French consumers, already reeling from a new mad cow contaminated food scare, on Friday learned that health inspectors had seized 23 tons of rotting duck meat heading for shop shelves.
The meat was spotted in May 1999 at a factory run by the Auguste Cyprien company in the southwest region of Dordogne, the daily Le Parisien newspaper reported.
An inspector making a routine visit to the plant was shocked "when he discovered a batch of 23 tons of duck legs fit only for the bin," the paper said.
Police in Dordogne confirmed the report.
The meat, some of which was already canned and labeled as prime conserve of duck, was seized.
A subsequent probe revealed a widespread practice of fraud and money laundering involving the Auguste Cyprien company which has since filed for bankruptcy.
The latest revelation has added to growing fears in France over the sale of meat potentially tainted with mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
The disease has been linked to a fatal human condition, variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (VCJD) -- PARIS (AFP)
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
