FSA responds to meat fraud criminal investigations

The chief executive of the Food Standards Agency, Emily Miles, has spoken about suspected meat fraud, which led to allegations of food safety breaches. Investigations into a particular supplier indicate that no unsafe food made it to the market.

“The FSA was alerted about food fraud allegations linked to cooked beef products from a single supplier in August 2021 and began seizing evidence shortly afterwards. Products from the affected retailer were removed from shelves immediately. We gave advice to industry in December 2021 and May 2022 to do extra due diligence on cooked meat supply chains,” Miles said.

“In March this year, the FSA received additional intelligence about suspected wider fraud, and possible hygiene issues relating to the same supplier. This led us to execute a warrant at a premises, with the assistance of police and local trading standards and environmental health officers. More evidence was seized and three people arrested.

“When criminal allegations are received, they need to be considered with due process and fairness – which is why we have been unable to name the meat supplier. Our trained investigators are working on behalf of consumers to the standards expected by the College of Policing.

“The additional allegations in March were made about the safety of meat as well as fraud. The respective local authority, which is the relevant enforcement authority of the supplier, has withdrawn approval for the business. Those businesses referred to in the new allegations have been advised of these concerns. They have begun specific sampling relating to these allegations and ended their relationship with the suspect supplier. Food production using meat from this supplier has been stopped in order to ensure that their food is safe.

“There have been previous occasions when the FSA received intelligence about possible food safety issues at this supplier. The FSA passed these to the local authority, in order for them to investigate and resolve. The FSA and relevant local authority for the implicated business have no indication that there is unsafe food on the market, or that there is a current increased risk to consumers.

“The FSA recently added possible historic food safety concerns to our lines of inquiry for this criminal investigation,” Miles concluded.