Desinewed meat : fifth report of session 2012-13, report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence

The European Commission demanded in March that desinewed meat, which closely resembles minced meat and is used in many processed meat products, must be classified as "mechanically separated meat." Under EU rules, this meant that it could no longer be obtained from the bones of cattle, sheep and goats.

The Government was caught unawares and has so far failed to protect UK producers despite that it has made it clear that there are no food safety risks associated with the use of desinewed meat.

This report highlights the impact that the Commission's decision has had on the UK meat industry.

One producer of desinewed meat, Newby Foods Ltd, has been forced to make almost half of its workforce redundant. Consumers are also expected to pay a price as desinewed meat, traditionally used in value ranges, is replaced by more expensive cuts of meat.

The Committee's inquiry found that although similar processes are used elsewhere in the EU, only the UK has been forced into a ban after being threatened with "safeguarding measures" by the Commission.

Now we must put pressure on the Commission to bring forward visits to other Member States so that there is a level playing field for our producers. We are now in the absurd situation where we could see this meat imported from elsewhere in the EU to take the place of domestically produced meat.

The Committee also criticises the European Commission for failing to provide oral evidence to the Committee's inquiry, saying that it shows a "worrying disregard for democratic accountability