Animal welfare controls in meat industries

In the last decade, the subject of the welfare of farm animals has been subject to increasing attention from consumers, legislators and society in general. This is linked not only to the ethical (human-animal relationship) and health (food safety) aspects but also to the economic ones (repercussions on trade). For the first time in the Lisbon Treaty of 13 December 2007 (art. 13) animals are granted the status of "being sentient" capable of experiencing pain and suffering and having an emotional life. Animal welfare is thus attributed a fundamental community value whose protection relates to the moral and civil duties of all citizens. The first European legislation on animal welfare dates back to 1974, since then treaties, Agreements, Directives, Regulations and National Laws that have defined the obligations of all the subjects who, for various reasons, have a responsibility towards animals have followed. At the slaughterhouse, the two chief rules of animal welfare are the (EC) Regulation n. 1/2005 of the Council of 22 December 2004 on the protection of animals during transport and related operations and Council Regulation (EC) n. 1099/2009 of 24 September 2009 relating to the protection of animals during slaughter. The figures interested in controlling and managing animal welfare during slaughter operations are: Fio (food industry operator) and Official Veterinarians. .

Keywords: Slaughter, animal welfare, ritual slaughter, standard operating procedure.

Gigliola Vittoria Ficco, I controlli sul benessere animale nelle industrie delle carni in "AGRICOLTURA ISTITUZIONI MERCATI " 1/2018, pp 99-108, DOI: 10.3280/AIM2018-001006