While the Health Week (April 21-27) slogan is ‘Food safety; farm to table,’ conflicting statements are emerging on the safety of some ready-to-eat food products.
Deputy health minister and head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Rasoul Dinarvand has expressed concern over the use of chicken paste in sausages and other meat products. Chicken paste, which uses poultry waste including skin and bone, in production of sausages, is still banned; but unfortunately, food companies are violating the directive and continuing to use it in their products, he said, at a news conference, reports Iran newspaper.
However, Head of Veterinary Organization Mahdi Khalaj believes that chicken paste is a healthy product, and its use can be allowed in sausage production. He says “annually 80,000 old hens are removed from the egg production cycle, and their meat is suitable for use in products like sausages.”
But along with the meat, the waste also gets used, since removing bones, skin and other waste is not found to be economical.
Dinarvand urged the veterinary organization to ensure that chicken paste manufacturers’ improve the quality of their products.
Iran marked the World Health Day on April 7.
