Sinn Féin Call For Openness On Origin Of Meats

The origin of meats in processed foods must be made available to the public, Sinn Féin has said.

The party's MEP Lynn Boylan is in Brussels to raise the issue with the European Commission. It is understood that she will co-sponsor a question to the Commission, through the influential EU committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety. 

"The Commission's own research indicates that 90% of consumers want to know the origin of meat in processed foods. There is now an even more pressing need for clear information to be available to consumers," Ms Boylan said.

"The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) has recently lead a public campaign to ensure that labelling plans for processed meat is part of  EU policy. There has been remarkable support for its campaign. 

"I will be asking the Commission if it will follow up on its report to Parliament, submitted in December of last year, and if it will now produce legislative proposals. 

"I will be pushing for mandatory origin labelling for meat from processed meat products, particularly in light of the horsemeat scandal which raised awareness of the complex and shadowy supply chains for such meat products," she added.  

(MH/JP)