New COOL requirements criticised by Irish meat industry
Origin of beef rules had been introduced years ago, but poultry, pigmeat, sheepmeat and goatmeat are now subject to similar (though not identical) labelling.
Pre-packed non-processed meat included under the rules are fresh, chilled or frozen carcases, whole birds and cuts of these meats – for example, chicken breasts, pork chops and lamb cutlets. Foods not included in the new rules are loose products, such as those sold in a butcher’s shop, and further processed meats, such as chicken Kiev, and cured meats including bacon, rashers, sausages, salami and deli ham.
"The vast majority of pigmeat becomes bacon and it [the new law] does not apply to bacon at all, nor to the majority of pork which is sold loose. So it is ridiculous legislation," Pat O’Flaherty, chairman, IFA Pigs Committee, told GlobalMeatNews. "I thought it was going to be a fantastic piece of legislation. Had it been implemented properly and set out properly, then it would have been."
EU regulations – from which the Irish rules originate – allow for mandatory origin labelling to be extended to loose product by national rules, and the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Simon Coveney TD said his Department was working with the Department of Health to see if this could be done under existing primary legislation.
"He’ll look at it, and the department will, for 10 years – the only hope we have is our DNA testing," O’Flaherty concluded. The regular use of DNA testing and the voluntary Bord Bía Quality Assured (QA) scheme which displays a logo and Irish flag continue to be the only way bacon and pork products can be identified as Irish. Major multiples use the QA scheme, but butcher’s shops generally do not, so they still remain unregulated in country-of-origin labelling.
Restaurants and other catering establishments are also not required to use country-of-origin labelling on meats under the new rules, but under law since 2006, origin information has been displayed for prepared beef served in these types of premises in Ireland.
The Irish signing into law of Commission Implementing Regulation 1337/2013, laying down rules for the application of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council, took place yesterday (31 March).
