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Cheap chicken: tests for horse, pig and cow protein will take until March Cheap chicken: tests for horse, pig and cow protein will take until March
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Tests to establish whether cow, pig and horse proteins are being used to adulterate cheap frozen chicken have been ordered but will not be completed until March 2014, a full year after the UK authorities began an investigation into suspicions about the poultry processing industry, the Guardian has learned. Tests to establish whether cow, pig and horse proteins are being used to adulterate cheap frozen chicken have been ordered but will not be completed until March 2014, a full year after UK authorities began an investigation into suspicions about the poultry processing industry, the Guardian has learned.
Last March, after the horsemeat scandal, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) asked local authorities to collect samples of frozen raw chicken from a wide range of outlets and to have them tested at specialist laboratories for added water and undeclared proteins of other species of animals. Last March, after the horsemeat scandal, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) asked local authorities to collect samples of frozen raw chicken from a wide range of outlets and have them tested at specialist laboratories for added water and undeclared proteins of other species of animals.
The watchdog received intelligence earlier this year that the wholesale trade was selling chicken breasts to restaurants and the catering sector at prices that would be below the cost of production unless undeclared water and hydrolysed protein additives were being used to bulk them up. The investigation appears to be moving at a glacial speed, however.The watchdog received intelligence earlier this year that the wholesale trade was selling chicken breasts to restaurants and the catering sector at prices that would be below the cost of production unless undeclared water and hydrolysed protein additives were being used to bulk them up. The investigation appears to be moving at a glacial speed, however.
The shadow minister for food, Huw Irranca-Davies, said the time being taken was unacceptable. "We must ensure the increasing numbers of families affected by the cost-of-living crisis and switching to alternative foods, cheaper foods, are not being ripped off," he said. The shadow minister for food, Huw Irranca-Davies, said "By the time the FSA report on their sampling tests, in March 2014, they will have been looking into this issue for 12 months. That is too long to allow hard-pressed families to be at risk of purchasing misleading products."
"After the horsemeat scandal, we want to make sure chicken is chicken, beef is beef, and that these products are not being adulterated with high quantities of water or proteins from other animal species.
"By the time the FSA report on their sampling tests, in March 2014, they will have been looking into this issue for 12 months. That is too long to allow hard-pressed families to be at risk of purchasing misleading products."
Last week, the Guardian revealed that the industrial practice of "tumbling" raw chicken fillets in giant mixers to make them absorb large quantities of water has spread to supermarket discount ranges, with some leading retailers selling cheap frozen chicken that is nearly one fifth added water. But the problem of adulteration of poultry meat dates back many years in the food service sector, where factories have been found in previous scandals using foreign proteins to bind in water at even higher levels.Last week, the Guardian revealed that the industrial practice of "tumbling" raw chicken fillets in giant mixers to make them absorb large quantities of water has spread to supermarket discount ranges, with some leading retailers selling cheap frozen chicken that is nearly one fifth added water. But the problem of adulteration of poultry meat dates back many years in the food service sector, where factories have been found in previous scandals using foreign proteins to bind in water at even higher levels.
Enforcement was patchy until this year's meat fraud scandal. It is understood that the finding of undeclared horse and pig DNA in cheap beefburgers prompted the new FSA-led survey of frozen chicken.Enforcement was patchy until this year's meat fraud scandal. It is understood that the finding of undeclared horse and pig DNA in cheap beefburgers prompted the new FSA-led survey of frozen chicken.
Unpublished papers obtained by the Guardian show that the FSA detected DNA from both cow and pig material in concentrated protein powders being used in chicken processing factories in the UK in 2008. No action appears to have been taken against the companies involved. Unpublished papers obtained by the Guardian show that the FSA detected DNA from cow and pig material in concentrated protein powders being used in chicken processing factories in the UK in 2008. No action appears to have been taken against the companies involved. The FSA papers describe a substantial trade in frozen chicken breasts for fast food and outlets such as Chinese and Indian restaurants that are as little as 55-65% chicken.
The FSA papers describe a substantial trade in frozen chicken breasts for fast food and outlets such as Chinese and Indian restaurants that are as little as 55-65% chicken.
"The lower chicken contents are achieved either by tumbling or using multi-needle injectors to introduce water and a cocktail of ingredients to retain water during freeze/thawing and cooking" they explain."The lower chicken contents are achieved either by tumbling or using multi-needle injectors to introduce water and a cocktail of ingredients to retain water during freeze/thawing and cooking" they explain.
Multi-needle injection can introduce substantial amounts of water in a very short period but requires strong water-retaining agents, they go on to say.Multi-needle injection can introduce substantial amounts of water in a very short period but requires strong water-retaining agents, they go on to say.
The 2008 tests used methods to detect degraded DNA of cow and pig origin in the factory protein powders that were pioneered by archaeology researchers. Collagen the cheapest source of animal proteins, is found in bone, connective tissue, skin and hide, intestines and eyes. When hydrolysed with acid it produces gelatine, which dissolves in hot water and forms a gel on cooling by holding large amounts of water. It is this property that the poultry industry exploits.The 2008 tests used methods to detect degraded DNA of cow and pig origin in the factory protein powders that were pioneered by archaeology researchers. Collagen the cheapest source of animal proteins, is found in bone, connective tissue, skin and hide, intestines and eyes. When hydrolysed with acid it produces gelatine, which dissolves in hot water and forms a gel on cooling by holding large amounts of water. It is this property that the poultry industry exploits.
A protein powder labelled as containing chicken protein being used by Eurofoods poultry processing factory in Newport, Wales, in 2008 tested positive for hydrolysed proteins derived from cattle bones.A protein powder labelled as containing chicken protein being used by Eurofoods poultry processing factory in Newport, Wales, in 2008 tested positive for hydrolysed proteins derived from cattle bones.
The Eurofoods development director, Andrew Miller, told us the company had been unaware other species were in its powders but it had stopped using them completely when its attention was drawn to the contents by media coverage in 2009. Eurofoods now used soya protein to bind water into its bestselling line, which was 85% chicken along with carrot powder, wheat maltodextrin and flavour enhancer, Miller added. The Eurofoods development director, Andrew Miller, said the company had been unaware other species were in its powders but it had stopped using them completely when its attention was drawn to the contents by media coverage in 2009. Eurofoods now used soya protein to bind water into its bestselling line, which was 85% chicken along with carrot powder, wheat maltodextrin and flavour enhancer, Miller added.
He said Eurofoods had had no contact with the UK authorities over the test results. Local trading standards said they had no record relating to Eurofoods. The FSA did not answer our question about what enforcement action had been taken after its findings. He said Eurofoods had had no contact with the UK authorities over the test results. Local trading standards said they had no record relating to Eurofoods.
The FSA did not answer the Guardian's question about what enforcement action had been taken after its findings.
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