Pork sausages - or are they?

Meat may not be all it seems, consumers warned

A third of meat products sold in supermarkets and shops were misleadingly labelled, a new survey has revealed.

The food, which included mince, sausages and samosas, often illegally contained meats other than those the buyer would be expecting. This could have serious consequences for people trying to avoid some meats for dietary or religious reasons.

Now Staffordshire County Council Trading Standards have issued guidance to businesses telling them how to stay within the law or face a fine of up to £20,000.

Trading Standards Offices from throughout the West Midlands purchased over 100 samples of meat products. The samples were analysed by Public Analyst laboratories including Staffordshire Scientific Services, who checked that the species of meat named on the label was the only type of meat present.

The analysis showed that 38 of the 109 samples were adulterated. Minced lamb was the most likely to be contaminated, with two thirds of the samples containing beef and or pork. Seven samples described as "Halal" were purchased as part of the survey. These were found to be just as likely to be contaminated as any other meat products, although no Halal products were found to contain pork.

Staffordshire County Councillor Carol Dean, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Communities said: "Customers buying food rely on the labels and descriptions of the food made by the business. An accurate description of the type of meat in a meat product provides information, allowing customers to choose which product to purchase. This is particularly important for customers who wish to avoid particular species of meat due to religious or dietary reasons."

"Trading Standards are keen to work with businesses to ensure that food is correctly described. The guidance leaflet explains three simple steps which butchers should be taking to ensure that meat products contain only the types of meat stated on the label."

The guidance leaflet is available from Staffordshire Trading Standards and can be requested by telephoning 0845 330 3313.

Some facts:

-                      The Food Safety Act 1990 and the Meat Products (England) Regulations 2003 require that where meat products are described by the name of a type of meat then that product must only contain that meat species.

 

For example:	Beef mince must only contain beef
	Pork sausages, must only contain pork
	Lamb samosas, must only contain lamb

-                      Failure to comply with the legislation is an offence which may result in a fine of up to £20,000.

-                      109 samples were purchased throughout the Midlands between August and December 2007. Samples included beef mince, lamb mince, pork sausages, beef burgers, steak pies, lamb samosas and other meat products. In total 72 samples were found to be correctly described, containing only the types of meat which were stated on the label, 37 were found to contain undeclared meat species. Samples were purchased from a range of retail outlets.

Page Last Modified: 17/04/2008 13:24:27

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