Brussels, 30/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - If the European Parliament goes with its environment committee, it will very shortly veto “meat glue”. A European Commission proposal to authorise the use of “meat glue” enzyme, bovine/porcine thrombin, which can be used to stick scraps of meat together, was opposed by the environment, public health and food safety committee, which is chaired by Jo Leinen (S&D, Germany) on Tuesday 28 April.
In so doing MEPs backed (by 31 votes to 21) Åsa Westlund (S&D, Sweden) who argued that using this enzyme to bind pieces of meat together to form a single piece could mislead consumers.
Delighted with the committee vote, the Greens/EFA Group said in a press release: “The agro-industry lobbies speak a language that the Commission likes. Their proposals to extend what Anglo-Saxons call 'junk food' and what French-speakers call 'malbouffe' are generally picked up by the various commissioners who become ardent supporters. This time, the meat industry has asked to be allowed to use an enzyme solution which allows pieces of meat to be stuck together so that, by a miracle of technology, a single, more attractive, more saleable and, therefore, more expensive piece of meat is obtained”.
MEPs will be asked to reject the text at the Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg on 17-20 May. If a majority (more than 369) goes with the views of the environment committee, authorisation will be vetoed, under a “regulatory procedure with scrutiny”. The deadline for Parliament to veto the proposal is 30 May. If there is no veto, MEPs will in effect give a green light for bovine and/or porcine thrombin to be listed in Annex IV of Directive 95/2/EC, which authorises “additives other than authorised colours and sweeteners”. (A.N./transl.rt)