WARSAW, Poland — Polish inspectors on Friday halted meat processing at a plant in northern Poland after a television program alleged that it was adding rotten meat to its products.
TVN24 showed footage of green-colored
sausages at the plant, while an anonymous worker was heard saying they
would be cleaned, dried and added to new products. Another man said that
tons of old meat were added to new products instead of being destroyed.
Deputy
chief veterinarian Krzysztof Jazdzewski told The Associated Press
Friday that inspectors immediately went to the plant and closed its meat
processing section. A thorough inspection has been started at the
plant, which, he said was called “Viola.” The plant exports to European
Union markets.
TVN24 later said that the management of the plant in question has denied that stale meat has ever been added to its products.
“There
are no grounds for the allegations,” TVN24 quoted from a letter that
was signed by Krzysztof Miecinski, identified as the president of the
board of managers.
Jazdzewski could not immediately confirm
TVN24’s allegations but said the program showed procedures that violate
the law and that could be harmful to consumers. It showed old meat
stored together with fresh meat, which usually leads to bacterial
contamination of the fresh meat and of the entire storage area. Another
problem he heard mentioned in the program was that processed meat was
frozen and then de-frosted.
Jazdzewski said there have been no
signals previously of irregularities at the plant and that a separate
investigation has been opened to explain that.
