'Lean' mince could be one quarter fat

Consumers are being let down by misleading and inaccurate labelling, some of which understates the true amount of fat, research by Local Government Regulation found.

There was "encouraging" evidence that the overall average fat content of minced beef had fallen from 15.7 per cent six years ago to 12.3 per cent now but the fat and gristle content of some minced beef varied to such an extent between retailers that consumers faced an impossible task understanding what they were buying, with some "lean" or "extra lean" products being more fatty than standard mince.

Environmental health and trading standards officers analysed minced beef products from nine supermarket chains.

The sample of products from Leeds-based Asda contained on average 27 per cent more fat than was suggested on the label, compared with mince from Iceland that had 10 per cent less fat than advertised. The survey found the best quality minced beef is sold at butchers' shops, although it was more likely to be contaminated with other meat.

Local Government Regulation Regulation is now calling for consistency in the naming of beef products.

Its chairman Paul Bettison said: "Minced meat is one of the country's most popular food products, yet the millions of people who eat it every week would no doubt be shocked to learn that a packet of lean steak mince may contain more fat than steak mince."

The study of more than 500 samples of minced beef found that the overall fat content varied from 1.8 per cent to 33.6 per cent. Some packets of "lean" minced beef contained 2.5 per cent fat while others had 10 times that amount.

British Retail Consortium food director Andrew Opie said: "The fat content of mince varies depending on factors such as the cuts of meat used, the season and the animal's feed."