Emerging incident involving presence of dioxin in Irish pork meat

The Agency has updated information relating to the Food Alert for Action 74/2008 issued on 9 December 2008 and the Food Alert for Action 74/2008 Update 1 issued on 11 December 2008 concerning the Republic of Ireland recall of all pork meat/products produced from pigs slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland between 1 September 2008 and 7 December 2008 due to contamination of animal feed with dioxins.

Dioxins are chemicals that get into food from the environment and are associated with a range of health effects when there is a long-term exposure to them at relatively high levels. Following on from further investigations into traceability of pork, pork products and fat, more distribution information from the Republic of Ireland is now available.

Actions to be taken by local authoritiesLocal authorities should have regard to the revised actions as stated in the Food Alert for Action 74/2008 Update 1 concerning pork, pork products and fat known to have originated from the affected herds in the Republic of Ireland. To assist local authorities in identifying the additional UK companies in receipt of pork meat from the Republic of Ireland, details can be found in an updated Annexe 1. Local authorities with responsibility for premises listed in the Annexe 1 update are required to take action, if necessary, using the powers under the Food Safety Act 1990.

Updated Annexe 1 contains commercially sensitive information and is not available online. The annexe has been circulated to UK local authorities by dedicated FSA mailboxes at environmental health departments, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health service known as EHCnet and the Trading Standards Service known as TS Interlink.

Other local authorities are also requested to have regard to these products being present on the market during their routine inspections.

In relation to the 13 previously notified processing establishments in Northern Ireland initially identified as receiving contaminated pork from the Republic of Ireland, investigations by district councils with responsibility for these establishments have verified that 10 establishments, listed in Annexe 2 at the link below, have removed affected product from sale. No further action is, therefore, required in relation to these 10 establishments. Investigations are continuing in relation to the three remaining establishments in Northern Ireland.

It is essential that all non unitary authorities liaise at county level to ensure that they co-ordinate their actions.