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By an EU decision on December 12, the update to the classification of heavy carcasses was approved.
The system in use since 2014 had some flaws: the results were not uniform across the different authorized instruments, the estimation of carcass composition did not consistently take into account the thickness of subcutaneous fat and muscle, and artificial corrections were necessary to mitigate the impact on carcass and ham waste intended for PDO circuits (Protected Designation of Origin).
The new equations apply to the following instruments: Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP 7), FatO-Meater II (FOM II), CSB-Image-Meater, Manual Method ZP, and Zoometer, ensuring a more precise and uniform classification—an essential condition for transparency, especially in PDO circuits.
To allow slaughterhouses to adapt, the new system is expected to be implemented from February 1, 2025. The EU approval was granted following the submission of technical and scientific information prepared by CREA, the University of Bologna, and CRPA, subsequently forwarded by MASAF.
December 13, 2024/ ANAS/ Italy.
https://www.anas.it/
