Division 1 CONDITIONS AND MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR AUTHORISATION

The authorisation test shall consist of:

1. (a)

   The selection of a representative sample of pig carcasses to be involved in a dissection trial.

   • The representative sample shall reflect the pig population concerned and shall consist of at least 120 carcasses.

2. (b)

   The recording of measurements (predictor variables) on the representative sample of pig carcasses.

   • The measurements used to estimate the lean meat percentage are recorded in one or more slaughterhouses using the grading technique(s) to be authorised.

3. (c)

   A dissection trial for the assessment of the reference lean meat percentage of the pig carcasses as described in point 2 of Part A.

   • The trial involves the dissection of the sample of pig carcasses into meat, fat and bone. The lean meat content of a pig carcass shall be the relationship between the total weight of the red striated muscles provided that they are separable by knife, and the weight of the carcass. The total weight of the red striated muscles is obtained either

     1. (i)

        by total dissection of the carcass as laid down in point 2.2 of Part A; or

     2. (ii)

        by partial dissection of the carcass as laid down in point 2.3 of Part A; or

     3. (iii)

        by a combination of total or partial dissection with a national quick method based on accepted statistical methods.

     The total dissection referred to in point (i) may also be replaced by assessing the lean meat percentage with a computer tomography (CT) apparatus on the condition that satisfactory comparative dissection results are provided.

     If a combination with a national quick method is used as referred to in point (iii), the number of carcasses for total or partial dissection may be reduced to 50 if the F1appropriate authority can demonstrate that the precision is at least equal to that obtained using standard statistical methods on 120 carcasses.

4. (d)

   The calculation of an equation (formula) for the grading method to be authorised.

   • An equation shall be derived to estimate the lean meat percentage of the representative sample of carcasses from the predictor variables measured on those carcasses.

   • The lean meat percentage of each carcass involved in the dissection trial shall be estimated from this formula.

5. (e)

   The standard statistical analysis for the assessment of the result of the dissection trial.

   • The lean meat percentage estimated by the grading method concerned shall be compared to the reference lean meat percentage obtained from the dissection trial.

6. (f)

   The introduction or amendment of an equation for the grading method for the prediction of the lean meat percentage of a pig carcass.

   • The equation shall be integrated into the grading technique after the application of the grading methods are authorised by the F2appropriate authority.

Grading methods shall be authorised only if the root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP), computed by a full cross-validation technique or by a test set validation on a representative sample of at least 60 carcasses, is less than 2,5. In addition, any outliers shall be included in the calculation of RMSEP.

Where, during an authorisation test, more than one carcass presentation is used, the differences between those carcass presentations shall not lead to differences in the classification results.