PM Salam vows tough action over food fraud after parasite detected in restaurant meat

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam stressed Monday that food safety is a responsibility that cannot be compromised, pledging strict measures against food fraud following reports of suspected trichinellosis infections linked to contaminated meat.

Salam said Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine briefed officials on suspected cases of trichinellosis, a parasitic infection caused by Trichinella, reported by hospitals in Beirut.

Following field inspections and laboratory tests, the Health Ministry detected the parasite in a minced meat sample collected from Nadini restaurant. Preliminary investigations raised suspicions that meat served at the restaurant had been mixed with contaminated pork.

The restaurant has since been completely shut down and sealed by authorities, while investigations continue to determine the source of the meat and whether the alleged adulteration occurred at the restaurant or elsewhere along the supply chain.

Salam said the Prosecutor General’s Office at the Court of Cassation would pursue the investigation, identify those responsible and take the strictest legal measures against anyone found involved.

The prime minister also announced a new food safety monitoring and prevention framework, led by the Lebanese Food Safety Authority in coordination with relevant ministries and security agencies.

The initiative aims to strengthen oversight across the entire food supply chain, from imports and production to storage, distribution and consumption.

Under the new measures, the Food Safety Authority has been tasked with inspecting slaughterhouses, meat warehouses and other facilities to assess compliance with health, technical and legal standards.

Security agencies will also conduct a comprehensive survey of unlicensed warehouses and slaughterhouses in coordination with the Interior Ministry, municipalities and governors.

The authority will oversee coordination between the Agriculture, Health, Economy, Industry and Interior ministries, alongside security agencies, under the supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Salam pledged to strengthen the authority’s institutional capacity, complete its inspection and enforcement teams, and provide the personnel and technical resources needed to carry out its responsibilities.

Describing food fraud as both a crime against public health and a serious ethical violation, Salam vowed to pursue the case until those responsible are identified and held accountable under the law.

“People’s health and the safety of their families are not negotiable,” Salam said, adding that he would personally oversee intensified meetings and measures in the coming days.

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