2008/676/EC: Commission Decision of 24 July 2008 authorising a method for grading pig carcases in Bulgaria (notified under document number C(2008) 3740)

• Articles: 4

Article 1

The use of the following method is hereby authorised for grading pig carcases pursuant to Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 in Bulgaria:

—

the Ultra FOM 200 apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are given in the Annex.

Article 2

Modifications of the apparatus or the assessment method shall not be authorised.

Article 3

This Decision is addressed to the Republic of Bulgaria.

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX

ANNEX

Methods for grading pig carcases in Bulgaria

ULTRA FOM 200

1.

Grading of pig carcases shall be carried out by means of the apparatus termed as Ultra FOM 200.

2.

The apparatus shall be equipped with an ultrasonic probe at 4 MHz (Krautkrämer MB 4 SE). The ultrasonic signal is digitised, stored and processed by a micro-processor (type Intel 80 C 32). The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the Ultra FOM apparatus itself.

3.

The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula:

= 67,130 – 0,3284 × X1 – 0,3725 × X2 + 0,01515 × X3

where:

=

the estimated lean meat content (in percentage),

X1

=

thickness of the dorsal fat and skin measured at a point 7 cm off the midline of the carcase, between the third and fourth last lumber vertebra (in millimetres),

X2

=

thickness of the dorsal fat and skin measured at a point 7 cm off the midline of the carcase, between the third and fourth last rib (in millimetres),

X3

=

muscle depth measured at the same point and at the same time as the thickness of the dorsal fat (in millimetres).

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