Meat production, Meat | Strong reactions after salmonella outbreaks

There are several reasons to react after the recent salmonella outbreak, according to SP politicians Emilie Enger Mehl and Anders Nordstad in the smallholder group.

This week, Norgesgruppen recalled several meat products after the discovery of salmonella. On Thursday, the Norwegian Food Safety Authority wrote that the outbreak could be linked to a batch of beef imported from Germany.

The Norwegian Food Safety Authority’s website states, among other things, that “salmonella findings in imported meat are made on a regular basis”. This is one of the reasons why the leader of the Norwegian Farmers ‘and Smallholders’ Association is now reacting.

Also read: Kiwi and Menu owner Norgesgruppen is making changes to its packaging

– Undercommunicated

In a post on Facebook, he questions both how the meat should be heat-treated, and that such findings are made regularly.

To Nettavisen, he points out that he believes the latter is undercommunicated.

– I do not know what they mean by regularly, but it tends to mean quite often, Nordstad says to Nettavisen.

– A bigger discussion is that when the grocery chains choose to package German meat and Norwegian meat in a confusingly similar way, it becomes very difficult for consumers in the store to make choices. Salmonella can occur, but as the Norwegian Food Safety Authority writes, it occurs more often in imported meat, he points out.

– Behind goal

The Center Party politician and parliamentary representative Emilie Enger Mehl also reacts. She believes the chains are far too poor to facilitate that consumers can choose Norwegian meat in the store.

– Many of the chains are very bad to notice. They can sell German and Norwegian meat in the same packaging, but then it only says in small print that one is imported, Mehl tells Nettavisen.

Together with the Labor Party and the Socialist People’s Party, the Center Party recently put forward a proposal for a ban on selling imported food products in the same type of packaging as Norwegian products, as well as requirements for labeling of antibiotic use during meat and milk production. The proposal was voted down by Frp, Høyre, Krf and Venstre.

– Norway is at the top of the world in food safety – we have a very low use of antibiotics in production, in contrast to, for example, Germany and the EU, which struggle with high consumption and multi-resistant bacteria. That we have so much import when we can make the world’s best food in Norway, I think is completely behind target. We should produce more food in Norway, says Mehl.

– Look at Vinmonopolet – there it is quite clear. There is a country of origin on the shelf and you can pick and choose. Then it is strange that on meat and food, where there is such a big difference in quality, you almost have to bring a magnifying glass to read the package.

Also read: The Storting will place restrictions on the grocery chains’ own brands

Has made changes

Also this autumn, Nettavisen wrote about marking the country of origin on meat packaging in Norgesgruppen. The debate then started with Nordstad fell over not finding enough Norwegian meat in Norwegian grocery stores. It all created anger, and later it also became clear that the chain was making changes.

In other words, it is Norgesgruppen that this week has had to recall meat products. To Nettavisen, communications manager Kine Søyland in Norgesgruppen points out that there is a deficit in Norwegian meat now, and that there is therefore a greater need for imported meat.

– We would very much like to sell Norwegian, because we know that is what the customers want, she says.

Furthermore, she points out that after the criticism this autumn, they have clarified the origin of packages of minced meat with a framed field where the product’s origin is stated.

This labeling is prioritized on minced meat and chop dough, but according to Søyland, work continues on labeling on the products where it may be relevant.

– We have also put on a wafer on most of the products – a small brand that says that we import when there is a shortage of Norwegian raw materials, she continues.

Søyland points out that they have marked all the way in accordance with regulations, but that they see the need for clearer marking.

– We experience that we have made it as clear as possible for consumers, so that they can make conscious choices.

– Uses Norwegian meat

Harald Kristiansen, Head of Communications at Coop, tells Nettavisen that they have chosen to phase out the use of the New Norway label on products where there may be a need for imported meat, due to a lack of Norwegian meat. Nyt Norge is a labeling scheme where the requirements are, among other things, that the product contains at least 75 per cent Norwegian ingredients, and that meat, eggs and milk are 100 per cent Norwegian.

Furthermore, he says, among other things, that they follow the current regulations for marking the country of origin.

– We only allow Norwegian ingredients in our Coop meat and chop doughs. The same applies to fresh meat in the Coop brand series. By choosing the Coop brand, customers can therefore be sure that they always get Norwegian meat branded with New Norway, Kristiansen writes to Nettavisen.

PR and communications manager Calle Hägg in Rema 1000 says they almost exclusively sell products with Norwegian meat.

– We sell almost exclusively Norwegian meat, with the exception of Pampas beef from Uruguay and Primabiff from Botswana, both of which are clearly marked, he writes in an e-mail.

– Our customers are concerned with origin and not least Norwegian-produced goods. Therefore, we go to great lengths to sell most Norwegian products, and are constantly working to improve labeling with origin of products that contain raw materials of other origin.

–