Polish inspection finds extensive flaws in ground meat and canned fish products

Poland's Inspekcja Jakości Handlowej Artykułów Rolno‑Spożywczych (IJHARS) inspected ground meat sold in supermarkets and wholesale outlets. Laboratory analysis showed that 55 % of the tested batches violated standards, with excessive fat, insufficient muscle tissue, and the presence of mechanically separated meat (MOM) and bone fragments. Some samples also contained undeclared cheaper poultry meat.

The agency also examined canned fish and fish marinades from more than 100 producers and retailers. Labeling errors were found in 44.9 % of the batches, including missing ingredient lists, incomplete allergen information, and absent nutritional values. Physicochemical tests revealed composition discrepancies in 32.2 % of the samples, such as inaccurate fat, protein and salt contents, undeclared benzoic acid, and mislabelled fish species.

IJHARS warned that products labeled as "ground meat" or "sardines" must accurately reflect their contents, and it announced further nationwide checks.