Govt to probe beef offal imports

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Malaysia is to investigate illegal beef offal imports from Latin American and Asian countries over fears they could pose health risks and breach Islamic food standards, a report said today.

Agriculture Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said his ministry will work with health and customs officials will step up surveillance to crack down on the smuggling activities of organised gangs.

"Consuming offal from unapproved and unknown abattoirs could pose a serious health risk to consumers as we don't know the condition of the animals when they were taken to slaughter houses," he was quoted saying in the Star daily.

"We are also concerned about whether the animals had been slaughtered in accordance with Muslim rites," he said.

Rising demand

The gangs have been smuggling in offal over the last six months to meet rising demand after Malaysia banned Australian and New Zealand offal imports on concerns they were not meeting halal food standards, said the newspaper.

A Malaysian Meat Importers Association spokesman said the gangs or syndicates were smuggling in the offal from Singapore, Thailand, China and Latim American countries.

"Syndicates would collaborate with their Thai and Singaporean counterparts to import the offal and smuggle it into the country by road," he said, adding some products were brought in through Malaysia's ports.

"We want the government to re-look and expedite the approval for the Australian and New Zealand abattoirs to enable them to supply us their products as this will curb the smuggling activities," he said.



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