UK Takeaways Frequently Serve Wrong Meat Products, Warns Agency

Consider a meat-free option this weekend if you heed a new report on takeaway safety. The Food Standards Agency warns that over a quarter of UK takeaways serve the wrong meat products.

The agency released DNA test data following a Freedom of Information request. Of 263 food items tested by the FSA, 73 were unsatisfactory due to undeclared species. Local Authority tests found similar issues in nearly one in five products.

Specific examples reveal significant contamination. Merguez Moroccan Spicy Sausages contained 13 per cent pig DNA. Beef Pepperoni samples were 73.2 per cent chicken.

Andrew Quinn, Head of the National Food Crime Unit, stated that food must be safe and accurately labelled. He emphasized that food fraud and mislabelling are taken seriously. However, he noted these sampling initiatives are targeted and results do not represent overall UK food safety standards.

Lamb Rogan Josh samples contained 60 to 100 per cent cow. Lamb Doner Meat was more than 50 per cent chicken. Many products expected to contain goat actually held undeclared sheep.

Lincolnshire Sausages, which should be pork, had five per cent cow DNA. Gourmet Lamb Burgers contained 18 per cent pig DNA. Minty Lamb Burgers were found to be 50 per cent cow.

Local Authority testing examined 66 samples. Twelve were unsatisfactory, while four were inconclusive due to missing species details. Chicken Pepperoni held 14.5 per cent cow. Halal Turkey Julienne contained 23.3 per cent chicken.

The FSA in Wales tested four Lamb Bhuna samples and 14 Hawaiian Pizzas. Thirteen of those pizzas were unsatisfactory because undeclared species DNA was present.

Consumers with concerns should contact their local authority. Anyone suspecting food fraud can report it to Food Crime Confidential online or by calling 0800 028 1180.

This warning arrives as experts note fraudsters using AI to trick takeaway providers. Digital-altered photos show fake flies, mould, pink burger meat, and melted cakes. These images help con firms like Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat for refunds.

Caroline Green of Browne Jacobson warned that making fake claims is a crime. She told The Times that offenders are unlikely to stop after a single success. Lawyers observe that people are using increasingly sophisticated tools to fabricate claims against delivery platforms.