This not only affects vegetarian food, but also salmon steak for example.
Where are you getting this from? In the document you linked they define meat as “edible parts of the animals” and I can’t find any wording in here that would exclude fish from being meat.
I found a moment to look up that edible part that you found: "For the purposes of this part, ‘meat’ means edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, " So no, they do not define meat as the edible parts of the animals, they define meat as the edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I etc. You can’t just ignore parts of a definition.
1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 is:
“Meat” means edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8, including blood.
1.2. “Domestic ungulates” means domestic bovine (including Bubalus and Bison species), porcine, ovine and caprine animals, and domestic solipeds.
1.3. “Poultry” means farmed birds, including birds that are not considered as domestic but which are farmed as domestic animals, with the exception of ratites.
1.4. “Lagomorphs” means rabbits, hares and rodents.
1.5. “Wild game” means:
—
wild ungulates and lagomorphs, as well as other land mammals that are hunted for human consumption and are considered to be wild game under the applicable law in the Member State concerned, including mammals living in enclosed territory under conditions of freedom similar to those of wild game; and
—
wild birds that are hunted for human consumption.
1.6. “Fanned game” means farmed ratites and farmed land mammals other than those referred to in point 1.2.
1.7. “Small wild game” means wild game birds and lagomorphs living freely in the wild.
1.8. “Large wild game” means wild land mammals living freely in the wild that do not fall within the definition of small wild game.
What that article includes under meat: “Meat, including domestic ungulates (bovine, porcine, ovine and caprine species); poultry and lagomorphs (farmed birds, rabbits, hares and rodents); farmed and wild game; minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated/recovered meat; and meat products.”
I mean… if they meant “meat” literally as flesh/muscle fiber, then eggs would not meet the definition either.
However, wouldn’t that definition also technically mean that milk can also be categorized as a meat product? Same for honey. Someone also mentioned peanut butter in another comment, is butter considered meat as well since it often comes from milk?
And what about broth/stock? …chicken stock is common, does that mean that now it should be considered a meat product and you can no longer have vegetable stock?
Where are you getting this from? In the document you linked they define meat as “edible parts of the animals” and I can’t find any wording in here that would exclude fish from being meat.
I found a moment to look up that edible part that you found: "For the purposes of this part, ‘meat’ means edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, " So no, they do not define meat as the edible parts of the animals, they define meat as the edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I etc. You can’t just ignore parts of a definition.
1.2 to 1.8 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 is:
“Meat” means edible parts of the animals referred to in points 1.2 to 1.8, including blood.
1.2. “Domestic ungulates” means domestic bovine (including Bubalus and Bison species), porcine, ovine and caprine animals, and domestic solipeds.
1.3. “Poultry” means farmed birds, including birds that are not considered as domestic but which are farmed as domestic animals, with the exception of ratites.
1.4. “Lagomorphs” means rabbits, hares and rodents.
1.5. “Wild game” means:
—
wild ungulates and lagomorphs, as well as other land mammals that are hunted for human consumption and are considered to be wild game under the applicable law in the Member State concerned, including mammals living in enclosed territory under conditions of freedom similar to those of wild game; and
—
wild birds that are hunted for human consumption.
1.6. “Fanned game” means farmed ratites and farmed land mammals other than those referred to in point 1.2.
1.7. “Small wild game” means wild game birds and lagomorphs living freely in the wild.
1.8. “Large wild game” means wild land mammals living freely in the wild that do not fall within the definition of small wild game.
Afaik fish is not considered meat, definitely not in colloquial language. With a quick search I found another EU article which mentions meat and fish, and they list meat and fishery products as being different things: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/hygiene-rules-for-food-of-animal-origin.html
What that article includes under meat: “Meat, including domestic ungulates (bovine, porcine, ovine and caprine species); poultry and lagomorphs (farmed birds, rabbits, hares and rodents); farmed and wild game; minced meat, meat preparations and mechanically separated/recovered meat; and meat products.”
I mean… if they meant “meat” literally as flesh/muscle fiber, then eggs would not meet the definition either.
However, wouldn’t that definition also technically mean that milk can also be categorized as a meat product? Same for honey. Someone also mentioned peanut butter in another comment, is butter considered meat as well since it often comes from milk?
And what about broth/stock? …chicken stock is common, does that mean that now it should be considered a meat product and you can no longer have vegetable stock?