Following several allegations on social media, on Friday afternoon, a team made up of police, the Directorate of Veterinary Services and the Directorate of Environmental Health carried out an inspection at several sites in Gozo in relation to allegations about illegal production of sausages, the Government said.

Social media had been rife on Friday with claims that Maltese sausage was being made by an individual using cat and dog meat.

The Government stressed that ”false reports that can cast an ugly shadow on Maltese food and the valuable work of Maltese and Gozitan farmers and villagers should be avoided.”

In a statement on Saturday, the Animal Welfare Ministry said that ”during the same inspections, no evidence or equipment related to the illegal production of sausages was found.”

Ít added that the Veterinary Health Directorate and the Health Directorate carry out inspections of this kind regularly on authorised establishments in order to ensure food safety.

The Ministry went on to say that ”further investigations related to the allegations on the mentioned case are still ongoing, as happens in any case related to food safety or animal abuse.”

It also warned on the importance that consumers only make use of authorised establishments and to make sure that the products have the necessary labelling.

”The appeal remains for the public to report illegalities,” the Ministry said.

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