Australian Meat for the Trade: Australian Lamb, Beef and Goatmeat Industries, Suppliers and Resources
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Australian Lamb

Product Guide

Purchasing

Chiller Assessment

Packaging

Labeling

Processing

Livestock Production



 
Labeling Information for Australian Lamb

All cartons of Australian sheepmeat are identified with labels with information about the product. Carton labels consist of mandatory information that is required under Australian government regulation and is consistent with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Secretaria de Agricultura, Ganaderia, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentacion (SAGARPA) requirements for labeling of imported meat products. In addition to mandatory information, Australian packers may include optional information on the label, allowing for further description for trade purposes.

The following elements are included on labels for all Australian export sheepmeat cartons:

Label Sample and Chart

  1. Generic statement: Bone-in or boneless and identification of species
  2. Country of Origin
  3. Carcass Identification: Category code which identifies the carcass age and sex
  4. Product Identification: Primal cut description as shown in the Handbook of Australian Meat
  5. Primal Weight Range: indicates that each primal cut in the carton is the minimum / maximum weight range as shown on the label.
  6. Packaging Type: AUS-MEAT packaging code
  7. Bar code: Most developed and compliant with the GS1 (EAN.UCC) international meat industry guidelines
  8. Packed on date: Day, month, year and time that the product was packed into the carton
  9. Best Before date: End of the period for meat stored in accordance with any stated storage condition. Meat marked with best before date can continue to be sold after that date provided that the meat is not damaged, deteriorated or perished. Meat marked with use by date cannot be sold after that date.
  10. Net Weight: Meat content, less all the packing material, shown to two decimal places in kilograms and pounds
  11. Batch Number: In-house company identification number for product tracing when required
  12. Carton Serial Number: Individual identification number for carton
  13. Halal Approved: Product has been ritually slaughtered and certified by an approved Islamic organization
  14. Establishment Number: Plant-registered identification number
  15. AI Stamp: Australia-government Inspected
  16. Refrigeration Statement: "keep chilled / refrigerated" indicates that the product in the carton has been held in a controlled chilled condition from the time of packing.
  17. Number of Pieces: Number of primal cuts in the carton
  18. Company Code: In-house identification code for product in the carton
  19. Company Trading Name: Name of the packer of the product
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