Hygiene in French abattoirs called 'apocalyptic'
// 05 May 2008
In almost half of the abattoirs for poultry and rabbits and in 42% of the
pig, cattle and calves hygiene issues were at stake, the magazine
added.
"The situation in the slaughterhouses can sometimes be called
apocalyptic," can be read in Le Point, giving a black list of 23 plants
where hygiene is the worst of all.
Accusations
DGAL however
says the accusations are false. "The veterinary services only research the
animals upon arrival in the slaughterhouses and check the carcasses' veterinary
quality upon departure," vice-director Monique Eloit said.
"Only 19 out
of 333 French abattoirs, altogether responsible for 1% of the total amount of
processed meat, are in the lowest category of the French hygiene
scheme."
Closed
DGAL, however, emphasisd that 59 French
slaughterhouses have been closed in the last five years, for economic or hygiene
reasons. In addition, the service called on their regional directors to increase
the checks on smaller slaughterhouses in order to meet the hygiene measures
demanded by the European Union.
This initiative follows an admonition
from the European agency for animal health that the situation in France in this
respect has to improve.
Related websites:
• Le Point (in French)
• European
Union
(EU)
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