Hygiene standards ‘shocking’

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 3

Hygiene standards ‘shocking’

PA Ashburton Hygiene standards at meat works in Britain and Europe are shocking when compared with New Zealand, according to Mr P. D. Blomfield, executive director of the Freezing Companies’ Association, on his return from a recent six-week European visit.

Mr Blomfield, who is also a member of the Government’s Meat Hygiene Committee, told a meeting of the Foothills branch of Federated Farmers at Staveley that he had visited several processing plants in Europe and Britain and had found that the presentation of the carcase was far less hygienic than in New Zealand.

‘‘Most of the plants I visited were apparently the best of their type but the standard of work would never pass New Zealand’s hygiene requirements,” he said. ! ‘The excuse for the lack of hygiene was that the plants are supplying an internal market only. However, in New Zealand we have had to produce a product to satisfy 80 different markets.” Mr Blomfield said that New Zealand hygiene Standards were now so high that no country could use hygiene as a barrier to New Zealand produce. British participation in the E.E.C. would result in Britain’s having to improve hygiene at its meat works.