Australian meat pie becomes even better thanks to WA

14/10/07
Western Australia has won a battle to ensure real meat goes into meat pies.
The Health Minister's Parliamentary Secretary John Hyde said the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council backed WA's move to improve the quality of meat used to create the famous Australian meat pie.
"The Department of Health supported an application by WA company Mrs Mac's Pty Ltd to change the definition of meat pies," Mr Hyde said.
"The council has now approved the application to require all meat pies to include a minimum of 25 per cent meat flesh.
"The previous definition stated a meat pie should consist of no less than 25 per cent meat, which meant pie makers could use a variety of parts like offal and components other than skeletal muscle."
The council said Mrs Mac's sought the change to reduce claims by consumers and the media about perceived poor practices and to ensure meat pies contained a minimum level of meat flesh.
"The decision to enforce the inclusion of meat flesh is more consistent with consumer expectations and is fantastic news for Australians who love meat pies," Mr Hyde said.
However the application was not fully supported by other States and Territories, which raised objections including:

• the application was driven by commercial interests;
• it was difficult to enforce and comply with; and
• there was no evidence that it would provide a higher quality of product