Consumer victory as parliament says no to meat glue - 2010-05-19

The European Parliament has voted to ban a glue used by the food industry to stick scraps of meat together for sale as whole steaks.

The decision comes after concerns were raised that the use of 'thrombin', which is derived from the blood of pigs and cows, misleads consumers and therefore should not be allowed under EU law.

The enzyme is the same protein that plays a role in the process that stops bleeding from a wound. When used as glue, thrombin allows food manufacturers to seamlessly join pieces of meat and chicken together to form steaks, which can then be sold at a higher price to consumers, who unwittingly believe they are buying whole pieces of meat.

An expert committee recommended that thrombin be authorised as a food additive but Labour MEPs have backed calls to block that decision on the grounds of consumers being misled. 

Linda McAvan, Labour's spokesperson on the issue, said: "The use of meat glue can mislead people and get them to pay a higher price for a lower value product.  That has to be wrong.
 
"People are increasingly conscious of the food products they buy, where they are from and how they are processed but most people remain unaware of ‘tricks of the trade' such as this.

"When you buy a filet you expect to buy one piece of meat, not a mix of small pieces of various qualities of meat glued together. And you should get what you pay for. I've recently voted for the honest labelling of British made produce and I'm pleased to back consumers again and vote for a ban on meat glue."

The European Commission will now have to come forward with a revised list of food additives.

› Back