Food manufacturing and processing businesses in the United Kingdom generate animal by-products as an unavoidable part of their operations. From meat trimmings and offal generated during primary processing to processed food waste containing animal-derived ingredients, the range and volume of animal by-products produced by the food manufacturing sector is substantial. Martland’s Fallen Stock provides ABP collection services for food manufacturers, supporting businesses to maintain full compliance with their regulatory obligations through reliable, documented collection and clear guidance on the requirements that apply to their specific operations.
Identifying Animal By-Products in Food Manufacturing
The first step in managing animal by-product compliance for a food manufacturing business is to identify clearly which materials generated at your facility fall within the scope of the animal by-product regulations. The definition is broad – any animal-derived material that is not intended for human consumption is an animal by-product and subject to the regulations. This includes materials rejected during production for quality or safety reasons, materials that are no longer fit for purpose, and certain categories of food waste containing animal-derived components.
Martland’s Fallen Stock can assist food manufacturing businesses in conducting a review of their waste streams to identify which materials require management under the animal by-product regulations. Getting this initial identification right is the foundation of an effective and compliant ABP management system.
Categorisation of Food Manufacturing By-Products
Once the animal by-products generated at your facility have been identified, they must be correctly categorised as Category 1, Category 2, or Category 3. For food manufacturers, most by-products will fall into Category 3 as they are derived from healthy animals that have passed ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection. Martland’s Fallen Stock is approved to collect and arrange the processing of Category 3 material, which can be converted into a range of approved products, including pet food, oleochemicals, and organic fertilisers.
Food manufacturers must be alert to the circumstances in which materials may need to be reclassified to a higher category – for example, where material has become contaminated or has been improperly stored. The Martland’s Fallen Stock team can help businesses to understand the categorisation rules and to ensure that all materials are correctly classified at the point of generation.
Storage, Labelling, and Handling
Food manufacturing facilities must store animal by-products in clearly labelled, leak-proof containers that identify the category of the material and prevent cross-contamination between categories. Storage areas must be maintained in clean and hygienic conditions and must be designed to prevent pest access and minimise the risk of environmental contamination.
Staff involved in handling animal by-products must be trained to understand the categorisation system, the labelling requirements, and the correct procedures for managing each category of material. Martland’s Fallen Stock can provide guidance on the storage and labelling requirements that apply to your specific by-product streams, helping to ensure that your facility meets the regulatory standards consistently.
Working With Martland’s Fallen Stock for Ongoing Compliance
For food manufacturing businesses, a reliable and well-documented collection arrangement with Martland’s Fallen Stock is a critical compliance dependency. Martland’s Fallen Stock works with food manufacturers to establish collection schedules that are frequent enough to prevent by-products from accumulating beyond on-site storage capacity, and the documentation provided for each collection supports the facility’s compliance records fully.
Food manufacturers operating under BRC, SALSA, or other food safety certification schemes will find that their certification body expects robust animal by-product management procedures in place, including evidence of a compliant collection arrangement. A long-term collection relationship with Martland’s Fallen Stock provides that evidence consistently, with clear records that demonstrate compliance at every audit and inspection. The Martland’s Fallen Stock team is experienced in supporting food manufacturing businesses in meeting the requirements of both the animal by-product regulations and the wider food safety standards to which the sector is held.
Here are some of the other regional areas we cover. Click a link below to find out more:
Lancashire Fallen Stock Collection Service
Greater Manchester Fallen Stock Collection Service
Merseyside Fallen Stock Collection Service
Wirral Fallen Stock Collection Service
North Wales Fallen Stock Collection Service
Cheshire Fallen Stock Collection Service
