Meat imported from Brazil is safe

Meat products imported from Brazil to the local market are safe to consume, Najib Wardini, commercial officer at the Embassy of Brazil, said.

A scandal erupted last week when Brazilian federal police raided a number of meat-producing plants after allegations that government inspectors allowed rotten and salmonella-tainted meat products to be exported in exchange for bribes.

There are 115 meat exporters registered at the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), according to the embassy.

Wardini said: “None of these companies are on the list of inspection.”

He said that the MoA has strict measures concerning the import of meat, which is also inspected by a veterinarian before entering the market.

21 establishments have been cited in the Federal Police investigation. Three of these establishments have already been suspended. All 21 will be placed under special inspection regime conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply.

Jorge Kadri, Brazil’s Ambassador to Lebanon, said: “Foreign embassies were assured that all exporting plants remain open to inspections by importing countries and to the monitoring of activities under the national control system, one of the most respected in the world.”

He said that in 2016 alone, 853,000 items of products of animal origin from Brazil were sent to foreign markets and only 184 were considered, by importers, out of compliance, often because of non-sanitary issues, such as labeling and completion of certificates.

The local market imported 41,000 tons of live animals and animal products from the South American country in 2016. Valued at $122 million, tt formed 40 percent of total imports from Brazil.