Deyalsingh warns: Look out for rotten corned beef

Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said yesterday there were claims that there were producers in Brazil packaging and selling rotted corned beef to countries mainly in Europe and China.

Deyalsingh, speaking at the formal opening of the Women’s Outpatient Clinics and Colposcopy Centre, Mt Hope, said he was in talks with Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, and the chief veterinary officer was doing a trace to see if any of the corned beef was finding its way here. He said if that was the case, they would issue a withdrawal of the product within 24 hours, adding that this is a serious health risk.

“As a consumer, I am driving this issue of personal responsibility,” Deyalsingh said.

“If you are going to shop today for corned beef, simply pick up the can, read the label and if you see made in Brazil exercise your right to treat yourself well until you have an official notice.

If you are uncomfortable just buy another brand. There are other brands that come from other countries.” Brazil is the world’s largest red meat exporter. In a BBC report, it was announced that Brazil’s agriculture minister Blairo Maggi will meet foreign ambassadors on Monday to reassure them and try to prevent sanctions being issued against Brazilian meat exporters.

Dubbed Operation Weak Flesh, the sting operation was launched last Friday in six Brazilian states after a two-year investigation where federal police carried out raids in 194 locations.

It was alleged that some managers bribed health inspectors and politicians to get government certificates for their products.

They accused more than 30 companies of a number of unhygienic practices. Among them were JBS, the world’s largest beef exporter, and BRF, the world’s top poultry producer.

President of the Supermarket Association, Dr Yunus Ibrahim, yesterday told Newsday that they were still awaiting guidance from the Agriculture Ministry and the Health Inspectorate. He said if it was discovered that the products are rotten or spoilt, the association would comply with all decisions made to pull the items off the shelves.

However, Ibrahim noted that if there was contaminated meat used for the corned beef, they would have been able to detect it.

“We would be able to know if the product was spoilt through the tin because there would have been swelling and leakage.

We don’t have a problem with spoiled tinned foods in this country,” Ibraham said.