UK misses out on offal

Meat processors are missing a valuable export opportunity in red meat offal, according to the English Beef and Lamb Executive, which is organising two seminars this month to stimulate interest in offal.

Edible offal, which represents up to 20% of a liveweight beef animal and 22% of lamb, is traditionally sold for pet food and rendering. But it could be turned into higher value products for growing overseas markets, said the Meat and Livestock Commission's international manager Peter Hardwick.

"France is the biggest market at the moment, but with 27 EU member states out there with very different culinary habits, there's a real opportunity to sell this product. This is a vital area," he said.

UK offal exports suffered a serious setback following the BSE outbreak, but those parts of an animal not classified as specified risk material, such as stomach and tendons, can be traded freely within the EU. North Africa also recently opened its doors to offal processors, following renegotiation of the UK's BSE status with Algeria and Tunisia.

But Hardwick warned there was keen competition for EU markets from sophisticated operators lobbying hard for greater access to all meat sectors.

"If we are going to compete, we need to adapt and there's a concern that, after years of only putting offal into pet food, we do not exercise the same care in production. If you go to South America, meat plants don't only dedicate a large part of the plant to offal but their attitude to offal production is one of real quality," he said.

The seminars, which will include presentations from European buyers keen to source more English product, will be held on March 14 and 15.

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