New quality seals for animal products

CONSUMERS were told yesterday that come June 1 they should not buy animal products from non-approved facilities.

In a written statement, Agriculture Minister Timis Efthymiou said that approved products should bear oval or triangular-shaped seals, depending on their destination market.

Products bearing the oval seal can be distributed on the local and EU markets.

The seal bears the country’s initials on top – CY – while the facility approval number can be found in the middle.

The initials EK at the bottom of the seal mean the product can be sold locally or within the EU.

The triangular seal will be applied on red meat or chicken products processed in small facilities and destined for the local market only.

The seal again bears the country’s initials – CY – and the approval number.

“I am making a personal appeal to supermarkets and all retail outlets not to receive animal products, which do not have these seals,” the minister said.

He also urged consumers not to buy animal products without the seals.

Products produced by farmers from raw materials they produce, which are sold directly to consumers are exempted, the minister said.

Also exempted are meat products prepared by butchers and sold directly to consumers.
Rabbit meat would temporarily be exempted though checks would be carried out as usual, he added.

All facilities have been informed in writing about the regulation and from June 1 products without the seals will be removed from the market.

The ministry stressed that its services were carrying out effective checks in accordance with EU regulations.

Between January 1 and May 16, state inspectors located and destroyed 600 kilos of unsuitable fish products, 25 kilos of fish feed, 200 kilos of meat products and 260 kilos of dairy products.

Around 11,500 kilos of various products were exported back to their country of origin after they were found to breach regulations, the ministry said. All came from countries outside the EU.

During the same period, inspectors seized 6,159 kilos of lamb meat, 50 kilos of fowl, and 66 kilos of beef, all coming from the EU.

At the same time the ministry reported 51 facilities operating illegally, and 59 licensed producers for code violations.

Around 4,300 kilos of dairy products, 52,900 litres of milk, 71 kilos of delicatessens, 105 kilos of fish products and 119,483 kilos of red and white meats have been seized from local facilities for failing to meet health standards, the ministry said.

Efthymiou assured consumers that checks would be intensified in order to prevent or stamp out undesirable phenomena.