A low-fat diet with lots of fruit and vegetables can increase cholesterol and lipoproteins, according to the Munich-based medical journal "Ärztliche Praxis". The journal refers to a publication by Finnish researchers in the journal "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology" (24 [2004] pp. 498-503).

According to "Ärztliche Praxis", what has been preached for years as an effective strategy against civilization diseases has now not only proven to be ineffective, but even harmful: In a small study on women, a low-fat diet with a high proportion of fruit and vegetables caused an increase in LDL - cholesterols. This variant of cholesterol is considered potentially harmful to health, since high blood levels increase the risk of vascular calcification, reports the "Ärztliche Praxis".

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Suspended for unauthorized testing

Two and a half years after the scandal surrounding illegal BSE tests, the Landshut district court imposed a suspended sentence of one year and ten months. The chamber found the 50-year-old ex-operator of two test laboratories in Passau and Westheim in Central Franconia guilty in seven cases of fraud and twelve cases of subsidy fraud. In addition to the suspended sentence, the accused, who was now living on social assistance, was ordered to pay 3.000 euros to a non-profit organization.

The public prosecutor and the defense declared that they would not appeal against the verdict. From July 2001 to January 2002, the convicted woman had operated a laboratory without official approval as managing director and owner of her approved laboratory in Passau in Westheim and had also applied for subsidies from the Bavarian state for the illegally carried out BSE tests. During the active period, incorrectly tested meat from almost 40.000 cattle was traded. After the scandal became known, the Free State of Bavaria also withdrew the license for the Passau laboratory. The recall of meat that was still available, which was then ordered by the authorities, is said to have caused damage to the affected slaughterhouses of around eleven million euros.

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The juniors of the VDF met on 9./10. July in Munich. The program for the first day included a visit to "McDonald's Food Town" in Günzburg. After an introduction to the world of McDonald's at the WLS branch there - which takes care of all the logistics for McDonald's in Germany - there was a visit to the Kamps bakery, which exclusively produces burger buns for McDonald's in its Günzburg plant. Then it was off to Esca Food Solutions. A detailed and impressive insight into the production of the minced meat patties was given here. This company has been producing the patties exclusively for McDonald's since 1971 - to this day on the basis of an oral agreement sealed with a handshake. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff there again for the friendly welcome in McDonald's Food Town!

On the second day, a visit to the Viktualienmarkt including a tour of the storage rooms located under the market area was on the agenda. An overview of meat production and the structure of the meat industry in China and South Africa was then given in two interesting and informative lectures. During the internal meeting, the new spokespersons for the junior group were elected: Eva Moser (ZEMO, Weilerbach), Wolfgang Härtl (Contifleisch, Erlangen) and Rainer Hartmann (Fleischzentrale Südwest, Crailsheim).

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Dietzel: "Offices for veterinary affairs and consumer protection continue to fulfill their legal mandate"

“The work goes on. The Hessian authorities for veterinary affairs and consumer protection will continue to fulfill their legal mandate in the future and help ensure that consumer protection has priority in Hesse.” The Hessian Minister for the Environment, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection, Wilhelm Dietzel, left no doubts about that in Wiesbaden. Dietzel was referring to statements from the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg [we reported], according to which the local veterinary office would stop its food and plant inspections from around mid-August this year in the event of a lack of budgetary funds. A corresponding letter from the local district office arrived at the ministry yesterday at noon and is being carefully examined.

The minister explained that the funds are allocated to the offices via the regional councils, which are provided with a corresponding budget by the ministry. The regional council in Darmstadt has already been asked to show where "the local authorities have problems". If a corresponding report is available, we will work together with the RP on possible solutions. "The financial resources of the offices must ensure their important work for the Hessian consumers," emphasized Dietzel. It is true that the current austerity constraints limit possible room for manoeuvre. Nevertheless, it was ensured that the veterinary and consumer protection offices in particular had to accept smaller cuts in material resources.

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Grocery sales continue to be support for retailers

As can be seen from the figures from the Federal Statistical Office, retail sales of food, beverages and tobacco goods developed comparatively positively in the first half of this year. This seems to be continuing a trend that has been apparent since 2002 (2002: +2,6%, 2003: +1,5%).

In the first four months, food sales exceeded the previous year's level and show positive rates of change of up to 3,5%. The negative May value can certainly be seen as a seasonal effect, caused among other things by fewer sales days and holiday travel times. For June, the GfK Consumer Index is already reporting an increase in consumer spending in the food sector. According to this, spending on food (excluding fresh produce and beverages) increased by 5,8 in June this year compared to the previous year. Only the beverage industry was unable to maintain its previous level after the record year 2003 and recorded a loss in sales of -3,4%.

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EU and Russia argue about certificates

The European Union and Russia have not yet been able to settle their dispute over uniform veterinary certificates for all EU countries when exporting meat. There has been no progress in recent talks. If an amicable solution is not found by October 1 of this year, the Russian authorities are threatening import restrictions on meat products from the EU. At the beginning of August, talks at the highest level of government are to continue in order to seek a political decision.

Russia continues to be dependent on meat imports, having reduced cattle herds by 14 percent to 57 million cattle over the past 24,1 years. With a degree of self-sufficiency of around 70 percent for pork and 60 percent for beef, the Russian market remains an important sales market for the EU and overseas countries.

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Meat has even become 2,9% cheaper

As reported by the Federal Statistical Office, the consumer price index in Germany has risen by a total of 2002% since the introduction of euro cash in January 3,3. In the previous two and a half years – the last of the DM – consumer prices rose by a total of 4,3%. The still widespread view that the euro has increased the price level in Germany over the long term cannot therefore be confirmed.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages in particular have risen only slightly (+2002%) since January 1,1, while prices for these goods had risen by 3,0% in the previous two and a half years. At the beginning of 2002, many consumers complained about the price increases for fruit and vegetables because the prices of individual types of fruit and vegetables had almost doubled compared to the previous month (eg lettuce + 98,1%, cauliflower + 71,3%). By the middle of 2002, however, the price level had returned to normal; the price jumps were weather-related, the decisive factor being a cold spell of this magnitude that was unusual in southern Europe. Meat and meat products are currently even cheaper than they were in the days of the DM (– 2,9% since December 2001), although they became significantly more expensive in the phase before the introduction of the euro as a result of BSE and foot-and-mouth disease (+ 9,2 %) had. Dairy products and eggs (– 1,9%) and non-alcoholic beverages (– 1,7%) have also become cheaper. On the other hand, consumers today have to dig deeper into their pockets for honey (+ 31,5%) and whole milk chocolate (+ 12,1%).

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The fees for carcass disposal in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will remain stable until the next fee adjustment on January 1, 2005. This is made possible by a balance between the surpluses achieved and the underfunding of the company SARIA Bio-Industries GmbH in Malchin that is to be expected in the coming months. This was the result of an audit of the company for 2002, which was presented to clients in June 2004, including the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

The company then achieved a total surplus of EUR 2,07 million for the areas of animal carcasses, animal carcass parts and kitchen waste. Of this, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania accounted for EUR 1,126 million, corresponding to 10,9 percent of the proceeds. Due to the changes in EC regulations as of May 1, 2003, the volume of raw materials dropped considerably. After that, some of the animal by-products from slaughtering, which previously had to be disposed of in an animal carcass disposal facility, can be used differently, for example processed into pet food.

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Brussels expects slightly higher production in 2004

The supply of pork in the European Union should also be at a comparatively high level in the current year. According to information from the EU Commission's pork forecasting committee at the beginning of July, pork production in the 15 old EU member states is expected to increase by 2004 percent in 0,3 to 17,8 million tons. Consumption is likely to be slightly higher than in the previous year. There is currently no reliable information on production or supply balances from the accession countries. The Commission expects pig prices to be slightly higher than in 2003.

With regard to foreign trade in live animals, the Commission expects both a fall in imports and a noticeably lower export of live pigs to third countries. This would continue the trend from 2003 in the livestock export sector. The Commission also estimates that the export opportunities for European pork are declining. A decline of around four percent or 48.000 tons to 1,15 million tons is forecast for this year. In 2003 there was still an increase of around three percent. It should be noted, however, that with the accession of the ten predominantly Eastern European countries, exports to third countries must be lower in purely mathematical terms, since future trade with the accession countries is now to be attributed to internal EU trade. Significant buyers of pork from the EU-15 have recently included the Czech Republic, Hungary and, to a lesser extent, Poland.

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Protection Association of Black Forest Ham Manufacturers announces price increase

"We have our backs against the wall," says Karl-Heinz Blum, Chairman of the Black Forest Ham Manufacturers' Protection Association, commenting on the rapid price developments for pork raw materials over the past six months. Producer prices have risen by around 35 percent and this is exclusively at the expense of manufacturers and processing companies. With an annual turnover of 12 billion euros, the meat products industry is one of the leading branches of the German food industry.

The manufacturers of Black Forest ham, who have come under a lot of pressure as a result of this price development, are no longer able to absorb this explosive cost pressure, despite all their efforts to rationalize and make savings. It's not just about ensuring the high quality standards of Black Forest ham. It is about the survivability of the companies, whose earnings situation is strained. 

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Salmonella finds in Denmark with highly resistant germs [I]

According to media reports, Danish food experts in Copenhagen isolated a type of salmonella that is resistant to almost all available antibiotics. The newly discovered subtype is said to have been found in imported turkey meat from Germany. The Danish institute did not want to reveal which slaughterhouse the meat came from. Denmark has not issued a rapid warning on this.

In this context, a report from December 2003 was erroneously made, which concerned a meat delivery from a Lower Saxony slaughterhouse to Schleswig-Holstein. From there, after further dismantling, the delivery to Denmark took place. This information was based on the finding of a salmonella species that plays a minor role in poultry stocks; it is inconsistent with that described by the Danish researchers
identical.
The company carries out extensive tests as part of its own checks, which are regularly checked by official hygiene tests. The meat consignment in question, which is the subject of the December notification, was tested for salmonella after slaughter with negative results. It cannot be ruled out that salmonella got into the meat during further processing. Findings of salmonella in poultry meat are not uncommon. This is well known and the reason why certain hygiene rules have to be observed in the kitchen; this includes, for example, washing hands after handling fresh poultry meat and storing food that is eaten raw separately. Since poultry meat is not eaten raw, salmonella does not pose a risk to the consumer after proper preparation, since it is already reliably killed off when heated at 70°C.

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