The State has decided to act over shock revelations that meat “ridden with bacteria” is frequently found on sale in the nation’s butcher outlets.
Secretary of State for Agriculture and Food Luís Vieira has announced that a working group has been set up and a hearing between consumer watchdog DECO and food safety authority ASAE is being arranged.
“Eliminating this problem is fundamental,” he said.
The working group is scheduled to come up with a plan within the next two weeks, while a campaign to make “consumers more demanding” about the quality of the meat they buy is also in the pipeline.
The issue was highlighted in a recent study by DECO of 25 butchers in Lisbon and Porto where “millions of bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli” as well as excessive fat were found in pre-made burgers and minced meat (click here).
Failings included the storage of meat at dangerously high temperatures, and the addition of preservatives in meat to keep it from darkening.
