Technical specifications on harmonised epidemiological indicators for biological hazards to be covered by meat inspection of domestic solipeds

In this report, harmonised epidemiological indicators are proposed for food-borne biological hazards to public health that are related to domestic solipeds and meat thereof and that can be addressed within meat inspection. These hazards include only Trichinella. An epidemiological indicator is defined as the prevalence or concentration of the hazard at a certain stage of the food chain or an indirect measure of the hazard that correlates with the human health risk caused by the hazard. The indicators can be used by the European Commission and the Member States to consider when adaptations to meat inspection methods may be relevant and to carry out risk analysis to support such decisions. It is foreseen that the indicators are used in a risk-based system for domestic soliped meat as proposed in the EFSA Scientific Opinion on the public health hazards to be covered by inspection of meat from domestic solipeds, particularly to help categorise countries/regions and animals according to the risk related to Trichinella. Depending on the purpose and the epidemiological situation, risk managers should decide on the most appropriate indicator(s) to use, either alone or in combination, at national, regional or slaughterhouse level. It is recommended that risk managers should define legal requirements for improving traceability of horses, recording information on all animal movements. Member States are invited to report data generated by the implementation of the indicators in accordance with Directive 2003/99/EC. The proposed indicators should be regularly reviewed in the light of new information and the data generated by their implementation.