Report on meeting of Working Group 5 - Meat Quality (Prof G C Mead)
The Working Group met in Bremen at the 2002 European Poultry Conference and 14 members attended. The meeting discussed opportunities for various international research projects relating to meat quality. These included one being developed within the Group on muscle biology and the EU Framework 6 Programme, due to start in November 2002, which is relevant to meat quality and safety. With regard to developing EU legislation, the question was raised of being able to classify carcasses according to the degree of ossification of the sternum. Since information on this topic was known to be limited, a collaborative study was proposed and participants sought. The Group also considered the present need to adapt research data involving meat quality parameters to facilitate control of processing operations. In an appropriate form, such data would be of value to process engineers and others involved in plant management. A small sub-group was established to explore the possibilities.

The Group then discussed the scientific programmes for the next meat quality symposium in St-Brieuc, France, in 2003 and the World Poultry Congress in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2004. At both meetings, there would be sessions on production, processing and quality issues. In addition, a special meeting in the USA involving US poultry scientists was being considered.

Finally, Dr Roel Mulder completed his period as Chairperson and was thanked warmly for all his work. He was succeeded by Prof Michael Grashorn, Germany, who was elected unanimously. The next meeting of the Group will be in St-Brieuc, at the Symposium.

Proposed new Working Group 12 - Physiology
An exploratory meeting was held at the European Poultry Conference in Bremen, under the Chairmanship of Dr Shlomo Yahav from Israel, to assess the interest in setting up this new Working Group. It was agreed that there appeared to be sufficient justification to go ahead with a first Conference, which will now be arranged, possibly next year. The UK Branch representative on the Group is Dr Malcolm Mitchell of Roslin Institute.