• Assured pork derives from Red Tractor assured pigs (or equivalent)
• Meat from assured sows is not used for assured pork, but may be used for sausages and other comminuted products

• The carcase is clean and free from extraneous matter
• The carcase is free from blemish, bruising, hair, cuts and loose skin
• Rind-on cuts derived from carcases:
  • free from hair, cuts and loose skin
  • with a maximum rind side blemish score of 2 on the AHDBs 5 point scale
• The P2 measurement does not exceed 16mm or the combined P1+P2 does not exceed 32mm; or scanned carcases have a measured lean of 52% or more
• The carcase cold weight does not exceed 105kg, except in the case of gilt carcases used for sausage and other comminuted products

• The specification in PQ.2 is met, with the exception of carcase weight

• The fat is firm and white
• The muscle is firm and of good colour
• The muscle and fat show no sign of bruising and blood splash
• Pork is clean, free of stickiness and any off-odour or other indication of poor quality (including PSE and DFD)
• Primals and cuts are separated by clean cuts and are free from unnecessary cuts
• Primals and cuts are free from loose glands such as lymphatic nodes, loose skin and other extraneous matter

• Specifications in place for pork primals, foodservice and retail packs of pork
• Specifications outline the parameters to be achieved including, as a minimum, the scheme criteria
• Specification formally agreed between the supplier and customer

Target Upper Limit
Aerobic colony count (ACC) <1 x 104 cfu/ g 1 x 106 cfu/ g

• System includes a visual inspection:
  • of a sample of bought-in product at intake (including inter-company transfers)
  • of all bought in product before cutting and further processing
  • of all products at specified points on the production line
  • of finished products
• System includes microbiological testing to a risk assessed schedule:
  • frequency is dependent on risks (e.g. frequency of deliveries, microbial results and previous performance)
• System includes organoleptic sampling of pork primals, food service and retail packs of pork against customers specifications, for tenderness, succulence, flavour and visual appearance
• The system is documented and trained staff deliver its requirements

• Exemptions include:
  • overweight gilt carcases being suitable for the production of assured sausages and other comminuted products
  • the offal of overweight carcases being suitable for being described as assured offal
• Other, non-conforming products are handled in accordance with documented procedures and where applicable a root cause analysis undertaken and corrective action implemented

• Primals packed in modified atmosphere packaging or vacuum packed are labelled as such, with a durability date or code
• Pork mince may carry multiple kill dates

• Vacuum packed, gas flushed or deep chilled products may be processed after 7 days, provided the temperature does not exceed 3 degrees and given satisfactory documentary support that quality is not compromised
• If the product temperature has been disturbed and exceeded 5C, the pork is processed within 4 days
• Kill dates (as labelled on the product) is used to establish durability dates

• Date of freezing applied
• Where frozen, the meat is in good condition and effectively packaged at the time of freezing
• Vacuum packed or gas flushed or deep chilled products may be processed after 4 days, provided the temperature does not exceed 3 degrees and there is satisfactory documentary support that quality is not compromised

• System includes applying a date of freezing to each unit and a durability date, and having an effective stock control system

• Carcase sides are spaced to allow airflow around the carcases
• Carcase bunching is avoided
• Hot and completely chilled carcases are not stored in the same chiller, unless hot carcases have passed through an in-line blast chill or there is evidence that the process is not compromising the safety and quality of meat already chilled

• The chilling regime is designed to ensure that the deep muscle temperature (when measured within the leg), does not fall below 10°C during the first 3 hours from the commencement of the cooling cycle
• Within 24 hours of cooling to 10°C, or before the pork is cut or processed, the deep musculature is reduced to between -2˚C and +5˚C. All pork products (including finished product) are held between -2˚C and +5˚C

• The operational capability of the temperature control system is such that the required temperatures are achieved under maximum load
• Systems are in place to minimise the ingress of warm air e.g. strip curtains

• Defrosting undertaken in a controlled manner
• Records of the defrosting dates, times and product temperatures are kept

• Temperatures of both chill stores and products monitored in accordance with a risk assessed schedule
• Incoming product temperatures are checked before accepting the delivery (i.e. on the delivery vehicle). Checks are undertaken at different points within the storage unit, both between packs for packed product and product core temperatures on other products
• Carcase temperatures measured using a probe into the deep musculature of the hindquarter and/ or forequarter
• Records of temperature monitoring kept

• Corrective actions are implemented where appropriate
• A record of the root cause and corrective actions is kept