German rotten meat scandal: No official confirmation

Vineri, 25 ianuarie 2008, 14:46 English | Regional Europe

Five Romanian butchers accuse the German slaughterhouse where they are employed of processing rotten meat, which is then exported to Romania and Russia. The lab analysis are not yet ready. The German standards differ from the ones imposed in Romania, but the common practices in the meat processing industry in Germany make the suspicions extremely justified. Meanwhile, German politicians put up laws and promise zero tolerance in the area.

The investigation against the German company BFZ Brageler Fleischzerlegung GmbH (in Vechta) is supported by the statements made by five Romanian employees, although some German newspapers claim that a film shot with a mobile phone camera also exists, but is not acceptable as evidence. The company was investigated for similar reasons in 2006. There are no confirmations that the meat was rotten, but the samples are still analyzed.

Germany has two kinds of meat, which Romanians call rotten: there is a biologically degraded meat, still suitable for consumption (Gammelfleisch) and unsuitable meat, which can be prepared to make pet and animal food.