NBA Issues Warning on Beef Quality Standards

UK - Restaurant chains must be clearer about the origin and quality of the meat they serve, says the National Beef Association (NBA).
calendar icon 28 August 2007
clock icon 1 minute read
*
"DNA testing done by the Undercover Mum team confirmed that 67% of the steak sold through Wetherspoons was taken from genetically different Zebu cattle, and it was abundantly clear that consumers who were interviewed had no knowledge of this,"

NBA director Kim Haywood.

The warning came after television producer Granada's screening last week of "Undercover Mum" exposed JD Wetherspoon and Greene King's Hungry Horse restaurant chains serving beef containing Zebu genetics from cattle born and raised overseas.

"Zebu, or Bos Indicus, cattle are quite different from the beef animals farmed in the UK, and their beef is scientifically proven to be of poorer eating quality than beef taken from a typically British - or Bos Taurus - animal," said NBA director Kim Haywood.

"DNA testing done by the Undercover Mum team confirmed that 67% of the steak sold through Wetherspoons was taken from genetically different Zebu cattle, and it was abundantly clear that consumers who were interviewed had no knowledge of this," said Haywood.

"Furthermore, Undercover Mum showed that Wetherspoons was openly claiming that its beef was 100% British. DNA testing clearly showed that this was not the case. Nevertheless, Wetherspoons has defended itself by saying it is not legally obliged to confirm the country of origin."

Source: The Herald

© 2000 - 2024 - Global Ag Media. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.