Limited safety risks were found during a food sampling, but problems with the declared meat content and added water.
The findings come from a study published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), which helps monitor emerging food safety risks. The research, which took place from July 2023 to January 2024, examined 1,025 products from 31 commodities purchased in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Retail Surveillance Sampling Program focuses on areas of known or potential risk. Samples were tested for undeclared allergens, contaminants, adulteration, inaccurate composition or incorrect labeling.
Undeclared allergens were detected in three of the 180 foods tested. In all cases this was due to milk protein (casein). Two undeclared milk cases contained a loaf of bread and a package of tortilla wraps.
Result chicken and burger
Checks on the composition of 250 meat and meat products, including pork sausages, ready meals (chicken, beef and lamb), canned meat, beef burgers and raw frozen chicken, showed that 13 percent did not meet the requirements. Low meat content and undeclared or incorrectly declared added water were the most common reasons for non-compliance.
Sixteen of the 40 frozen raw chicken samples failed to meet requirements due to undeclared or too much added water and labeling issues. Ten of the 24 frozen beef burgers did not meet the regulations, eight of which had less meat than indicated and four with a higher fat content than indicated. The National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) has communicated these results to the industry.
“Although safety concerns were low, there were several non-conformities in the composition, meaning consumers could be misled about the food they are purchasing,” the FSA said.
Inauthentic products included canned meat and a sample of beef burger that were found to have low levels of another type of meat, a goat cheese that contained sheep DNA and a sample of Arabica coffee that also contained Robusta coffee.
One of the thirty oregano samples contained olive leaves in addition to oregano. In another sample, a hard, chalky pebble was found.
Highlighted other findings
A total of 30 vegan cookies and granola bars, labeled vegan and without any precautionary allergen labeling, as these may contain, were tested on milk or egg. One sample was unsatisfactory due to labeling, but no milk and egg proteins were found.
Pasta claiming to be made from durum wheat was tested for authenticity. Three samples contained soft wheat at a level of more than 3 percent.
Of the 30 olive oil samples analyzed, one extra virgin olive oil did not meet the requirements to be labeled as such, and one coconut oil also did not meet the requirements for authenticity reasons.
Sixty free-from products were tested for the presence of the relevant allergen: peanut, milk or gluten. Undeclared milk was found in dairy-free red lentils and poppy seed crackers.
A range of 30 gluten-free oat and oat drink products were tested for gluten. Three samples had labeling problems.
“This annual survey is designed to help local authorities better target their food safety inspections so they can use their resources more effectively to better protect consumers. Increased compliance for some products, such as olive oil, is positive, and we will continue to carry out targeted surveillance programs to identify and find emerging risks within the UK food system to help ensure consumer safety,” said Professor Rick Mumford, Deputy Chief Scientific Officer advisor to the FSA.
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