Beef labeling; monitoring

The origin of beef is made transparent, thus maintaining a high level of public health protection.

The regulations on the labeling of beef are intended to contribute to complete proof of origin for cattle from the barn to the store counter and thus ensure greater transparency and safety. Since 01.09.2000, various details have been mandatory throughout the EU.

Market participants and organizations that market beef in the European Community must provide it with mandatory information and can also provide additional voluntary information. This ensures that a link can be established between the individual animal or group of animals and the carcasses or pieces of meat.

The beef label must contain the following mandatory information:

• Reference number/reference code ensuring the link between the meat and the animal
• Approval number of the slaughterhouse and the Member State or third country in which the slaughterhouse is located
• Approval number of the cutting plant and Member State or third country in which the cutting plant is located
• all Member States or third countries in which the animal was born, fattened and slaughtered. Where birth, rearing and slaughter took place in the same Member State or third country, the indication 'Origin: (name of Member State or third country)' may be given.
• the Member State or third country where the cutting took place.

Special or additional regulations exist for the labeling of minced beef and meat cuts as well as for veal and young beef.

Additional voluntary information is also possible, e.g. on category (young bull, heifer, steer ...), feeding or husbandry conditions, breed, quality characteristics.

The label must be attached to the meat or the packaging. In the case of non-pre-packaged products, appropriate written and clearly visible information must be provided to the consumer at the point of sale.

The Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is responsible for checking the mandatory information. The district administrative authorities are also responsible for checking the voluntary information with regard to the general regulations on food labeling (in particular protection against deception).