Only 2% of meat plants demonstrate more than one non-compliance
The majority of meat plants that undergo audits and unannounced inspections are compliant with hygiene criteria, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has stated.
Responding to reports regarding the amount of non-compliances found in meat plants after unannounced inspections, FSA highlighted that “only 2% of plants were found to have more than two major non-compliances and the majority had none at all”.
It added: “Where major non-compliances are found, follow up audits and unannounced inspections will increase to ensure the issues found have been resolved.”
The agency explained that it carries out thousands of audits and unannounced inspections of meat plants each year to verify that food hygiene standards are being met, stressing that “issues which may pose imminent or serious risk to public health will result in immediate and robust enforcement action being taken”.
The reports follow the closure of meat supplier Russell Hume Ltd and the news that other companies have voluntarily withdrawn meat from the supply chain, including DB Foods and Fairfax Meadow.
FSA met with meat industry leaders last week to discuss the issues that have arisen over the past month and agreed to the need for “close collaboration and co-operation between regulators and industry” in responding to them.
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