The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has asked the European Commission to carry out a "root-and-branch examination" of the sources and use of collagen fibre in prepared foods, especially in chicken.
Collagen fibre is extracted from the inner layer of cattle and other animal hides, which are taken out of the food chain. It is then incorporated into a formulation which is injected back into food products by some meat processors to help retain moisture.
A major concern is that collagen might be removed from old cows which could be suffering from BSE.
Another concern is that collagen could be sourced from knackeries which handle sick or casualty animals in plants in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. This latter concern stems from an investigation by the FSAI of imported chicken.
The Commission has already begun an investigation into the labelling of products containing collagen, based on the findings of an FSAI report, which was published in May.
The FSAI was the first body in the EU to detect these so-called "bulking agents" used in chicken which contained DNA derived from cattle and pigs. The investigation also found many infringements of EU labelling regulations for the declaration of meat content.
Of the samples of chicken tested, 23 per cent failed to disclose the meat content, while 54 per cent of the remaining samples declared higher meat content than was present. The scientists found added water ranging from 14 per cent to 43 per cent.
The Commission is also examining the low level of tariffs it imposes on salted chicken imports from outside the EU. This has seen salted chicken imports rise from 12,000 tonnes in 1998 to 235,000 tonnes last year, far exceeding the non-salted fillet imports of 85,000 tonnes.
Confirming that the FSAI had asked for a full investigation into the sources of collagen, Dr Patrick Wall said that he regarded the practice of using the bulking agents as "outrageous" in spite of the fact that it was legal in the EU to use the material. "The practice of using this material to increase water retention is totally unacceptable to consumers, who would find it outrageous that they are paying for up to 40 per cent added water."
Dr Wall said that the FSAI and other food agencies in the EU were concerned about the sources from which the material had been obtained. He said that the authority had already expressed concern about the animals from which the collagen was sourced.
"People turning away from beef and meat consumption and deciding to eat chicken fillets may discover that the food is not as wholesome and healthy as they believe."
Dr Wall said that the chairman of the UK Food Safety Authority, Sir John Krebs, and its chief executive, Mr Jeffrey Podger, would be visiting Dublin today to discuss the use of collagen in foods.
The production of collagen fibre starts with the treatment of cattle splits (the inner layer of cattle hide) after the outer skin has been removed for leather production.
First, according to publicity material from one of the main manufacturers, all traces of meat and fat are removed. This is followed by various grinding, washing and drying stages. "After scanning for impurities, the fibres are packed and shipped to the plant for processing."
The company said that it was developing methods of extracting fibre from pig, chicken and turkey ingredients. These could be used to improve the texture and natural moisture retention in all kinds of meat products.
The FSAI says that collagen is not, as far as it can determine, being used by any Irish meat manufacturer.