Soon it was reported that a study by meat scientists from Stellenbosch University (SU) revealed a significant fraudulent labelling of meat products on the SA market.
The study discovered evidence of donkey, goat and water buffalo, among others, in up to 68% of the 139 minced meats, burger patties, deli meats, sausages and dried meats tested. These ingredients were not declared on the labels. And a study by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) reportedly found that, of 146 samples of game meat, more than 100 had been mislabelled.
“Results show that the labelling of game meat in South Africa is poor, with different species being substituted almost 80% of the time,” said Maria Eugenia D’Amato, a researcher at the UWC. Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies subsequently requested the National Consumer Commission to conduct an urgent investigation into the matter. The meat industry, however, reiterated that once meat left the abattoir, it was no longer under its jurisdiction.
On 7 June, Farmer’s Weekly reported that the local red meat industry wanted traceability to be improved in order to minimise imports of questionable meat, according to Gerhard Schutte, CEO of the Red Meat Producers’ Organisation. In the first issue of December, Farmer’s Weekly reported that, as of 25 April 2014, new regulations regarding the labelling would come into effect.
According to these, specific information must be present on the labels of all products, including the country of origin, the weight, all ingredients present, and a description in simple language of the animal type from which the product was made.
