Takeaways duping customers with wrong meat, worrying DNA tests show

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DNA tests have revealed how some takeaways are duping customers by passing off cheap cuts as prime meat and fish.

Lamb was sold as beef, chicken used instead of lamb in kebabs, and beef and pig were flogged as venison.

In others cases lamb was passed off as goat in curry, and fish and chip shops sold cheaper haddock, whiting and hake in the place of cod.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency inspectors uncovered 37 cases last year but said there was no health risk.

Kath Dalmeny of farming charity Sustain said: “People need to be able to trust their food and where it comes from; it needs to be traceable in case food poisoning or serious allergic reactions occur.

“Whilst the FSA claims there is no risk to health, such blatant disregard of consumer trust is very concerning and should be treated seriously.”

Crooked producers try to boost profits by selling cheap meat at premium prices.

The analysis from the FSA found one case where the meat on a ham and pineapple pizza came from a turkey.

And a 100% venison burger contained beef and pork.

A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency, said: “The effective enforcement of food law to protect public health is a top priority of ours.

“We have been rolling out a new model for food standards which includes a mix of inspections, intelligence and evidence from our new approach to strategic surveillance.”

• Food

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