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09/12/2008
Feed Taint Crisis Hits Beef
There was confusion this morning as it emerged that eight cattle herds in Northern Ireland have been fed contaminated feed from the Irish Republic.
Adding fuel to the fire over an ongoing scare over pork products, the BBC this morning was reporting that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had been forced to reassure consumers by saying that all the farms concerned had been put under restriction, so that no animals from them will go to slaughter.
However, the FSA's Maria Jennings said she "cannot rule out that beef from those herds has gone into the food chain".
While insisting that beef on sale in NI "was entirely safe", she did admit that there was a chance of contaminants in beef, but said this would be much lower than in pork.
Ms Jennings said cattle would be fed a variety of feeds as they are not as intensively reared as pigs and the way they break down food was different, making the risk of infection much lower.
Also this morning, the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Michelle Gildernew, was grilled over her department's handling of the whole crisis in a live BBC Radio Ulster interview.
She was asked to clarify how pork that is due to come back onto the shelves again soon is regarded as 'safe' when almost a dozen local premises have processed pork from the Republic recently.
Last night, Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey also said members of the public had been left "confused" following a "lack of clarity" on the pork contamination scare.
Mr McGimpsey said: "I realise that there has been a lack of clarity about advice on the consumption of pork and pork products. In the Republic of Ireland, all pork products which originated from the Republic and from Northern Ireland have been removed from shelves.
"Yet, in Northern Ireland, initial advice from the FSA to the public here has been not to eat these products, but no formal recall notice has been sent to retailers. Despite this advice, a number of retailers have already taken the decision to remove products from their shelves until they are certain that none of them are contaminated."
See: NI Pork Processing Resumes
Adding fuel to the fire over an ongoing scare over pork products, the BBC this morning was reporting that the Food Standards Agency (FSA) had been forced to reassure consumers by saying that all the farms concerned had been put under restriction, so that no animals from them will go to slaughter.
However, the FSA's Maria Jennings said she "cannot rule out that beef from those herds has gone into the food chain".
While insisting that beef on sale in NI "was entirely safe", she did admit that there was a chance of contaminants in beef, but said this would be much lower than in pork.
Ms Jennings said cattle would be fed a variety of feeds as they are not as intensively reared as pigs and the way they break down food was different, making the risk of infection much lower.
Also this morning, the Northern Ireland Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Michelle Gildernew, was grilled over her department's handling of the whole crisis in a live BBC Radio Ulster interview.
She was asked to clarify how pork that is due to come back onto the shelves again soon is regarded as 'safe' when almost a dozen local premises have processed pork from the Republic recently.
Last night, Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey also said members of the public had been left "confused" following a "lack of clarity" on the pork contamination scare.
Mr McGimpsey said: "I realise that there has been a lack of clarity about advice on the consumption of pork and pork products. In the Republic of Ireland, all pork products which originated from the Republic and from Northern Ireland have been removed from shelves.
"Yet, in Northern Ireland, initial advice from the FSA to the public here has been not to eat these products, but no formal recall notice has been sent to retailers. Despite this advice, a number of retailers have already taken the decision to remove products from their shelves until they are certain that none of them are contaminated."
See: NI Pork Processing Resumes
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
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09 December 2008
NI Pork Processing Resumes
No pigs from Northern Ireland were fed contaminated meal it has been revealed. The Food Standards Agency said no dioxins have been found in pork from the province and as a result, the processing of pigs has resumed at Northern Ireland's biggest pork factory.
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No pigs from Northern Ireland were fed contaminated meal it has been revealed. The Food Standards Agency said no dioxins have been found in pork from the province and as a result, the processing of pigs has resumed at Northern Ireland's biggest pork factory.
03 July 2023
Travellers Reminded Of Import Restrictions
Anyone travelling abroad this summer has been reminded to not bring any animal or plant products back into Northern Ireland. Issuing the reminder, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said that imports of meat or meat products, milk and other dairy products are banned from most countries outside the EU.
Travellers Reminded Of Import Restrictions
Anyone travelling abroad this summer has been reminded to not bring any animal or plant products back into Northern Ireland. Issuing the reminder, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) said that imports of meat or meat products, milk and other dairy products are banned from most countries outside the EU.
10 December 2008
Tyrone Link In PCB Contamination Probed
There's a cross-border probe underway today as the police in Northern Ireland help gardaí investigate apparent contamination of animal feed which sparked a major health alert over Irish pork products - and later cast a shadow over beef products too.
Tyrone Link In PCB Contamination Probed
There's a cross-border probe underway today as the police in Northern Ireland help gardaí investigate apparent contamination of animal feed which sparked a major health alert over Irish pork products - and later cast a shadow over beef products too.
04 February 2013
Traces Of Pork DNA Found In NI Firms Halal Products
Northern Irish manufacturer McColgan's Quality Foods has been identified as the source of halal food found to contain traces of pork DNA. 3663 has said it will no longer source halal products from the from after its beef pastry products labelled halal and supplied to prisons in England and Wales tested positive for pork DNA.
Traces Of Pork DNA Found In NI Firms Halal Products
Northern Irish manufacturer McColgan's Quality Foods has been identified as the source of halal food found to contain traces of pork DNA. 3663 has said it will no longer source halal products from the from after its beef pastry products labelled halal and supplied to prisons in England and Wales tested positive for pork DNA.
12 January 2011
Arrests Follow Pork Contamination Scare
An investigation into the 2008 Irish pork contamination scare has led to the arrests of four men in Northern Ireland The men, aged 25, 27, 29 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation in counties Armagh and Tyrone. In 2008, all Irish pork products were recalled from supermarkets across the EU and some world markets.
Arrests Follow Pork Contamination Scare
An investigation into the 2008 Irish pork contamination scare has led to the arrests of four men in Northern Ireland The men, aged 25, 27, 29 and 43, were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation in counties Armagh and Tyrone. In 2008, all Irish pork products were recalled from supermarkets across the EU and some world markets.
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