An undercover reporter posing as a cleaner has exposed the shocking state of the Bernard Matthews factory – with chopped up turkeys lying on the ground. The probe was conducted by Channel 4’s Dispatches.
Among the unhygienic practices uncovered, the reporter witnessed a cleaner touching a turkey production line while wearing the same gloves he was using to clear waste from the floor. Workers in the facility also allegedly falsify crucial safety checks on frozen food – intended for children.
Channel 4 decided to pursue the probe following communication from a concerned whistleblower regarding the standards and procedures at one of its three English factories in Holton, Suffolk.
This particular plant provides fresh and frozen meat to major UK supermarkets. The reporter asked the worker: “How long the Turkey has been there on the floor?!”, to which the worker replied: “The whole day”
Among the alleged horrors, meat was also spotted trapped in the machinery. “It’s been stuck in the machinery since morning”, the undercover worker asks the senior but failed to receive any response.
Responding to the allegations, a Bernard Matthews spokesman said: “Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our food and the welfare of our colleagues”.
He rejected the “central thrust” of the programme, saying it was “littered with inaccuracies.” He added: “We can confidently reassure customers and consumers that our products remain safe.”
Footage shows raw meat being swept from under machinery, and into a pile on the floor. A shot, showing a worker with his back to the camera, shows him chopping turkey on a unit. The unit itself is covered in turkey residue.
Chief operating officer at the Food Standards Agency, Junior Johnson also responded to the claims made in the Dispatches investigation. He said: “Food businesses are the first line of defence in ensuring food is safe.
“As soon as the allegations were put to us, we sent an official veterinarian into the plant to carry out a full check of records and operating procedures.
“This did not identify any food safety breaches, but we are continuing to look into the issues raised by the programme. We will not hesitate to take action if needed to ensure consumers are protected.”
