Abattoirs told to toe the line

28 March 1997

Abattoirs told to toe the line

MAFF has ordered the Meat Hygiene Service to ensure that at least 90% of abattoirs are achieving performance scores of 65 out of 100 by the end of 1997/98.

It has also asked the MHS to reject any carcasses showing faecal contamination from entering the human food chain, following the growing number of outbreaks of E coli 0157 stemming from dirty livestock.

The MHS has also been told to tighten procedures in slaughterhouses to ensure they comply with the SBM Order 1997 and the sheeps and goats head order.

&#8226 Forty-five MHS employees have been disciplined and three sacked for failing to ensure full compliance with SBM controls, according to junior farm minister, Angela Browning.n