Quebec's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has ordered a review of regulations on repackaging meat.

This comes after a media investigation showed butchers and grocery stores in Quebec are taking meat that has passed its "best-before" date, giving it a sniff test, and then repackaging it for sale as if it is still fresh.

Bacterial contamination cannot be determined by how meat smells, and can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, or more serious illness.

Pierre Paradis promises legal action will be taken against retailers who repackage meet, and said he will meet his federal counterpart Friday to work out a solution.

"Our producers are producing quality meat. Consumers have a right to eat quality produce and there's no place for cheaters in between," said Paradis.

The Radio-Canada investigative report turned up current and former butchers who said the practice was commonplace, with one butcher saying it had happened at every single store they had ever worked at.

Federal regulation dictates the date on a label must reflect the day the item was originally packaged, while Quebec's Agriculture Ministry says packaged raw meat should be consumed with two or three days of being wrapped.