‘Un-Australian’ abattoir convicted of lamb substitution

A New South Wales abattoir has been added to the NSW Food Authority’s Name and Shame register and described as ‘un-Australian’ after being convicted of large-scale lamb substitution.

Tolsat Pty Ltd was convicted and fined $66,000 in the NSW Chief Industrial Magistrates Court for 66 charges relating to packaging, advertising or labelling hogget as lamb in 2007 and 2008.

“Consumers rightly expect meat labels to be correct and not a substituted product,” said Polly Bennett, NSW Food Authority CEO. “Meat substitution laws are in place in NSW for a reason; flouting them also puts other businesses at a disadvantage for doing the right thing.

“Lamb is a premium commodity and one of the most recognised brands in Australia. Consumers have a right to get what they pay for. That is why there are laws in place to distinguish young lamb meat, which is more expensive, from older hogget or mutton.”

The NSW Food Authority found discrepancies in the abattoir livestock and slaughter records that showed that older animals had been processed and supplied to its customers as lamb.

Of the 66 charges the company was convicted of, 33 related to false description (section 18(2)) and a failure to comply with the Meat Food Safety Scheme (section 104) of the Food Act 2003.