EU vets say standards set on British gelatine may be too lenient

ONLY weeks after the EU's vets announced that exports of British beef gelatine could resume, they will sit down to examine new evidence that the standards they have set may not be high enough.

The Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Franz Fischler, said here yesterday a re examination of the data already considered by the Union's scientists had suggested the processing standards set by the Union for the lifting of the British ban, notably the temperature at which the gelatine is processed, may need adjustment.

Mr Fischler also met a joint delegation of Irish beef producers and processors and told it he would today be seeking an increase in intervention limits this year and next to take up the huge surplus building up for the autumn.

The current limit of 400 000 tonnes for this year is already half used, with the bulk of supplies still to come on to the market. Mr Fischler will seek approval for 600,000 tonnes for this year.

He said he would also be putting before the Commission today proposals for labelling beef which would provide accurate information for consumers on the source of animals, and simultaneous with this, a beef promotion programme.

He said he intended to bring forward soon a slaughter scheme for young animals, targeted at dairy herds, to tackle the likely glut of beef in the medium term.

The delegation was organised by the Leinster MEP, Mr Liam Hyland, and included the president of the Irish Farmers' Association, Mr John Donnelly, and the chairman of the beef processors' group, Mr Richard Hooper, as well as Mr Larry Goodman of AIBP, Mr Dan Brown of Dawn Meats, and Mr Pat O'Neill of Avonmore. Most of the Irish MEPs also attended.

Mr Fischler is understood to have responded sympathetically to suggestions from Mr Goodman that the intervention system could be changed to allow the buying up of parts of carcasses, as the market for hindquarters in Europe is substantially stronger than that for forequarters.

A Commission source suggested the review by veterinary scientists today of the scientific evidence on gelatine might mean reimposing the export ban, a potentially politically explosive suggestion, or might more probably lead to new standards for processing, specifically relating to higher temperature.

The latest research was carried out on request by the Gelatin Manufacturers of Europe, on the basis of a re-examination of current data.

"The issue is partly academic because there is no sign that the manufacturers of gelatine in Britain are close to meeting the standards we set in June," said a Commission spokesman. But it now possible that we will have to increase those standards anyway before allowing exports to resume.

Under current standards imposed last month, the minimum temperature for processing gelatine is between 138 and 140 for a minimum of four seconds. "It now seems that this level of heat treatment may still leave some doubt about whether all danger from BSE has been removed."

Although the export ban has been lifted, no gelatine has yet been exported from Britain because it must apply for clearance from the Commission of the new processing standards.

Meanwhile, the Commission President, Mr Jacques Santer, has announced to MEPs that the Commission's investigation of reported smuggling of British beef to Italy has found no evidence to substantiate the claims.

"If there is fraud then those who have perpetrated it will have to be sentenced. The Commission will insist that the member states assume their responsibilities," Mr Santer said.