Ireland-Cheap Meats.

IRELAND-SCARE MONGERING A FORM OF PROTECTIONISM.

Even in a recession, if meat is too cheap it is perceived as unsafe.

A European-wide survey that examined attitudes to beef safety has found that, in general, people are not that concerned.

But the University of Ghent survey found it was only when people were asked specifically about their beef safety concerns that a response was evoked. It also revealed that respondents didn’t necessarily see the farmer as a major player in beef safety.

"Consumers face difficulties in assessing beef safety and they often feel at a loss because they don’t have the knowledge to assimilate the information," Professor Wim Verbeke, of Ghent University, told the ProSafeBeef conference in Teagasc’s food research centre in Ashtown.

"There is some distrust in the production system, but when consumers feel at a loss they look for cues that signal safe or unsafe beef."

Quality-assurance labels, own-country origin and a reference that the product is organic or "natural" are among the cues that indicate beef is safe, Professor Verbeke said.

There was also a positive attitude towards fresh or frozen product and good appearance.

However, unhygienic conditions where the product is sold, expiratory data and meat that originated in a foreign country all sound warning bells for consumers.

"People use price as an indication of safety and if the product is too cheap this is also perceived as an indication it is not safe," he added.

He said there still tended to be mistrust on mince or of product that was packaged or reconstructed.

- Majella O’Sullivan