{"id":"F2015L00412","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.6.2 – Processing requirements for meat","slug":"australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":92995,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2015L00412-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.6.2 – Processing requirements for meat","content":"![Description: FS_Logo_K](image.001.png)\n\nFood Standards (Proposal P1025 – Code Revision) Variation\n\nThe Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand gives notice of the making of this standard under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The Standard commences on 1 March 2016.\n\nDated 25 March 2015\n\n![](image.002.png)\n\nStandards Management Officer\n\nDelegate of the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand\n\n> Note:\n\n> Note: This Standard will be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. FSC 96 on 10 April 2015.\n\nStandard 1.6.2 Processing requirements for meat\n\nNote 1 This instrument is a standard under the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). The standards together make up the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. See also section 1.1.1—3.\n\nNote 2 This Standard applies in Australia only. For New Zealand purposes, processing requirements for meat products are regulated under the Animal Products Act 1999 (NZ) and the Food Act 2014 (NZ).\n\n1.6.2—1 Name\n\nThis Standard is Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code – Standard 1.6.2 – Processing requirements for meat.\n\nNote Commencement:  \nThis Standard commences on 1 March 2016, being the date specified as the commencement date in notices in the Gazette and the New Zealand Gazette under section 92 of the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991 (Cth). See also section 93 of that Act.\n\n1.6.2—2 Game meat\n\n(1) Game meat, except game birds, must be obtained:\n\n(a) from a game carcass that has been subjected to a post mortem inspection that is conducted in accordance with relevant State or Territory law; or\n\n(b) in accordance with a quality assurance program that:\n\n    (i) is conducted in accordance with relevant State or Territory law; and\n    (ii) is designed to ensure that the game meat is fit for human consumption.\n\n(2) A food for sale must not consist of, or have as an ingredient, game offal, other than bone or cartilage attached to game meat flesh.\n\n(3) In this section:\n\ngame meat means the whole or part of the carcass of any bird, buffalo, camel, deer, donkey, goat, hare, horse, kangaroo, rabbit, pig, possum or wallaby that has been slaughtered in the wild state, but does not include avian eggs, foetuses, parts of foetuses or pouch young.\n\ngame meat flesh means skeletal game meat muscle, including any attached fat, connective tissue, nerve, blood, blood vessels and, in the case of birds, skin.\n\ngame offal means game meat other than game meat flesh.\n\n1.6.2—3 Fermented meat products\n\n(1) Fermented comminuted processed meat is heat treated if it has had its core temperature maintained at 55°C for a period of at least 20 minutes, or an equivalent combination of time and higher temperature.\n\nNote Standard 1.2.1 and Standard 2.2.1 provide for the labelling of heat treated fermented comminuted processed meat.\n\n(2) Fermented comminuted processed meat is cooked if it has had its core temperature maintained at 65°C for a period of at least 10 minutes, or an equivalent combination of time and higher temperature.\n\nNote Standard 1.2.1 and Standard 2.2.1 provide for the labelling of cooked fermented comminuted processed meat.\n\n(3) A fermented meat product must not contain mechanically separated meat or rendered trimmings unless it has been cooked so that its core temperature is maintained at 65°C for a period of at least 10 minutes, or an equivalent combination of time and higher temperature.\n\n(4) In this section:\n\n  \n\nmechanically separated meat means meat that has been separated from bone by a mechanical process that results in \\*comminuted meat.\n\nrendered trimmings means the cooked meat fractions derived from the rendering of meat trimmings, excluding ligamentum nuchae.\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This standard appears focused and contained. It addresses its core purpose — processing requirements for game meat and fermented meat products — without significant expansion into unrelated areas. The 2016 commencement date suggests this is a revision (Proposal P1025 – Code Revision) rather than a scope expansion. The standard maintains its original food safety intent."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate definitional density: 6 defined terms across 2 sections (game meat, game meat flesh, game offal, fermented comminuted processed meat, mechanically separated meat, rendered trimmings)","Cross-references to other standards: References to Standard 1.2.1 and Standard 2.2.1 for labelling requirements","Conditional logic with alternatives: Section 1.6.2-2(1) provides two alternative compliance pathways (post-mortem inspection OR quality assurance program)","Nested definitions: 'game offal' is defined by exclusion from 'game meat flesh', which itself references 'game meat'","Technical specifications: Precise time-temperature combinations (55°C/20 min, 65°C/10 min) with 'equivalent combination' flexibility clause requiring scientific interpretation","Geographic limitation clause: Explicit carve-out that standard applies in Australia only, with New Zealand regulated under different legislation","Exception to prohibition: Section 1.6.2-3(3) contains a prohibition with a conditional exception (mechanically separated meat allowed only if cooked to specified standard)"],"plain_english_summary":"This standard requires specific safety controls for wild‑killed game and fermented meat products: game meat must be subject to post‑mortem inspection or an approved quality‑assurance scheme and game offal is excluded from food sold to consumers; fermented meats must meet defined heat/time treatments and cannot include mechanically separated meat or rendered trimmings unless fully cooked. \n\nIt affects meat processors, game suppliers, and fermented‑product manufacturers and aims to reduce foodborne illness risks from higher‑risk game and fermented meats."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument clarifies and records processing requirements for game meat and fermented comminuted processed meat within the Australia-only application of the Code (Note 2). It does not, on its face, expand or narrow the overall legislative jurisdiction beyond specifying sourcing, definition and thermal‑processing criteria and defers New Zealand regulation to NZ statutes (Note 2; ss 1.6.2—2, 1.6.2—3)."},"complexity_factors":["Technical microbiological criteria: time/temperature equivalence rules for ‘heat treated’ and ‘cooked’ fermented comminuted processed meat require measurable core‑temperature verification (s 1.6.2—3(1)–(2)).","Cross‑jurisdictional interplay: game‑meat sourcing relies on State/Territory post‑mortem inspection regimes or QA programs conducted under State/Territory law (s 1.6.2—2(1)); the Standard applies in Australia only (Note 2).","Definitions precision: narrow statutory definitions of ‘game meat’, ‘game meat flesh’ and ‘game offal’ affect scope of prohibition and require interpretation during enforcement (s 1.6.2—2(3)).","Supply‑chain compliance burden: prohibition on most game offal in foods for sale and QA program requirements impose handling, recordkeeping and inspection costs on hunters, processors and retailers (s 1.6.2—2(2)–(1)(b)).","Interaction with other standards: labelling and related obligations are referenced to other parts of the Code (notes to s 1.6.2—3), requiring coordinated compliance.","Processing exclusions: limits on mechanically separated meat and rendered trimmings unless cooked to specified criteria introduce production constraints and verification needs (s 1.6.2—3(3))."],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard sets processing rules for certain meats in Australia. It requires game meat to come from carcasses inspected under State/Territory law or from an approved quality‑assurance program and bars most game offal in foods for sale (s 1.6.2—2). It also sets core temperature/time thresholds for when fermented comminuted processed meat is ‘heat treated’ or ‘cooked’ and prohibits mechanically separated meat or rendered trimmings unless cooked to 65°C for 10 minutes (s 1.6.2—3). It affects hunters, processors and food businesses; compliance costs include inspection, QA and temperature verification."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat","history":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat/history","analysis":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-1-6-2-processing-requirements-for-meat/documents"}}