Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down specific hygiene rules for the hygiene of foodstuffs.

This Regulation establishes specific rules for food business operators on the hygiene of food of animal origin. This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to: (I) relevant animal and public health rules; (II) animal welfare requirements; and (III) requirements concerning the identification of animals and the tracea bility of products of animal origin. Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, they shall not apply to food containing both products of plant origin and processed products of animal origin. However, processed products of animal origin used to prepare such food shall be obtained and handled in compliance with the requirements hereby established.
This Regulation lays down provisions on the general obligations, registration and approval of establishments of food business operators; health and identification marking of a product of animal origin; requirements for food business operators relating to imported products of animal origin from third countries; and the certificates or other documents accompanying consignments of products of animal origin. With a view to clearly defining the application scope, the Annex attached gives detailed definitions of all products covered by the Regulation (meat, eggs, milk, fishery products, live bivalve molluscs, etc.).