Officially Tuberculosis-Free status and dairy hygiene legislation: Guidance notes for England

Thursday 31 March 2005

The Food Standards Agency has issued updated guidance to food authorities in England on Officially Tuberculosis-Free Status (OTF) and dairy hygiene legislation.

This guidance has been revised in consultation with stakeholders. It replaces earlier guidance circulated by the Department Of Health to Chief Environmental Health Officers in England on 13 March 2000.

It provides information and advice for food authorities and dairy processors in England who have dairy herds and/or dairy establishments producing raw cows� drinking milk (RCDM) and/or unpasteurised milk-based products.

A key factor of the guidance is to provide both Environmental Health Officers and producers with increased information when consider a risk assessment for raw milk based products made prior to the loss of Officially Tuberculosis-Free status of a dairy herd.

Similar guidance will be issued in Wales. For Scotland (where the retail sale of unpasteurised milk is prohibited) and Northern Ireland, guidance will be produced as appropriate.