Meat additives a 'dereliction of duty' by MPI - Labour

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Prosecutions of 15 butchers and three company directors over illegal chemicals found in raw meat shows a "dereliction of duty" by the Ministry for Primary Industries in its failure to monitor food, the Labour Party says.

MPI laid charges after an operation in the greater Auckland area in 2013 where samples of meat were taken for sulphites and sulphur dioxide analysis, compliance operations manager Gary Orr said.

The cases were heard in the Manukau and Auckland district courts late last year, and early this year and resulted in fines ranging from $350 to $4500, depending on the scope and severity of offending.

Labour Party Food Safety spokesman Damien O'Connor said Mr Orr today admitted National's "much-vaunted super ministry" did not have the resources to routinely monitor and test fresh red meat sold in New Zealand.

"This is an outrageous omission.

"The 15 Auckland butchers found adding sulphur dioxide to their meat to make it appear fresher were only caught after an investigation was sparked by a local couple becoming ill from eating mince," Mr O'Connor said.

"MPI's failure to monitor this dangerous practise is made worse by its refusal to name the offending businesses. The Ministry is choosing to put the interests of these businesses ahead of consumer safety."

Labour had called for the re-establishment of a "well-resourced stand-alone food safety agency" whose job it was to protect consumers, introduce regulation and properly enforce it, Mr O'Connor said.

The illegal use of additives breaches the Food Act 1981 and could result in a fine of up to $5000 for an individual or $20,000 for a body corporate.