
COMMISSION DECISION of 25 October 2010 authorising a method for grading pig carcases in Greece (notified under document C(2010) 7230) (Only the Greek text is authentic) (2010/642/EU) 

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 October 2007 establishing a common organisation of agricultural markets and on specific provisions for certain agricultural products (Single CMO Regulation), and in particular Article 43(m), in conjunction with Article 4 thereof,
Whereas:

(1) Point B.IV, paragraph 1, of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 provides that, for the classification of pig carcases, the lean-meat content has to be assessed by means grading methods authorised by the Commission, which methods may only be statistically proven assessment methods based on the physical measurement of one or more anatomical parts of the pig carcase. The authorisation of grading methods is subject to compliance with a maximum tolerance for statistical error in assessment. This tolerance is defined in Article 23(3) 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 carcases and the reporting of prices thereof.

(2) Greece has asked the Commission to authorise one method for grading dehided pig carcases. This Member State has presented a detailed description of the uniform manner of dehiding carcases in part one of the protocol provided for in Article 23(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1249/2008 and the results of its dissection trial in part two of that protocol. Both protocols were presented to the other Member States in the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of the Agricultural Markets in 2008, 2009 and 2010.

(3) Examination of this request has revealed that the conditions for authorising this grading method are fulfilled. This grading method should therefore be authorised in Greece.

(4) In accordance with the second paragraph of point B.III of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 Member States may be authorised to provide for a presentation of pig carcases different from the standard presentation defined in the first paragraph of that point, inter alia, where normal commercial practice in their territory differs from that standard presentation.

(5) Greece has specified to the Commission that, in some slaughterhouses in Greece, commercial practice requires also the removal of the skin from the pig carcases, in addition to the removal of the tongue, bristles, hooves, genital organs, flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm as required by that first paragraph. This presentation that differs from the standard presentation should therefore be authorised in Greece.

(6) No modification of the apparatus or grading method may be authorised except by means of a new Commission Decision adopted in the light of experience gained. For this reason, the present authorisation may be revoked.

(7) The measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Management Committee for the Common Organisation of Agricultural Markets,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 

1. For grading pig carcases presented in accordance with the first paragraph of point B.III of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 the use of the following method is authorised in Greece, pursuant to paragraph 1 of point B.IV of that Annex: the ‘OptiScan-TP’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part I of the Annex to this Decision.
2. For grading dehided pig carcases the use of the following methods is authorised in Greece pursuant to paragraph 1 of point B.IV of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007:
(a) the ‘OptiScan-TP’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in Part I of the Annex to this Decision;
(b) the ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4)’ apparatus and the assessment method related thereto, details of which are given in Part II of the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2 
Notwithstanding the standard presentation laid down in the first paragraph of point B.III of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, pig carcases in Greece may be dehided in a uniform manner before being weighed and graded. In order to establish quotations for pig carcases on a comparable basis, the recorded hot carcase weight shall be adjusted according to the following formula:
hot carcase weight = 1,05232 × weight of the dehided carcase
Article 3 
Modifications of the apparatus or the assessment method shall not be authorised.
Article 4 
This Decision is addressed to the Hellenic Republic.
ANNEX
METHODS FOR GRADING PIG CARCASES IN GREECE
Part I OptiScan-TP 
 1. The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘OptiScan-TP’.
 2. The Optiscan-TP apparatus shall be equipped with a digital imager taking an illuminated photo of the two measurement points on the carcases. The images shall be the base for the calculation of fat and muscle thickness according to the two points method ‘Zwei-Punkte Messverfahren (ZP)’. 

The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the Optiscan-TP apparatus itself. The photos shall be saved and can later be controlled. The integrated Bluetooth® interface permits easy data transfer.
 3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula: 


3a. Formula for grading pig carcases presented in accordance with the first sentence of point B.III of Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007:
Ŷ = 62,94974 – 0,79348 × X1 + 0,13218 × Χ2
where:
Ŷthe estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,Χ1the minimal thickness of fat (including rind) in millimetres, over the M. gluteus medius,Χ2the thickness of the lumbar muscle in millimetres, measured as the shortest distance from the front (cranial) end of the M. gluteus medius to the upper (dorsal) edge of the spinal canal.
3b. Formula for grading dehided pig carcases:
Ŷ = 60,91227 – 0,80881 × X1s + 0,13710 × Χ2
where:
Ŷthe estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,Χ1sthe minimal thickness of fat (without rind) in millimetres, over the M. gluteus medius,Χ2the thickness of the lumbar muscle in millimetres, measured as the shortest distance from the front (cranial) end of the M. gluteus medius to the upper (dorsal) edge of the spinal canal.
These formulas shall be valid for carcases weighing between 50 and 110 kilograms.

Part II Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4) 
 1. The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4)’.
 2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 5,95 millimetres diameter (and of 6,3 millimetres at the blade on top of the probe) containing a photodiode (Siemens LED of the type LYU 260-EO) and photodetector of the type Silonex SLCD-61N1 and having an operating distance of between 0 and 120 millimetres. The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 4 itself or a computer linked to it.
 3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula: 
Ŷ = 62,400 – 0,495 × X1 – 0,559 × Χ2 + 0,129 × Χ3
where:

Ŷthe estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,Χ1the thickness of back-fat (without rind) in millimetres, measured at 8 centimetres off the midline of the carcase at the level of the last rib,Χ2the thickness of back-fat (without rind) in millimetres, measured at 6 centimetres off the midline of the carcase between the third and fourth last ribs,Χ3the thickness of the dorsal muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X2.

This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 60 and 120 kilograms.
