Consumers are 'misled' into eating poorer beef

SHOPPERS are eating poor-quality beef because of cheap imports and "misleading" labels in Scottish supermarkets, farmers and industry experts have warned.

Traces of inferior cattle bred for maximum profit by foreign exporters have been found in half a dozen meat samples taken from shops by inspectors from Quality Meat Scotland.

An investigation by The Scotsman has also found Tesco sells "Aberdeen Angus beef burgers" which could be from South America, and a ScotMid leaflet which describes the supermarket as "genuinely Scottish" while promoting half-price Brazilian beef.

Farmers will picket supermarkets across Scotland today to highlight the issue of Scottish meat on shelves. John Kinnaird, the president of NFU Scotland, said: "Scottish farmers are meeting the highest animal welfare, environmental and food-quality standards, as demanded by the supermarkets. Consumers looking for Scotch beef are being misled into buying beef which could have been produced halfway round the world."

Britain imports about a third of the beef eaten here.

The Executive has indicated that it will soon issue a consultation paper proposing that the requirement to state the country of origin of beef is extended to restaurants.

Quality Meat Scotland said DNA tests on half a dozen samples of imported beef on sale in Scotland earlier this month revealed all contained zebu genetics - meaning the beef is from Bos Indicus cattle, specially bred to survive in tropical climes and scientifically proven to be of poorer eating quality.

Jan Polley, the chief executive of Quality Meat Scotland, said: "It is in everyone's interest to ensure that consumers enjoy the beef they eat.

"If they have a bad eating experience they are less likely to purchase more - hurting the Scottish beef industry, as well as restaurants and supermarkets. We are concerned, therefore, that lower-quality beef is being imported just because it is cheaper."

The Scotsman found Tesco in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, selling packets of Tesco Finest Aberdeen Angus Beef Burgers. The label on the reverse says that the meat could be from "Britain, Ireland or South America" - countries which have stocks of Aberdeen Angus cattle.

Mr Kinnaird added: "This could not be more misleading. Tesco knows full well that the average shopper will see 'Aberdeen Angus' on the its top-of-the-range label and presume it is produced in Scotland."

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: "Tesco is the largest customer of the Scottish beef industry, and over 90 per cent of the fresh beef we sell in Scotland comes from Scotland. Aberdeen Angus is a well-known breed which is recognised by customers, and all the beef used in our Aberdeen Angus burgers to date has been sourced in the UK."

Graeme Millar, the chairman of the Scottish Consumer Council, said: "It is clearly misleading to use a brand like Aberdeen Angus to sell beef that could come from South America. Consumers should not have to search food labels to find out exactly what it is they are eating."