Get approval for method 7 processing of animal by-products
Find out how to propose your own (method 7) method for processing animal by-products (ABPs) instead of using one of the 6 standard methods.
Applies to England, Scotland and Wales
There are 6 approved methods for processing animal by-products (ABPs).
If you don’t intend to use one of the approved methods at your facility, you can propose your own processing conditions. This is known as ‘method 7’ processing.
You will need to contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) if you want to propose method 7 processing conditions.
Information you need to provide
You will need to provide a full description of your proposed method including a flow diagram.
You will also need to write a standard operating procedure (SOP) and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) plan to explain how you will control the following factors:
- the size of material being processed
- temperature
- ph
- pressure (if relevant to your method)
You can combine the SOP and HACCP into a single document and it’s up to you how you present them to APHA.
You will also need to describe the ABP material you plan to process including:
- what ABP category it belongs to
- any processes it will go through before arriving at your facility
- its physical properties such as size and water content
- risks due to where the material comes from
- potential risks the material poses to animal health, including from exotic notifiable diseases that are not currently present in the UK, and measures you will be putting in place to manage these risks
Testing samples for bacteria
To gain approval you will need to show APHA that your method removes risk to public and animal health. To do this you must test samples of your processed material for bacteria.
You will need to take samples of processed material for 30 consecutive days and send them for laboratory tests for:
- Salmonella
- Enterobacteriaceae
- Clostridium perfingens
Find out more about laboratory testing requirements for ABPs including how and when to take samples and where to send them for testing.
You can’t sell or use processed material while tests are being carried out on samples taken from that material. You must keep the material on site until test results come back, or dispose of it in an approved way. Find out how to dispose of different types of ABP material.
What happens if your method is approved
If your proposed method is approved, it becomes a method 7 processing method. This group name may appear in guidance and regulations to refer to any processing conditions apart from the 6 approved methods.
You can use the method as long as you have APHA approval. APHA may suspend or remove approval if there is a risk to animal or public health through:
- dangers in your method, or in the material that you are processing, that you had not previously identified
- failure of your process to reduce dangers to acceptable levels
Updates to this page
Last updated 9 October 2014 + show all updates
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AHVLA documents have been re-assigned to the new Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
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AHVLA documents have been re-assigned to the new Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
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First published.