‘Listeria hysteria tars all with same brush’

THE Red Meat Industry Forum said the entire processed meat industry had been implicated in the listeriosis outbreak, without justification.

The chairperson of the forum, Dave Ford, said consumers were being led into “listeria hysteria” as they were not being given the correct information about the outbreak.

“This is having unfortunate consequences for families who rely on processed meat as their source of protein.”

He said the forum was deeply concerned that the whole processed meat industry had been implicated without reason.

He said they’d had to take the government to court on several occasions to implement independent meat inspection services, which should have been adopted some 18 years ago in terms of the Meat Safety Act, 2000.

“The outbreak has emphasised the responsibility of the red meat industry together with other food industries to provide proper and improved hygiene during the production, processing, packaging and preparation of red meat and red meat products. Red meat industry stakeholders are closely engaging the relevant authorities to improve microbiological criteria, processes and standards.”

Ford said particular attention was given to the slaughter process, and hygiene was paramount.

“Furthermore, meat inspection of each animal and carcass ensure the health of the animal and removal of any possible contamination that might have occurred. Microbiological testing of water, product, contact surfaces and hands is a prerequisite at a registered abattoir.”

Western Cape Department of Health spokesperson Mark van der Heever said that to date 967 cases of listeriosis had been reported and there had been 183 deaths nationally.