Requirements for Slaughter Operation
(Translation)
Promulgated by
Council of Agriculture（(89) Nong-Fun-Tzi-891564010）on
Mar. 30, 2000
1. The Requirements for Slaughter Operation (hereafter abbreviated as the requirements)
herein are drawn up pursuant to paragraph 3, Article 30 of Animal Industry Act.
2. Slaughterhouses shall ensure that the carcasses and viscera produced are wholesome, and
the slaughter operations shall be in compliance with both animal protection and
environmental protection regulations.
3. Slaughterhouses shall carry out sampling tests for monitoring microbial contamination, in
accordance with the provisions established by the central competent authority, to ensure
that all carcasses and viscera are fit for human consumption.
4. Animals shall not be raised on the premises of a slaughterhouse except guard dogs which,
however, should be properly managed to prevent pollution thereof.
5. All premises of slaughter operation shall keep clean and carry out effective control of
vectors and insects. Facilities set up to keep off vectors and insects shall be periodically
inspected and maintained to ensure that they are in good working order. Facility
inspection and maintenance records as well as vector and insect control records shall be
retained for at least one year.
6. Chemicals, detergents, disinfectants, insecticides and other agents used by the
slaughterhouse shall be in compliance with relevant regulations set forth by regulatory
authorities and be kept in storage under the care of designated personnel to keep carcasses
and viscera from contamination.
7. The management of premises of slaughter operation shall meet the following
requirements:
a. The interior of premises shall keep tidy and free of articles unrelated to the operation.
b. The lighting fixtures shall keep clean and well maintained.
c. The cleaning appliances shall keep in a fixed area.
d. Articles in storage shall be at least five centimeters away from walls and above
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ground to be well ventilated.
8. The sanitary management of cutting tools and mechanical appliances shall meet the
following requirements:
a. Measuring instruments including thermometer, pressure gauge and flow meter shall
be checked, calibrated and maintained periodically. The inspection record shall be
retained for at least one year.
b. The cutting tools and mechanical appliances shall be checked and maintained
periodically. Machinery in contact with carcasses and viscera shall use food-grade
lubricants.
c. Cutting tools and mechanical appliances in direct contract with carcasses and viscera
shall be disinfected with hot water over 83ºC.
d. Cutting tools and mechanical appliances in use or disassembled parts shall keep
separately at a designated place which meets sanitary requirements.
e. Cutting tools and mechanical appliances shall be cleaned and disinfected after use.
9. Cleaning in the slaughter operation department shall meet the following requirements:
a. Detergents shall be used in the washing after slaughter operation.
b. Surfaces adhered with blood or fat shall be washed with warm water.
c. Sterilization shall be carried out by using hot water over 83ºC or disinfectants.
10. The drainage system of the slaughterhouse shall be constantly cleaned and maintained to
keep it from obstruction.
11. Lavatory, locker room, hand-washing facility, dormitory, dining hall, rest area and office
area shall be kept well ventilated, lighted and cleaned.
12. Veterinary meat inspector shall carry out pre-operational check prior to the
commencement of daily slaughter operation to confirm that none of the following
conditions is present:
a. The structures or facilities are not properly maintained that carcasses or viscera might
be contaminated.
b. The equipment is not properly cleaned, disinfected and hence adhered with meat
debris, fat, blood, grease or other filth that may contaminate the carcasses and viscera.
c. The inspection equipment is not properly maintained that may hinder veterinary meat
inspector from performing the inspection work.
13. Slaughter operation for poultry and livestock shall meet the following basic requirements:
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a. The excretion of poultry in holding facilities shall be washed off or properly treated.
b. The holding pens and pavements shall keep clean and, whenever possible, keep free
of protruded or sharp objects which may cause pain or injury of the animals, or free of
other unnecessary obstacles. The floor of race and ramp for driving animals shall be
well paved to allow animals to stand and move in natural posture. The race should
be designed to avoid sharp corners or facility that may interfere with the forward
moving of animals. The pavement should also be wide enough to facilitate the
driving of animals. Animals in the holding pens shall be provided with drinking
water and enough space for lying down if they are kept overnight.
c. Whenever possible, electric goad should not be used to drive animals. In the use of
AC goad, the voltage shall be reduced to below 50 volts. To minimize the
disturbance and anxiety of the animals, no pointed, sharp objects or other objects
recognized by veterinary meat inspector that will possibly cause animal injury or
unnecessary pain shall be used to drive animals.
d. The periphery area of stunning pen shall keep clean.
e. Poultry, livestock or their carcasses shall not be inflated with water.
f. Poultry and livestock shall not be tied up, thrown, cut or bled before they are
humanely stunned. Bleeding and slaughter operations after bleeding shall be carried
out off ground.
g. Knives for bleeding shall keep sharp.
h. Blood of poultry and livestock shall be collected in designated impervious containers
and shall be removed in due time.
i. Scalding shall not proceed until the bleeding operation is completed.
j. The hot water temperature in scalding tub shall keep constant and under frequent
checks.
k. Defeathering agents used shall comply with relevant provisions of the regulatory
authority.
l. After poultry or livestock is incised or beheaded, the carcasses may not be rinsed prior
to ante-mortem inspection.
m. Carcasses and viscera on the production line shall be kept apart at a proper distance or
proper facility shall be adopted to prevent the cross-contamination between viscera
and carcasses.
n. Contaminated equipment shall be washed and disinfected with hot water over 83ºC.
o. All knives and saws must be washed and disinfected with hot water over 83ºC after
contact with any suspect poultry or livestock, retained carcass or tissues with
pathological changes during slaughter operation.
p. Vessels or utensils for holding edible carcasses, viscera or giblets shall keep clean,
and be washed and disinfected after use.
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q. The areas of slaughter operation must be clearly partitioned and the operation
procedures shall follow "from contaminated area to clean area" principle.
14. Slaughter operation for livestock shall meet the following specific requirements:
a. The livestock in holding pens shall be washed if their body adhere with filth or
excretion.
b. Handicapped livestock shall be segregated from normal flock. It is prohibited to
drag conscious livestock that are suspected of disease, handicapped, or unable to walk
for any other reasons. Cart or other proper auxiliary transport equipment shall be
used.
c. The brain or tissue contaminated by skin, hair or bone chips shall be discarded when
captive bolt of penetrating type is used.
d. Carcass shall be thoroughly cleaned of dust, dirt, hair or other filth before it is incised
or its head is removed, and splash onto other carcass shall be prevented.
e. During head removing, operator shall prevent the carcass from contamination of the
content of upper digestive tract and respiratory tract, and the head must be moved
away as soon as possible.
f. During evisceration, the operator shall prevent the carcasses from contamination of
the content of digestive tract.
g. Knives and saws used in the slaughter operation shall be constantly cleaned and
disinfected.
h. Operator shall clean off all contaminants around the midline of a carcass before
splitting it into half.
i. Operator shall prevent the carcass from touching the ground, wall surface, foot pedal
or working footware when splitting it.
j. The body surface of carcass shall be distinctly tattooed with carcass number prior to
post-mortem inspection.
k. All wounds, abscess or tissue with pathological changes must be thoroughly removed
before carcass washing.
l. In post-mortem inspection, inspection facilities which are used to handle carcass or
viscera of suspected livestock must be washed and disinfected with hot water over
83ºC.
m. Digestive tract and other viscera shall be handled separately. When handling
digestive tract, operator shall remove its content and wash it clean.
n. Trays for viscera inspection shall be cleaned with fresh water and disinfected with hot
water over 83ºC at regular intervals.
o. The surface of table which is used to handle carcasses and viscera shall be cleaned
constantly. If it is smudged with content of digestive tract, skin, hair or feces, it shall
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be disinfected with hot water over 83ºC.
p. Operator shall prevent edible carcasses and viscera from touching ground or wall
surfaces.
q. Skinning and its related operations shall meet the following requirements:
i. Skin shall be incised from inner side toward outer side during skinning.
ii. Contamination of skinned carcass by hide shall be prevented.
iii. Skinning table, if used, shall be kept clean. After being removed from the
skinning table, carcass shall not be in contact with ground surface or other objects.
iv. The ground surface and skinning equipment shall be kept clean after skinning of
each carcass.
v. Skin shall be removed from the slaughter room as soon as possible to prevent it
from contaminating carcass and viscera.
r. Udder removal shall meet the following requirements:
i. The leakage of udder content shall be prevented.
ii. The part of skinned carcass which is contaminated by udder content shall be
removed.
iii. Operator who is contaminated by udder content shall wash with detergent
immediately.
iv Knife contaminated by udder content shall be disinfected with hot water over
83ºC immediately.
s. The esophagus of cattle shall be tied up immediately after the head is removed. The
esophagus shall be detached from chest cavity to diaphragm so that it is separated
from trachea and lung.
t. Prior to incising the abdominal cavity of cattle and sheep, the operator shall remove
any potential contaminant which may be present at front and hind legs or near the
midline of chest.
u. When handling parts near the anus of a cattle, the operator shall tie up the rectum to
prevent the content of digestive tract from contaminating the carcass.
15. Slaughter operation for poultry shall meet the following requirements:
a. Containers used to transport live poultry shall keep clean and be washed and
disinfected after use.
b. In scalding operation, there shall be certain amount of water overflowing for each
carcass put into the scalding tub in order to keep the scalding water clean. Water
overflow shall also apply to scalding of feet and neck.
c. The spray washing of defeathering machine shall be able to wash off dirt and feather
adhered to carcass surface. Carcasses that are accidentally dropped in defeathering
area must be properly cleaned and disinfected before hanging back to the production
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d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
line.
Containers used to collect feather shall be placed in contaminated operation area and
removed from the premises of slaughter at appropriate time.
Evisceration may not be performed if the poultry is incompletely defeathered.
Carcass must be thoroughly cleaned before evisceration.
Shackles shall be changed before evisceration. The used shackles must be washed
clean and disinfected before being used again.
When the vent is removed, leakage of its content shall be prevented.
Damage of viscera or carcass shall be prevented during evisceration. Knife which
has come in contact with carcasses shall be disinfected immediately with hot water
over 83ºC to prevent cross contamination.
j. Carcass shall be washed clean before entering chilling tank. The crop and trachea
shall also be removed when the neck is removed.
k. Chilling tank shall have enough water overflow, and the overflowing water shall be
properly drained.
l. Handling of carcasses and viscera shall be carried out as described in paragraphs m.,
n., o. of section 14 and paragraph p of this section.
16. Slaughterhouse operators shall abide by the following sanitation requirements:
a. Operators who go in and out of the premises of slaughter operation shall observe
entry/exit rules of respective operation areas and it is strictly prohibited to enter clean
area from contaminated area. The same provisions apply to visitors.
b. Personal belongings shall not be brought into the premises of slaughter operation.
c. Working footware shall be effectively cleaned and disinfected before and after use.
d. Operators shall wear neat working clothes, cap, and footware when entering the
premises of slaughter operation.
e. Operators on the production line shall not smoke, eat, drink, chew betel nut or
chewing gum, nor shall they engage in conduct that may let hair, skin flakes, and
body fluid contaminate carcasses or viscera. They shall not let make-up or ointment
applied on the skin contaminate carcasses, viscera and surfaces they are in contact
with, or inner packing materials.
f. The hands of operators who are on the production line shall keep clean and wash with
detergent before and after work. Operators who are in direct contact with carcasses
or viscera may not wear long finger nails, nail polish or ornaments.
17. Slaughterhouse operators shall meet the sanitation and health requirements set forth in
relevant regulations by central health authority and relevant regulations. Those who fail
to meet the requirements shall be barred from related works involving contact with
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carcasses or viscera.
18.The handling of carcasses and viscera condemned by veterinary meat inspector shall meet
the following requirements:
a. Distinctly marked vessels with lids shall be used.
b. The vessels referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be washed clean and
disinfected in a designated place after the operation is finished.
c. Condemned carcasses and viscera shall be properly disposed and prevented from
being used for human consumption. Records on method, date, quantity of disposal,
and the names of persons who handle the disposal shall be retained for at least one
year.
19. Facilities for water supply in the slaughterhouse shall meet the following requirements:
a. Where tap water is not used purification or disinfections facilities shall be set up.
The treated water shall be tested by a government-approved testing institution before
use and every year after to make sure that the water meets quality standards of tap
water.
b. Water storage facility and transport system shall be well maintained and checked at
least once every six month with documented record.
c. Disinfection or water purification equipment shall be checked on a daily basis to see if
it is in good working order. The daily check shall be recorded.
d. There shall be fixed water source, ample water and sufficient supply facility.
e. The use of recycling water shall follow the procedures and monitor requirements set
forth by central environmental protection agency.
The records referred to in paragraph a., b. and c. shall be retained for at least one year.
20. The slaughterhouse shall report the slaughter operation time and total number of animals
slaughtered in the previous month as well as the estimated number of animals to be
slaughtered in next month to central competent authority or its designated organization
prior to the tenth day of each month.
(In case of any discrepancy in the translation of the Requirements, the Chinese text shall
govern.)
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