General
1. Meat and offal, fit and suitable for human consumption, remain classified in this chapter even if presented, for example, as intended for the manufacture of pet food.
2. For the purposes of this chapter, the scope of the words ‘meat’ and ‘offal’ is as described in the HS General Explanatory Note to this chapter.
3. Guidance on the different states in which meat and offal of this chapter can occur (fresh, chilled, frozen, salted or in brine, dried or smoked) is given in the HS General Explanatory Note to this chapter. It should be noted that deep-frozen meat and partially or totally de-frozen meat are to be classified in the same way as frozen meat. Moreover, ‘frozen’ covers not only meat which has been frozen when fresh but also meat which has first been slightly dried and then frozen in so far as its actual and lasting preservation depends essentially upon such freezing.
4. Guidance is also given, in the HS General Explanatory Note to this chapter, on the distinction between meat and offal of this chapter and that of Chapter 16. However, this chapter covers meat offal, raw, minced, or finely chopped but not further prepared, wrapped in plastic material (even in the form of sausages) solely for ease of handling or transport.
5. For the purposes of distinguishing between bone-in and boneless cuts, cartilage and tendons shall not be regarded as bone.
6. Meat and meat offal containing preservatives, stabilisers or antioxidants added for stopping the degradation of those products, remain classified in this chapter.
Additional note 1(A)(d) and additional note 1(A)(e)
For the purposes of additional notes 1(A)(d) and 1(A)(e) to this chapter (read in conjunction with additional note 1(C) to this chapter), whilst determining whether the conditions of the minimum and maximum number of ribs are fulfilled, only the ribs, whole or cut, directly attached to the vertebral column are to be counted.
According to this explanation, the diagram below shows an example of a bovine forequarter which would comply with additional notes 1(A)(d) and 1(A)(e) read in conjunction with additional note 1(C) to this chapter.
FOREQUARTER HINDQUARTER
Additional note 2(C)
For the purposes of additional note 2(C) to this chapter, as regards the two different cutting techniques and the parts ‘jowls’, ‘chaps’ and ‘chaps and jowls together’, see the diagrams below:
Additional note 6(a)
Salt is not considered to be a seasoning within the meaning of this additional note.
See also additional note 7 to this chapter.