A BBC Wales investigation was aired last night which revealed the shocking hygiene standards of three meat processing plants in Wales.  These plants are suppliers of Marks & Spencer, Somerfield and Sainsbury’s.

In the programme, the BBC’s journalist witnessed several examples of meat being stamped as ’suitable for human consumption’ despite being contaminated with faeces. The pressure of workers to meet production targets is one of the main causes. A worker described how workers’ “hands are full of faeces. You try to wash it off, then they make you go quicker. Contamination starts from there”.

In one example, a worker spotted a health-stamped carcas with faecal contaminatation and explained that “it happens” and that the plant was too big and contamination is often missed. The programme even showed vacuum packed meat with contamination.

A Meat Hygiene Service inspector described how inspectors are hated by workers and owners of meat processing plants. Others revealed how inspectors are often bullied by owners and thus often turn a blind eye to bad practices in an attempt to keep things moving.

Although the BBC investigated only three plants, a survey released this week from trade union, Unison, showed that these issues are nationwide. David Bezzina of Unison said “there is an admission of a systems failure in the meat hygiene service as a whole” and added that consumers should be “very concerned”.

The investigation has resulted in Somerfield suspending their contract with one of the plants, Cig Calon Cymru, pending their own investigations.

What deadly bacteria is lurking in your steak?

It was disturbing to see the apathy of the plant workers. An inspector said he felt that the number of people who don’t do their work properly is ‘unthinkable’ and that workers are bored and don’t care. The attitude of “it happens” is hardly appropriate considering the potentially fatal E Coli 0157 bacteria that around 2,000 people each year are infected with. This bacteria, found in around 10% of animals’ intestines, produces toxins which can damage internal organs such as the heart and brain.

Let’s not forget the largest ever outbreak of E. coli O157 in Wales (and the second largest in the UK) in 2005 which affected more than 150 people, most of whom were children.  Thirty one people were admitted to hospital and five year old Mason Jones died.

However, this tragedy seems far from the minds of the meat industry as they struggle to keep going against rising costs, lower profits and the new targets for greenhouse gas reductions which will undoubedly affect livestock production.  Time to call it a day?

If you’re in the UK, you can watch the BBC programme Week in Week Out online until 30 October.