Magic!

Have you ever wondered how they do it? How some retailers are able to offer food at significantly lower prices! Well, here's an example of what lengths some people will do to be price competitive. The moral to the story? You get what you pay for!

Reported in the Sydney Morning Herald:

A Sydney meat retailer has been fined $8500 for dosing chicken in a chemical used to disguise old or substandard meat as fresh.

Obo Trading of Ashfield will have to pay $11,970, which includes costs, for illegally dosing old chicken mince with the presentative sulphur dioxide (SO₂), the Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, said.

The company has also been added to Government's "shame list" of dodgy food outlets on the NSW Food Authority website, he said.

The fine was issued by magistrate Pat O'Shane in the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court after an inspection of the shop by a NSW Food Authority officer last March.

"The practice was not only deceiving consumers, but it could also be dangerous for people who are allergic to the chemical," Mr Macdonald said.

"This illegal practice will not be tolerated, and the Iemma Government will continue to crack down on illegal food practices.

"NSW Food Authority officers routinely test for SO₂ whenever they inspect meat retailers and, if businesses are doing the wrong thing, it's only a matter of time before they will be caught.

"Most meat retailers are doing the right thing, but those few rogue operators will be caught and prosecuted."

Nice!