The BMPA has expressed its bitter disappointment at today's ruling in the European Court of Justice on the Newby Foods Ltd case regarding mechanically separated meat (MSM).
The issue revolves around whether pigmeat and poultrymeat recovered from bones by low pressure mechanical means is MSM or a meat preparation. If the former, the product could not count towards the meat content of a final food product and would have to be labelled as containing MSM. As a result, it would have a lower commercial value, and this would also lead to reduced use of the product and, therefore, food waste.
The ECJ’s ruling is that the product cannot be classified as a meat preparation; it is MSM.
The case was brought by BMPA member, Newby Foods Ltd, in the UK courts and certain key questions were subsequently referred to the European Court of Justice.
Stephen Rossides, BMPA director, said: “This is a very disappointing ruling, and fails to recognise the technological advances that have enabled the ability to produce by low pressure mechanical means a product that is very similar to minced meat.
“The BMPA has consistently asserted that what was formerly known in the UK as ‘desinewed meat’ is a quite different product from MSM, and is similar to minced meat. As such, this product should count towards the meat content of food products and should not have to be labelled. This would deliver a higher commercial value to this product and also reduce food waste.”
He added: “We will have to consider in more detail the implications of this ruling”.
This story was originally published on a previous version of the Meat Management website and so there may be some missing images and formatting issues.
