Steps in Place to Reintroduce Irish Pork Following Scare

Irish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food: “The decisive and rapid action to remove all pork and bacon products from shelves last weekend allows us to restore supplies in which the consumer can have full confidence."

12/12/08 The Irish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Brendan Smith TD confirmed that all the necessary controls are now in place to enable the restoration of supplies of Irish pork and bacon to consumers. These controls, which were developed since Sunday, allow those involved in the pigmeat industry to resume the supply and sale of Irish pork and bacon products.

The Minister said all such products would carry a special label, developed by An Bord Bia, which will confirm that they are perfectly safe to consume and verified them as having had no association with the potentially contaminated feed.

The controls will be implemented by Department or local veterinary authority personnel at pigmeat slaughtering and processing plants. The purpose of the controls is to ensure that only pigmeat certified as coming from herds that are completely unaffected by the current feed contamination issue enters the food chain and is supplied to consumers.

Minister Smith said that “The decisive and rapid action to remove all pork and bacon products from shelves last weekend allows us to restore supplies in which the consumer can have full confidence. The action is part of a determined domestic and international marketing campaign.”

In respect of pigmeat produced between 1st September 2008 and 7th December 2008 If the processor can demonstrate to the Competent authority (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food or Local authority Veterinary Service) that individual consignments of pig meat or pig meat products were entirely derived from pigs which did not come from any of the restricted pig herds, then these consignments can be released onto the market.

For pigmeat and pigmeat products produced prior to 1st September 2008 The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is satisfied, based on the current available information, that the pigs from which these products were derived were not fed any of the dioxin contaminated pig feed. These products can remain on the market.

The UK Food Standards Agency said that measures are now in place to restore supplies of Irish pork and bacon to consumers. Pork from animals reared, slaughtered and processed in Northern Ireland remain unaffected by this incident. In the UK, shops, manufacturers and caterers that can trace the origin of any pork directly to a farm that is unaffected by contaminated feed are able to continue selling their products.

Food Standards Agency Chief Scientist Dr Andrew Wadge said: 'Consumers can be reassured that systems are in place, so we can buy pork from Northern Ireland and now the Republic of Ireland with confidence. We have worked together with food businesses and local authorities to make sure that the appropriate checks are being carried out.'

Any pork on UK shelves will have been checked, whether it carries a special label or not.  Products such as pizza, sandwiches and meat sauces that contain less than 20% Irish pork do not have to be tested or withdrawn from sale.

Food businesses will be testing products like pork pies and sausages, which contain more than 20% Irish pork from affected farms, to make sure that they don't contain illegal levels of dioxins. Food businesses need to satisfy themselves and demonstrate to local authorities that any pork on sale is unaffected. The Food Standards Agency is issuing a Food Alert for Action to local authorities laying out the actions they need to take.