Food Safety

Meat Testing to Identify Species

Request

Please provide details for each calendar year from 2012-2017 regarding the results of meat samples that were tested to identify the species present.

Please specify: the premises name and address, the local authority, the sample type, what the advertised species was and the specie(s) that were detected in the sample. Please detail the testing method(s) used. Please detail if any other testing was performed on the samples, for example to detect allergens, sample degradation and/or any microorganisms present.

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested would exceed the upper cost limit of £600.  This is because of the time it will take to identify and retrieve all of the information that might be within scope and to compile the material, applying appropriate redactions. Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12.

You may, however, wish to consider reducing the scope of your request in order that the costs can be brought below £600.