The Organisation of Consumers and Users, OCU, has found high levels of additives, poor quality and higiene deficiencies in 20 different brands of mince meat including beef, pork and chicken and turkey sold in supermarkets and hypermarkets.
In a study to analyse the quality of mince meat a high content of fat, water and colagen was found, as well as bacterias and pathogens which indicate higiene deficiencies, in higher levels than are permitted by law.
Two products are singled out in the survery: burger meat and mince meat. The difference between the two is that additional products such as cereals, vegetables and binders can be added to burger meat but not to mince meat. The analysis shows that the majority of burger meat and mince meat complies with this requirement.
However, according to OCU, “there are a lot of deficiencies in the composition of the products and almost all of them contain sulphites and allergens in excess of the recommended levels which can cause adverse reactions for some people.”
“An excessive amount of additives and colourings are added to improve the appearance of the meat,” adds OCU, “and the level of fat content is very high, in some cases more than 22%.”
Colagen and tendons were found in the mince meats, in some cases as high as 32%, indicating a poor quality of meat despite their high prices.
OCU is demanding that the Goverment changes the law which allows suphites to be added but which contravenes the spirit of the legislation and takes into account that higher than the permitted levels are present in many foods.
The Organisation also asks the Goverment to change the system of labelling to ensure that the origins of the product is clearly stated and not confusing for the consumer.
