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James Debono
The Department of Health has finalised its investigation on abuses in the labelling of imported frozen chicken products. Various irregularities have been found and court procedures will be instituted against the abusers.
“Legal action taken would include prosecution in Court depending on the merits of each individual case,” the Heath Ministry’s spokesperson said.
This investigation was prompted by reports from local poultry producers on rampant abuses which included the thawing of imported poultry which was later sold as fresh local produce.
Despite the department’s investigations, it still cannot be ascertained if imported poultry meat was being “illegally labelled” to mislead the consumer.
In December MaltaToday revealed that Egon Samler, an official from the United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organisation, had quoted Malta’s health department saying that imported frozen meat is “sometimes thawed and sold as fresh.”
The findings, presented during an FAO seminar in October on Maltese agriculture, came with a recommendation from Samler calling on the health department to “keep up pressure on those who infringe the law.”
According to the Ministry’s spokesperson a special task force has inspected various producers, traders and retailers. These investigations have revealed a number of contraventions against EC Regulation 1906/90 on marketing standards for poultry.
These regulations prescribe minimum harmonised standards to facilitate trade and to ensure EU consumers are provided with good quality fresh and frozen poultry meat produced to a common standard.
The regulation covers matters like grading by quality, presentation, labelling, extraneous water content and weight classification.
The investigation has also yielded a number of contraventions against a legal notice on the Labelling and Presentation of Foodstuffs stipulating the correct labelling for different products.
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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