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Update 1 on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland

Tuesday 22 November 2005

Food Alert: for Action

Ref: 68/2005 (update 1) (67/2005 Scotland - For Info)

Heads of Environmental Health and Directors of Trading Standards will be aware of the Food Alert for Action 68/2005 issued on 18 November 2005, outlining preliminary action required to be taken in relation to the above incident.

Further information to assist enforcement officers in establishing the authenticity of the applied health marks is now available, in particular details relating to the suspected illicit health marks and other labels applied to box.

The Agency has requested information on these health marks from the competent authorities in the other Member States in order to make an informed comparison between the original and suspected illicit health marks.

The Agency is able to provide initial details of the suspected illicit health marks, which may assist local authorities in making a decision on the legitimacy of health marks found on products listed in the annex to Food Alert 68/2005.

Actions to be taken by local authorities

If there is any doubt as to the authenticity of the health marks or labels applied to the consignments notified in Food Alert 68/2005, please obtain full written descriptions of the product/s, photographs and any distribution details.

In addition, the Food Standards Agency should be notified immediately, as this information is needed as part of an ongoing investigation.

If necessary, the meat should be detained for the purpose of checking authenticity of the suspected illicit health marks and/or labels, and if the authorised officer is not satisfied that these marks are authentic the meat should be seized for destruction under section 9 of the Food Safety Act 1990 on the basis that it does not comply with food safety requirements.

If, as part of this investigation, further suspect illicit health marks are discovered, these will be forwarded on to local authorities as soon as possible to assist them in their investigations.

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

Note that no Scottish customers of Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd have been identified to the Agency and therefore no action is required.

See also

Emerging incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland Food Alert for Action Update on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland (Update 2) Read the Food Alert Update on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland (Update 3) Read the Food Alert Update on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland (Update 4) Update on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland (Update 5) Update on incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland (Update 6) Read the Food Alert

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