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Manual for official controls
Legal requirements and standards for approved meat establishments.
Once your premises have been approved, you will find the Manual for Official Controls (MOC) beneficial for further information.
The MOC describes the tasks, responsibilities and duties of our staff carrying out official controls in approved establishments.
Manual for Official Controls guidance
The Manual for Official Controls documentation is accurate as of 5 November 2025. Recent changes to the MOC can be found in the revision log.
Northern Ireland
The MOC describes the tasks, responsibilities and duties of DAERA officials carrying out official controls in approved establishments on behalf of us. This is maintained and updated by DAERA and can be found on their website.
References to EU legislation in FSA guidance
Directly applicable EU legislation no longer applies in GB. EU legislation retained when the UK exited the EU became assimilated law on 1 January 2024, published on legislation.gov.uk. References to any legislation in FSA guidance with ‘EU’ or ‘EC’ in the title (e.g. Regulation (EC) 178/2002) should now be regarded as assimilated law where applicable to GB. References to ‘Retained EU Law’ or ‘REUL’ should now be regarded as references to assimilated law.
For businesses moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, information on the Windsor Framework is available on GOV.UK.
The Windsor Framework was adopted by the UK and EU on 24 March 2023. The Framework provides a unique set of arrangements to support the flow of agrifood retail products from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI), allowing GB standards for public health in relation to food, marketing and organics to apply for pre-packed retail goods moved via the NI Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS).
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Temporary Operational Instructions (TOIs)
Manual for Official Controls Revision Log Amendment 111
The following revisions to Manual for Official Controls documentation have been made as of November 5, 2025.
Chapter 2.2
- 5.1.3 Clarification about the requirements to have C&D facilities for
- livestock vehicles in all FSA approved slaughterhouses, but those already approved without them
- 5.4 Text has been moved creating new headings for FSA monitoring and
- separately enforcement responsibilities
Chapter 2.3
- 3.1.4 Amended guidance on recording repeat shots in cattle to clarify instruction
- 6.1.3 Add guidance on verifying CoC / TCoC details.
- 6.3.3 Amended guidance on CoC / TCoC non-compliance and actions
- 6.3.5 Revise wording in decision making process on error of judgement
- 3.6 New guidance on welfare folder and CoC / TCoC records due to GDPR risks
Chapter 2.4
- 5.4.5 This section has been deleted and moved to 5.5.3 where it improves the flow as it follows the section explaining the possibility of using a Saturday service (the moved section explains how to contact the lab for a Saturday service)
- 5.5.1 Clarification that Topspeed service is to be used only from Monday to Thursday
- 5.4.5 & 5.4.6 Re-numbered following the changes above
- 5.5.4 - 5.5.6 Re-numbered following the changes above
- 8 Whole section reviewed and updated
- Annexe 12 Removed paragraph on OV attendance
- Annexe 13 Removed paragraph on OV attendance
Chapter 2.7
- 1.2.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 2.1.3 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 2.2.1 Definition of non-controlled animals amended to make it clearer they
- are susceptible animals for the diseases in the context of these forms.
- 2.3.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 2.4.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.1.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.3.4 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.3.5 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.3.13 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.4.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.5.1 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.5.4 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.5.6 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
- 3.6.9 Link to the Action note in place around BSE status
Chapter 4.1
- Annexe 1 Reviewed the info regarding the gas stunner to ensure the correct
- instructions for the use of gas mixtures 3 and 4 and that poultry must not be shackled before they are dead
Chapter 4.3
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3.4.4 Section numbers updated for red meat and poultry
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3.4.4 Correct cross references to the SHV for red and poultry abattoirs
Chapter 5.1
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2.1 Note included to clarify that only animals of GB origin can be
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selected for RIM sampling, horses from NI are the only exception to this rule
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2.11 Included Reference to Annex 3 guidance to complete RIM 1
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2.12 Included reference Annex 4. Guidance to complete Tamper proof bags
Chapter 6
- 7.10.5.1 APHA Wales email address changed
- Annexe 16A (TB50) replaced with new form, changes to mailbox for APHA Wales and the updated crown logo in the form
- Annex 25 Removed revoked legislation and added missing legislation for Wales.
- Annex 28 Removed revoked legislation and added missing legislation for Wales.
- Annex 30A Definition of non-controlled animals amended to make it clearer they are susceptible animals for the diseases in the context of these forms.
- Annex 30B Definition of non-controlled animals amended to make it clearer they are susceptible animals for the diseases in the context of these forms.
Revision log
Published: 11 April 2018
Last updated: 7 November 2025