This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7769391.stm
The article has changed 26 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 15 | Version 16 |
|---|---|
| Irish Republic recalls all pork | Irish Republic recalls all pork |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| All pork products made in the Irish Republic since September have been recalled over fears they are contaminated with a toxic substance. | All pork products made in the Irish Republic since September have been recalled over fears they are contaminated with a toxic substance. |
| The action was taken after dioxins were found in slaughtered pigs thought to have eaten contaminated feed. | The action was taken after dioxins were found in slaughtered pigs thought to have eaten contaminated feed. |
| Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit. | Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit. |
| The UK's Food Standards Agency said it did not believe at this stage that UK consumers faced any "significant risk". | The UK's Food Standards Agency said it did not believe at this stage that UK consumers faced any "significant risk". |
| A spokesman said the agency was awaiting confirmation from the Irish authorities as to whether any of the affected products had been exported to the UK. | A spokesman said the agency was awaiting confirmation from the Irish authorities as to whether any of the affected products had been exported to the UK. |
| Consumers and retailers in the Irish Republic have been warned to destroy all Irish pork and bacon products bought since 1 September as a precaution. It will be possible to have totally safe product on the shelves within a couple of days Padraig WalsheIrish Farmers' Association class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7769391.stm">Q&A: The recall of Irish pork | |
| Bacon, ham, sausages, white pudding and pizzas with ham toppings are also included in the withdrawal of stocks. | Bacon, ham, sausages, white pudding and pizzas with ham toppings are also included in the withdrawal of stocks. |
| Banned substance | Banned substance |
| Dioxins are formed during combustion processes, such as waste incineration, and during some industrial processes. | Dioxins are formed during combustion processes, such as waste incineration, and during some industrial processes. |
| Suspicions over contamination were first raised on Monday as a result of the routine testing of pigs and restrictions were placed on a number of pig farms. | Suspicions over contamination were first raised on Monday as a result of the routine testing of pigs and restrictions were placed on a number of pig farms. |
| The presence of the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - a substance banned in the Irish Republic since the 1970s - in animal feed and pork samples was confirmed on Saturday afternoon in test results from a UK laboratory. | The presence of the dioxin polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - a substance banned in the Irish Republic since the 1970s - in animal feed and pork samples was confirmed on Saturday afternoon in test results from a UK laboratory. |
| Chronic long-term exposure to the dioxin can have serious health effects, including causing cancers, but Irish officials said the recall would ensure consumers only had minimum exposure to it. | Chronic long-term exposure to the dioxin can have serious health effects, including causing cancers, but Irish officials said the recall would ensure consumers only had minimum exposure to it. |
| The country's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said anyone who had eaten pig meat did not need to seek medical help. | The country's chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan, said anyone who had eaten pig meat did not need to seek medical help. |
| Alistair Hay, professor of environmental toxicology at Leeds University, told the BBC: "We're still talking about amounts that are very very tiny in comparison with amounts that have been found in people and caused harm." | |
| An Irish government spokeswoman said: "Investigations involving the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are continuing to determine the extent of the contamination and to identify the processors and products involved." | An Irish government spokeswoman said: "Investigations involving the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland are continuing to determine the extent of the contamination and to identify the processors and products involved." |
| The Irish minister for agriculture, Brendan Smith, said the problem was confined to 47 farms. | The Irish minister for agriculture, Brendan Smith, said the problem was confined to 47 farms. |
| He said: "This includes 38 beef farms. This is the total number of farms identified as having received possible contaminated animal feed. There is only one feed supplier involved." | He said: "This includes 38 beef farms. This is the total number of farms identified as having received possible contaminated animal feed. There is only one feed supplier involved." |
| The FSAI's chief executive Alan Reilly said: "The levels in the feed were very high. The levels in the pork itself were in the region of about 80-200 times above the safe limits." | The FSAI's chief executive Alan Reilly said: "The levels in the feed were very high. The levels in the pork itself were in the region of about 80-200 times above the safe limits." |
| 'Absolute disaster' | 'Absolute disaster' |
| Labour Party spokesman on agriculture and food, Sean Sherlock, said the government's priority had to be consumers, but action had to be taken to "save the Christmas pork and ham market". | Labour Party spokesman on agriculture and food, Sean Sherlock, said the government's priority had to be consumers, but action had to be taken to "save the Christmas pork and ham market". |
| He said: "The announcement amounts to a threat to the overall viability of our food industry as great as, if not greater than, the outbreaks of BSE and of foot and mouth." | He said: "The announcement amounts to a threat to the overall viability of our food industry as great as, if not greater than, the outbreaks of BSE and of foot and mouth." |
| Padraig Walshe, president of the Irish Farmers' Association, described the recall as "an absolute disaster" for the pig farming sector, but said fewer than 10% of products on the market had been processed since 1 September. | Padraig Walshe, president of the Irish Farmers' Association, described the recall as "an absolute disaster" for the pig farming sector, but said fewer than 10% of products on the market had been processed since 1 September. |
| "It will be possible to have fresh product - and totally safe product - on the shelves within a couple of days," he said. | "It will be possible to have fresh product - and totally safe product - on the shelves within a couple of days," he said. |
| Mr Walshe said up to 70% of Irish pork was consumed within the country itself - "a larger proportion" of the rest goes to the UK. | Mr Walshe said up to 70% of Irish pork was consumed within the country itself - "a larger proportion" of the rest goes to the UK. |
| About 7,000 people are employed in the Republic of Ireland's pig industry, which is worth more than 250m euros (£216m) a year. | About 7,000 people are employed in the Republic of Ireland's pig industry, which is worth more than 250m euros (£216m) a year. |
| The British Pig Executive said that between April-July this year, the UK imported 230,000 tonnes of pork and bacon, with up to 15,000 of those from the Republic of Ireland. | The British Pig Executive said that between April-July this year, the UK imported 230,000 tonnes of pork and bacon, with up to 15,000 of those from the Republic of Ireland. |
| A spokeswoman for Defra said it was "keeping in close contact with the FSA as they evaluate any potential implications for Britain". | A spokeswoman for Defra said it was "keeping in close contact with the FSA as they evaluate any potential implications for Britain". |
| UK retailer Tesco said it did not import any fresh pork from the Republic of Ireland and it did not believe it was contained in any other products, although this was being checked urgently. | UK retailer Tesco said it did not import any fresh pork from the Republic of Ireland and it did not believe it was contained in any other products, although this was being checked urgently. |
| Are you a pig farmer in the Republic of Ireland or employed in the country's pork industry? Please send your comment using the form below: | Are you a pig farmer in the Republic of Ireland or employed in the country's pork industry? Please send your comment using the form below: |