ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT AMENDS TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS TO MEAT AND MEAT PRODUCTS

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 16 2007

YEREVAN, August 16. /ARKA/. Armenian government amended technical
requirements to meat and meat products, making them up to European
standards.

Grisha Baghyan, chief of Armenian Agriculture Ministry’s unit on
veterinary and food safety, told journalists on Thursday that these
amendments will make it possible to offer higher-quality products
to consumers.

"Besides, up-to European-standards products will be exported and
imported", he said.

Baghyan said that amended regulations will contain tables with
standards set by taking into account European experience.

The first table, he said, will contain permissible norms of poisonous
substances, antibiotics and vitamins presence in foodstuffs. The second
table will point out pathogenic germs and mold-forming substances. In
the third table proteins and carbohydrates will be listed and in the
fourth technical requirements to processing enterprises indicated.

Baghyan also said that the new regulations will also make it possible
to conduct more effective monitoring of all products offered to
consumers.

"Ten properly equipped laboratories are functioning now in Yerevan.

These laboratories are ready to examine examples of foodstuffs offered
by State Control Agency", he said.

The requirements to meat and meat products were upheld by Armenian
government on October 19, 2006.