LUNCHEON MEAT ġ S.L.231.22 1
SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 231.22
LUNCHEON MEAT REGULATIONS
25th September, 1991
LEGAL NOTICE 103 of 1981.
Title .
Regulations.
Interpretation.
requires- 
"edible offal" means such offals as have been passed as fit for
human consumption and includes lungs (but not if the animal from
which the lungs have been taken has been scalded by immersion in
hot water) but does not include ears, scalp, snouts (including lips
and muzzle), mucous membrane, sinews, genital system, udders,
intestines and urinary bladder;
"meat" means the edible part of any mammal slaughtered in a
slaughterhouse;
"packaged" means packed in a container manufactured of
materials which do not permit contamination under normal
conditions of handling;
"poultry meat" means the edible part of any domesticated bird
including chicken, turkey, duck, goose, guinea-fowl or pigeon
slaughtered in duly authorised premises.
Applicability and 
composition.
3. (1) These regulations shall apply to products designated as
luncheon meat which have been packed in any suitable material.
(2) Luncheon meat shall be prepared from meat which has
been comminuted and cured and which may have been smoked.
Apart from meat, edible offal and poultry meat may be used in the
preparation of the product. The product may or may not contain
binders.
(3) Luncheon meat shall contain the following ingredients:
meat, water, curing ingredients consisting of salt
(sodium chloride) and sodium or potassium nitrite.
(4) Luncheon meat may contain any of the following: 
edible offal, fat, cured and uncured pork, rind, poultry
meat; 
carbohydrate and protein binders;
meal, flour or starch prepared from grain, or potato or
sweet potato; 
bread, biscuit or bakery products;
milk powder, skimmed milk powder, butter milk
powder, caseinate, whey powder, egg protein, dried
blood serum, soya flour, soya protein, textured
vegetable protein, groundnut protein, wheat gluten,
2 ġ S.L.231.22 LUNCHEON MEAT
lupin meal, sunflower meal;
sucrose, invert sugar, dextrose (glucose), lactose,
maltose, glucose syrup (including corn syrup);
spices, seasonings and condiments; hydrolized protein.
(5) Luncheon meat shall conform with the requirements laid
down in the First Schedule as regards meat and fat content.
Quality and 
hygiene.
4. (1) The ingredients from which the product is prepared
shall be of a quality suitable for human consumption and free from
objectionable odours and flavours.
(2) No meat, including poultry meat and their products, shall
be accepted by an establishment where luncheon meat is prepared
or manufactured unless the animals (including poultry) from which
such meat or products have been derived have been subjected to
ante mortem and post mortem inspection and found free from
disease at the time of slaughter and fit for human consumption.
Such animals shall not after such inspection or inspections be or
have been exposed to contamination or processed or handled or
subjected to the addition of any harmful substance which renders
them unfit for human consumption.
(3) The meat, including poultry meat and their products,
referred to in sub-regulation (2) shall be handled, stored or
transported in such establishments, in such a manner that will
protect such meat and products from contamination and
deterioration.
(4) The final product shall be clean and substantially free from
staining and contamination from the container. The meat and
poultry meat shall be uniformly and thoroughly cured and the
product shall be capable of being sliced.
Food additives. (5) Food additives in luncheon meat shall conform with the
requirements laid down in the Second Schedule.
Heat treatment. 5. The heat treatment to which the product has been subjected
and the type of cure and packaging shall be sufficient to ensure that
the product presents no public health hazard and remains
wholesome under conditions of storage, transport and sale.
Packaging. 6. (1) Luncheon meat products that are heat treated after
packaging shall be packaged in hermetically sealed containers
which do not present any health hazard or permit contamination
under the condition of handling, storage, transport and sale
indicated on the label. The containers shall be clean and show the
characteristics of sound containers and where applicable to the type
of container, shall show evidence of vacuum.
(2) Luncheon meat products that are heat treated before
packaging shall be packaged in such a way that the product will
withstand spoilage and present no public health hazard under the
conditions of handling, storage, transport and sale indicated on the
label. The containers shall not present any health hazard or permit
contamination under normal conditions of handling. They shall be
clean and, where applicable, show evidence of vacuum.
LUNCHEON MEAT ġ S.L.231.22 3
(3) When processed containers are cooled in water, the water
shall be of potable quality or suitably treated so as not to constitute
a public health hazard.
(4) The final product shall be handled and stored in such a
manner as to avoid contamination of the product.
Labelling.
the product as "Luncheon Meat". Such label shall also show a
declaration as to the presence of binders and of edible offal and a
declaration indicating the species of animal from which the meat is
derived shall be given in connection with the name of the product if
their omission would mislead the consumer.
(2) A complete list of ingredients shall be declared on the label
in descending order of proportion. The specific names shall be used
for ascorbic acid, isoascorbic acid and their sodium salts, and
nitrites (potassium and sodium). Added phosphates may be
declared by class title "phosphates". The list of ingredients shall
indicate the species of animals from which the meat is derived.
(3) The net contents shall be declared by weight in metric.
(4) The name and address of the manufacturer, packer,
distributor, importer, exporter or vendor of the product shall be
declared on the label, as well as the country of origin of the
product. The country in which the processing is performed shall be
considered to be the country of origin for the purpose of labelling.
Each container shall be embossed or otherwise permanently marked
to identify the establishment producing the luncheon meat, as well
as the batch number of the lot.
(5) For products which are not fully shelf-stable, i.e. which
may be expected not to keep for at least one year in normal
conditions of storage and sale, adequate storage instructions shall
be given on the label. These instructions shall state the
recommended maximum temperature or conditions of storage and,
in the case of products sold to the consumer, an indication of the
recommended maximum period of storage in specified conditions.
Luncheon meat to 
comply with 
regulations, etc. 
Cap. 231.
8. (1) No person may import, manufacture, export or sell any
luncheon meat which does not comply with the requirements of
these Regulations or which has not been produced in accordance
with the provisions of these Regulations or of the Food, Drugs and
Drinking Water Act, or of any regulations made thereunder.
S.L. 231.17.
(2) Any luncheon meat which is allowed to be imported in
accordance with the provision of sub-regulation (1) shall on
importation, be accompanied by the document or documents as are
referred to in regulation 9 of the Canned Food Regulations.
4 ġ S.L.231.22 LUNCHEON MEAT
FIRST SCHEDULE
Regulation 3(5)
SECOND SCHEDULE
Regulation 4(5)
Product with 
binder
Product without binder and 
edible offal (but may include 
heart, tongue or head meat from 
mammals)
 - Minimum ingoing meat content  80% * 90%
- Maximum fat content  35% 30%
* The meat content  includes meat, edible offal and poultry meat.
Additive Maximum level calculated on the total 
net content of the final product
Ascorbic acid and sodium salt Ħ 500 mg/kg (expressed as ascorbic acid)
singly or in combination.Isoascorbic acid and sodium salt
Natural flavourings as defined in the
Codex Alimentarius and their
identical synthetic equivalents Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice.
Sodium citrate Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice.
5’- Guanylate, disodium 500 mg/kg expressed as guanylic acid. 
5’- Inosinate, disodium 500 mg/kg expressed as inosinic acid. 
Monosodium glutamate 5000 mg/kg expressed as glutamic acid.
Nitrite, potassium and/or sodium
salts
125 mg/kg total nitrite expressed as
sodium nitrite.
Added phosphates (mono-, di- and
poly-), sodium and potassium
salts
3000 mg/kg (expressed as P2O5) singly or
in combination.
Glucono-delta-lactone 3000 mg/kg.
Erythrosine (Cl 45430) to replace
loss of colour (for the product
with binder only) 15 mg/kg.
