§ Lord Borthwickasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any evidence that bulls treated with large doses of the tenderising medium Papain are being sold after slaughter to the catering trade for cuts of meat rather than, as previously, for manufacture into pies and other products.
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Trumpington)My department has no information about sales of meat from animals treated with Papain before slaughter.
However, I understand that the process is not used to improve poor quality meat for manufacturing but to increase the recovery of meat which can be grilled or roasted from prime young animals. The dose administered is related to the size and weight of the animal, but is generally about 250 to 300 ml.
The Government have announced that they will not be seeking provision for the continued use of this pre-slaughter treatment under the rules which are to be adopted for the Single Market.