled.
5. Over-scalding.
6. Having other conditions deemed inedible by the central
   competent authorities.

Article 20
Poultry carcass or viscera having any of the following conditions shall have the affected part removed before the normal parts may be released for food; where the slaughter operator refuses to or cannot remove the affected part, the entire carcass or viscera shall be interpreted as fail and deemed inedible:
1. Localized lesion caused by fowl pox.
2. Localized lesion caused by infectious bronchitis.
3. Localized lesion caused by infectious laryngeal trachitis.
4. Localized lesion caused by infectious Coryza.
5. Lesion caused by protozoiasis other than toxoplasmosis.
6. Pathological changes caused by parasites or tissues that are
   inseparable from the parasite.
7. Localized tissue degeneration.
8. Localized gout.
9. Localized edema.
10. Localized hemorrhage or congestion.
11. Localized inflammatory lesion.
12. Localized atrophic change.
13. Localized neoplasm other than Marek’s disease or avian
    leukemia-sarcoma complex.
14. Localized trauma.
15. Localized contamination of lubricant, inflammatory exudate
    or contents of digestive tract.
16. Parts having abnormal shape, size, texture, color or odor.
17. Parts deemed inedible by the veterinary meat inspector.

Chapter Six Disposal of Inedible Carcasses and Viscera

Article 21
Carcasses or viscera designated for pharmaceutical purpose shall be held in a vessel labelled “FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSE” and sealed under the supervision of veterinary meat inspector before they are delivered to the pharmaceutical manufactory.

Article 22
Carcasses or viscera having passed the post-mortem inspection, but later undergone degeneration, decay, contamination or any other changes that might endanger human health, shall be re-interpreted as fail.

Article 23
Slaughterhouses shall dispose the carcasses or viscera interpreted as “fail” using any of the following methods:
1. Rendering: After the approval of veterinary meat inspector,
   carcasses or viscera may be delivered to a rendering site
   or a temporary storage site in transit to the rendering site.
2. Incineration or burial: Carcasses or viscera shall be
   denatured under the supervision of a veterinary meat
   inspector and then be delivered to incineration or landfill
   site, or a temporary storage site in transit to the
   incineration or landfill site.
3. Other necessary actions as specified by the central competent
   authorities.
The term “denature” stated in the preceding paragraph means cutting or chopping the carcasses or viscera into pieces and mixing them with a substance designated by the competent authorities to change their appearance or nature and to render them unusable for food. For livestock or poultry interpreted as “fail” in ante-mortem inspection or carcasses or viscera interpreted as “fail” in post-mortem inspection may be denatured by injection with the aforesaid substance.

Article 24
For the purpose of research or disease diagnosis, the academic and research institutions may apply to the central competent authorities for the collection of specimens of parasites, or specimens of carcasses, viscera or fetus interpreted as “fail”. The aforesaid specimens shall not be moved out of the premises of slaughterhouse without a release permit issued by veterinary meat inspector.

Chapter Seven Supplemental Provisions

Article 25
Slaughterhouses found to be contaminated with pathogens that may endanger the health of human or animals shall undergo disinfecting procedure as designated by the central competent authorities and under the instruction of a veterinary meat inspector.

Article 26
The Rules provided herein may, if applicable, apply to the meat inspection of animals not defined as livestock or poultry.

Article 27
Slaughterhouses shall provide veterinary meat inspector with documents and data necessary for the meat inspection as required by the central competent authorities, and submit monthly report of slaughter to the central competent authorities.
The items and format of document and report described in the preceding paragraph shall be established by the central competent authorities.

Article 28
The format of marks used for meat inspection and the methods of marking shall be established by the central competent authorities.

Article 29
The central competent authorities shall publish a meat inspection manual stipulating the procedures and methods of meat inspection.

Article 30
The Rules shall enter into force on the date of promulgation.
(In case of any discrepancy in the translation of the Rules, the Chinese text shall govern.)