Routine Tests Trigger Massive Meat Recall

Staff Writter, Dec 23, 2008

Routine tests that were performed on pork meat products destined for human consumption recently triggered an extremely costly multi-million euro recall of Irish pork products. This is the biggest farm and food crisis since the foot and mouth disease, and it has been evolving quite rapidly behind the scenes ever since test results revealed that the meat had harmful dioxin-like PCBs in it. Nearly 2,000 different calls were made to the helpline for the Food Safety Authority by worried consumers. The Food Safety Authority said that it was going to have to strengthen its team of 20 workers who are currently inundated with calls on the current food scare.

The chief medical officer for the state moved to ease the fear of consumers as the source of the contamination was recently narrowed down by food safety chiefs. Last night it was determined that the source of the contamination was feed that was provided to nine different pig farms and 38 different cattle farms. But department chiefs do believe that the contaminated meat was sent to at least 20 or 25 different countries.

Rebuilding confidence in pork and bacon from Ireland is now going to be a priority, as was  stressed by Bord Bia. Annual exportation of Irish pig meat is estimated at €368m which is nearly  €1m a day.

Yesterday the Department of Agriculture indicated the question about compensation for recalled meat was a matter for individual consumers and the premises of purchase to agree upon. According to Brendan Smith, the minister of Agriculture, the relationship is between the consumer and the retailer, so that is where the issue is going to have to reside. There has never been any compensation package relating to the pig industry throughout the years.

As far as the 38 cattle farms go, the chief veterinary officer, Paddy Rogan, said that tests are currently underway to determine the health of all of the cattle. The farms have been placed under restriction, so no cattle are going anywhere for the time being, meaning that at this stage there is no risk to the consumer, but when it comes to the pigs which have a completely different nutrition system and dietary requirement, the scenario may be completely different.

On Saturday it was said that the main priority right now is to ensure potentially contaminated pork products are completely removed from the food chain as quickly as is humanly possible.