A New Zealand food manufacturer was fined in a sulfite ground beef case from 2017/2018. Sulfites and sulfur dioxide can make meats look fresher than they truly are, and therefore are banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code also prohibits the addition of sulfites to raw meat. Not only is there a risk of meat past its prime getting into the food supply, sulfites may also pose a danger to allergy and asthma sufferers. More than 23 tonnes of ground beef were freshened up illegally with sulfites and sold in New Zealand to consumers. The manufacturer was finally sentenced to a fine in this 2-year old case.

Posted on 5 August 2020