Regulations
Regulations governing milk production and the processing of milk and milk products
On 16th June 1992 the EC Council of Ministers adopted Council Directive 92/46/EEC![[external site]](extlink.gif)
laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk based products. Throughout the UK the Directive has been implemented in national hygiene Regulations. The Regulations which apply to Northern Ireland are:
laying down the health rules for the production and placing on the market of raw milk, heat-treated milk and milk based products. Throughout the UK the Directive has been implemented in national hygiene Regulations. The Regulations which apply to Northern Ireland are:The Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995
The above Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by the Food Safety (Northern Ireland) Order 1991.
The Order makes it an offence to produce, treat or alter food in any way which could endanger health or to sell or keep for eventual sale, food that:
- is unfit for human consumption
- has been rendered injurious to health
- is so contaminated that it would be unreasonable to expect consumers to eat it in that state (milk would be considered contaminated if it contained residues of any kind, including antibiotics)
- is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the consumer (this includes the accidental or deliberate addition of water or any other substance to milk)
- is falsely or misleadingly labelled or presented
The Order provides enforcement authorities with powers to:
- issue improvement notices
- inspect and seize suspect food
- issue emergency prohibition notices and orders
The Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995 (as amended)
The Regulations apply to milk intended for human consumption and sold or supplied in the form either of milk or milk-based products. In Northern Ireland, the Regulations require milk production holdings to be licensed and inspected at regular intervals. This work carried out by Quality Assurance Division of the Department of Agriculture & Rural Development. The standards and conditions for licensing cover:
- buildings and equipment
- hygienic milk production
- animal health in relation to milk production
- raw milk standards
- requirements for milk products
Failure to comply with the requirements of the Regulations may lead to revocation of the production holding's licence.
Further details/information can be obtained from the Quality Assurance Division.
Further details/information can be obtained from the Quality Assurance Division.
This page gives general guidance only and should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law.