GB/T 9961-2026Fresh and frozen sheep meat (English PDF)
鲜、冻羊肉
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Issued by
SAMR; SAC
Level / Type
National · Recommended
Issue date
February 27, 2026
Implementation date
September 1, 2026
Scope
GB/T 9961-2026 is the English-translated version of 鲜、冻羊肉.
GB/T 9961-2026 is the Chinese national standard for fresh and frozen sheep meat. It sets the product categories, the technical requirements and their test methods, the inspection rules and the labelling, packaging, storage and transport requirements, and it applies to mutton carcasses and to their cuts and products.
It defines hot sheepmeat, meat that has not been artificially cooled, and chilled sheepmeat, whose core temperature is brought to 0 °C - 4 °C and held there through storage and transport; its other terms come from NY/T 1564 and NY/T 3224.
The requirements are read with GB 18393, GB 18394, GB/T 40464 and GB/T 43562, and thawing water loss is measured to NY/T 3905. It replaces GB/T 9961-2008, was issued on 27 February 2026 and has applied since 1 September 2026.
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Document preview — GB/T 9961-2026
National Standard of the People's Republic of China
- ICS
- 67.120.10
- Classification
- X 22
- Replacing
- GB/T 9961-2008
Issued by: State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of the PRC
Contents
- Foreword
- 1 Scope
- 2 Normative references
- 3 Terms and Definitions
Foreword
This document complies with the provisions of GB/T 1.1-2020 "Standardization Work Guidelines Part 1: Structure and Drafting Rules of Standardization Documents".
This document replaces GB/T 9961-2008 "Fresh and Frozen Mutton Carcasses". Compared with GB/T 9961-2008, the main differences are structural adjustments and editorial changes.
Aside from the modifications, the main technical changes are as follows.
---The following terms have been removed. "lamb," "fat lamb," "large lamb," "carcass weight," "fat content," "fat thickness," "rib thickness," "muscle density," "physiological maturity," and "meat." The terms and definitions for "fat color," "meat fat firmness," and "carcass mutton"; and the distinction between "fresh carcass mutton," "chilled carcass mutton," and "frozen carcass mutton." Change to "hot fresh mutton", "chilled mutton", and "frozen mutton" (see Chapter 3, Chapter 3 of the 2008 edition);
---The product range has been expanded (see Chapter 4);
---Segmentation technology requirements have been added (see 5.2.2);
---All original physicochemical indicators except moisture content have been removed (see section 4.4 of the 2008 edition);
---The microbiological indicator has been removed (see 4.5 in the 2008 edition);
---Increase the thawing water loss rate (see 5.4.2);
---The hygiene requirements for the production and processing process have been removed (see section 4.7 of the 2008 edition);
---The grading and requirements for sheep carcasses have been removed (see section 4.8.4 of the 2008 version);
---The methods for testing physicochemical indicators have been revised (see 6.3, 5.2~5.18 of the 2008 edition);
---The testing methods for microbiological indicators have been removed (see 5.19~5.24 of the 2008 edition).
1 Scope
This document specifies the product categories, technical requirements, inspection rules, and labeling, packaging, storage, and transportation requirements for fresh and frozen mutton.
This document applies to fresh and frozen mutton carcasses and their cuts/products.
2 Normative references
The contents of the following documents, through normative references within the text, constitute essential provisions of this document. Dated citations are not included.
For references to documents, only the version corresponding to that date applies to this document; for undated references, the latest version (including all amendments) applies to this document.
GB/T 191 Packaging and Storage Graphic Symbols
GB/T 4456 Polyethylene blown film for packaging
GB/T 6388 Transport Packaging Receipt and Delivery Marks
GB/T 6543 Single-wall and double-wall corrugated cardboard boxes for transport packaging
GB 18393 Quality Inspection Procedures for Cattle and Sheep Slaughter Products
GB 18394 Moisture Limits for Livestock and Poultry Meat
GB/T 28640 Technical Specification for Cold Chain Transportation Management of Livestock and Poultry Meat
GB/T 40464 Technical Requirements for Chilled Meat Processing
GB/T 43562 Operating Procedures for Livestock and Poultry Slaughtering (Sheep)
JJF1070 Rules for Measurement and Inspection of Net Content of Prepackaged Commodities
NY/T 1564 Technical Specification for Meat Cutting of Livestock and Poultry. Mutton
NY/T 3224 Terminology for Livestock and Poultry Slaughter
NY/T 3227 Sampling Operation Specifications for Livestock and Poultry and Their Products in Slaughterhouses
NY/T 3383 Packaging and Labelling of Livestock and Poultry Products
NY/T 3905 Determination of water loss rate during thawing of frozen meat
3 Terms and Definitions
The terms and definitions defined in NY/T 1564 and NY/T 3224, as well as the following terms and definitions, apply to this document.
3.1 Hot sheep meat
Fresh mutton carcass and its cuts that have not been artificially cooled.
3.2 Chilled sheep meat
The meat undergoes a cooling process to lower its core temperature to 0°C~4°C, and this temperature is maintained within this range throughout storage and transportation. Lamb carcass and its cuts and products.
......
This preview omits tables, figures, formulas and parts of the technical clauses. The complete document — 17 pages — is available in the English PDF.
Referenced standards
Normative references
- GB/T 191Graphical symbols marking for handling and storage of packages
- GB/T 4456Polyethylene blown film for packaging applications
- GB/T 6388Transport package shipping mark
- GB/T 6543Single and double corrugated boxes for transport packages
- GB 18393Code for product quality inspection for cattle or sheep in slaughtering
- GB 18394Permitted level of moisture in meat of livestock and poultry
NY/T 1564
Cited by
- GB/T 22210-2024Specification for sensory evaluation of meat and meat products
- GB/T 42120-2022Frozen mutton roll
- GB/T 39918-2021Fabrication of ovine carcass and cuts
- SN/T 0568-2017Rules of inspection of canned low temperature ham for export
- SB/T 11093-2014Central reserves. Frozen rolled mutton
- SB/T 10365-2012Evaluating rule on the safety food quality of the slaughtered mutton products
Editions of GB/T 9961
| Edition | Title | Revision | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB/T 9961-2026 | Fresh and frozen sheep meat | current edition | Current |
| GB/T 9961-2008 | Fresh and frozen sheep meat | previous edition | Superseded |
This page sells the current edition, GB/T 9961-2026. Earlier editions are listed for reference only.
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Related Standards
GB 18393-2001 — Code for product quality inspection for cattle or sheep in slaughtering
GB 18394-2020 — Permitted level of moisture in meat of livestock and poultry
GB/T 191-2025 — Graphical symbols marking for handling and storage of packages
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