Finland probes into import of meat from Poland

The Finnish Food Authority has initiated an investigation to determine whether uninspected meat from unhealthy cows has been imported from Poland to Finland, said an official press release.

According to media sources, beef allegedly from sick animals and not properly inspected in the slaughterhouse as required by EU regulations in force in all of the EU member states has been released into the markets in Poland.

The Finnish Food Authority is currently trying to determine how much meat has been imported from Poland, and whether or not there has been any issues with quality.

So far Finland is yet to receive any information through the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, RASFF, about Polish beef associated with a food safety risk entering the Finnish markets.

The authority has made a request for information to the Polish authorities, and has contacted the European Commission. Furthermore, the food industry in Finland has initiated its own investigations to determine the details of the supply chains of imported goods.

“The Finnish food industry knows the origins of the products is uses and is sure to withdraw any suspicious products and raw materials from the markets and from use to avoid damage to its image. Anyone having concerns regarding the raw materials used in a product should familiarise themselves with the package label”, said Leena Räsänen, Director of the Food Safety Department of the Finnish Food Authority.

The safety and quality of meat is first and foremost the responsibility of the food companies implementing their self-monitoring plan and quality requirements. Additionally, authorities monitor the meat imports when health or other risks are suspected.

For meat sold in supermarkets, the origin is always clearly marked in the package label. Upon request, consumers are entitled to be told the origin of the meat they are served in restaurants.