Statement by Franz Wiltmann GmbH & Co. KG and the Zur Mühlen Group on reports in DER SPIEGEL and on ARD
The ARD and the magazine DER SPIEGEL have claimed in advance reports on a TV report that is to be broadcast on June 23, 2022 in the program Panorama that in several poultry sausage products from Franz Wiltmann GmbH & Co. KG and Zur Mühlen group mechanically separated meat was used without a corresponding identification.
Both companies deny the allegations.
These statements in the reports are clearly false.
- Mechanically separated meat is not used in any of the products mentioned.
- On the contrary: The use of mechanically separated meat in the products mentioned is expressly excluded by the definition of the raw materials and the production process.
- There is no evidence for the use of mechanically separated meat in these products.
- The editors involved in the research know that the method they are based on does not provide reliable information about the use of mechanically separated meat.
- The editors know that the MSM markers you allegedly discovered are also found in other meat components that are specifically not MSM.
- There are expert statements that expressly warn against a wrong interpretation of the method used:
dr Marcus Langen; Specialist veterinarian for food and cross-check expert for food according to §43 LFGB: "The developers of the new laboratory method have selected markers for connective tissue, which are not only found in intervertebral discs but also in other connective tissue and are therefore also found in normal processed meat for poultry meat products finds. The method is therefore not a proving method for mechanically separated meat.”
dr Dieter Stanislawski; Publicly appointed expert for food hygiene of the Hanover Chamber of Industry and Commerce: "(...) In this respect, I am of the opinion that this work can only give a limited indication that mechanically separated meat was used in this product. Meat manufacturers are likely to be under-rated and falsely accused of undeclared MSM processing.”
Nevertheless, the editors made the statement that “separated mechanically separated meat is apparently used” in production.
This statement is factually incorrect.
We defend ourselves against such unfounded accusations and reserve the right to take further steps.
Dirk Berkensträter, Head of Quality Management (Franz Wiltmann GmbH & Co. KG)
Lutz Rödiger, Head of Quality Management (Zur Mühlen Group)
