Updated meat standards deliver for processors

An update to domestic post-mortem meat inspection standards that are reflected in the Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Rules 2021 was led by the Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC). The project identified the process to amend the Australian Meat Standard and similar documents used by the meat processing industry in Australia, allowing savings in meat processing costs and resulting in higher-value meat products.

Post-mortem inspection of meat in Australia is done in accordance with the requirements of the Australian Standard for Hygienic Production and Transportation of Meat and Meat Products for Human Consumption AS 4696:2007 (Australian Meat Standard). Following various Meat & Livestock Australia-funded research, including a project that found that the current risk of human T. saginata infection from consumption of Australian beef is very low, the Australian Meat Standard was updated to reflect the current science.

This move to risk-based inspection meant that some procedures were updated from more invasive ones (such as incision) towards visual inspection.

These changes to the post-mortem meat inspection standards have resulted in a higher-value product for the processors, including an additional $30–80 million for beef cheeks, which are now subject to visual inspection. There have also been savings associated with the changed inspection effort, a reduction in carcass handling and a removal of ambiguity.

The changes to the Australian Meat Standard had immediate effect in domestic abattoirs, and also allowed the updated Standard to be used by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment to apply for changes to market access requirements in various export markets.