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Meat Safety and Hygiene

The quality of Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured beef is maintained by strict programmes of control both on the farm and at the retailer level so that you, the consumer, can be assured that your beef and lamb are healthy, wholesome and natural.

The following tips will ensure that the very high standards of safety used in production and processing are maintained after you purchase your beef and lamb.

10 Simple Steps

To ensure that beef and lamb remain safe in the home

1. Take chilled and frozen beef home quickly. Once home, place in the fridge or freezer at once

2. Ensure that your fridge and freezer are running at the correct temperature using a fridge/freezer thermometer. The fridge should be kept at 0-4°C, and the freezer below -18°C.

3. Keep raw and cooked foods separated. Store raw food at the bottom of the fridge and do not allow the juices of raw meat to drip onto cooked foods. Use separate chopping boards and knives for raw and cooked meats.

4. Always wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling raw foods, after going to the toilet, and after handling pets. Keep pets out of the kitchen.

5. Cook beef and beef products right through until the juices run clear. Always follow the cooking instructions

6. Always thaw frozen meat, in the fridge, thoroughly before cooking. Do not re-freeze

7. Cooked meat left-overs should be cooled quickly at room temperature and then stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Re-heat food thoroughly and re-heat previously cooked meat dishes only once, until piping hot

8. Keep foods hot (over 63°C) and cold foods (less than 5°C). Do not leave them just standing around

9. Use all pre-packed beef before the use-by-date, and always remove canned meat from the cans once opened. Store refrigerated and use within 2 days

10. Keep your kitchen clean, wash and disinfect worktops and utensils between handling food which is raw, and food which is cooked.

What does Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance mean for the Consumer?

The Northern Ireland Farm Quality assurance Scheme is a code of practice operated by beef and sheep farmers. It is, if you like, the Highway Code of Beef and Sheep Production. Like the Highway Code, it is nothing more than normal practices, which have been written down, so that farmers can follow them and consumers can be informed about how their food is produced.

In the same way that the Highway Code has to be recognised by all road users, the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Code is recognised by everyone in the food chain - farmers, processors, retailers and consumers - both at home and abroad. It is also recognised by the European Union (EU) as giving a 'gold plated' assurance about the uncompromising quality and character of the farm on which your meat is produced; and it gives you the consumer the best possible assurances that it will be as SAFE, HEALTHY and WHOLESOME as possible.

Beef and Lamb that carries the logo of the NI Farm Quality Assurance Scheme have been produced using the following standards.

Production Methods

• Grass fed
• Natural and wholesome
• Best farming practices
• Highest standards of animal care
• Free from drug residues
• Enhanced environment

Stockmanship and Welfare

• Welfare codes followed
• Cattle attended by experienced or trained stockmen
• Animal provided with the recognised five basic needs:-
1. Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
2. Appropriate comfort and shelter
3. Prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment of injury, disease or infestation
4. Freedom from fear
5. Freedom to display most normal patterns of behaviour

Animal Health

• Animals kept in good health
• Under routine care of vet
• Immediate attention given when needed
• Code of practice for safe use of medicines
• Animal medicine records kept

Animal Nutrition

• Diets to sustain full health
• Access to fresh clean water at all times
• Minimal supplementary feeding, but when required this should contain:-
• Other crops
• Vegetable proteins only
• No animal by-products
• Safe, high quality, wholesome feed

Records

• Total and absolute traceability on all individual cattle
• Computerised data available at touch of a button
• Run centrally by Department of Agriculture
• Terminal located throughout Northern Ireland
• Minimum number of movements between farms and markets
• All records also kept by farmer

Housing

• Comfortable housing
• Dry and draught free
• Well ventilated
• Plenty of space
• Non-slip floors
• Well maintained buildings
• Clean and hygienic conditions

Handling and Transport

• Considerate handling
• Livestock transported in accordance with good welfare
• Competent, licensed transporters
• Careful loading and unloading
• Well constructed vehicles and trailers
• Maximum journey times
• Stress free conditions during transit
• Vehicles cleaned and disinfected after use

Care of the Environment

• Positive attitude
• Code of Good Agricultural Practice for prevention of pollution
• Careful waste management
• Controlled and monitored fertiliser use
• Tidy fields, trees, hedges and fences
• Enhanced features of traditional, historical and archaeological importance

For more detailed information on operation of the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance Scheme go to the Farm Quality Assurance Scheme area of the Producers section.