Following a series of court judgements on the legal definition of “mechanically separated meat” (MSM), the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published a guidance to provide clarity on what MSM is and how it affects business operators. FSA is also seeking stakeholder views on the new guidance through a public consultation that is open until May 22, 2024.
MSM is obtained by the removal of meat from bones, and it has its own requirements for hygienic and safe production. The recent court rulings have determined three criteria for the classification of MSM: