Dunbia NI recalls meat products
Friday 10 November 2006
A meat company, Dunbia Northern Ireland, is recalling a number of meat products after finding that an Over Thirty Month old cow has entered the food chain without being tested for BSE. The Agency has issued a Food Alert for Information.
The incident occurred because of human error when a 54-month-old cow was wrongly identified as being less than 30 months old. All cattle aged over 30 months must be tested for BSE and found to be negative before they can enter the food chain.
Product details
| Use by | |
|---|---|
| ASDA own brand product | |
| ASDA Ox Liver | 08/11/2006 |
| Co-op Products | |
| Co-op Fresh British Beef 1.2kg | 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Beef Steaks 200g | 11/11/2006, 12/11/2006 |
| Co-op Fresh British Rolled Beef Brisket Vacuum Packed 1kg | 14/11/2006, 15/11/2006, 16/11/2006 |
| Co-op Medium Beef Stewing Steak av 450g | 09/11/2006, 10/11/2006, 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Beef Stewing Steak 1kg | 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Beef Pasty Steak 350g | 09/11/2006, 10/11/2006 |
| Co-op Healthy Living Cubed Casserole Steak 500g | 09/11/2006, 10/11/2006, 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Beef Cubed 1kg | 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Lean Beef Steak Mince 500g | 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Lean Beef Steak Mince 250g (Northern Ireland only) | 10/11/2006 |
| Co-op Lean Beef Steak Mince 500g ( Northern Ireland only) | 11/11/2006 |
| Co-op Beef Skirt 4.54g | 14/11/2006, 15/11/2006, 16/11/2006 |
| In-store Prepared Butchery Lines | |
| Co-op Brisket | 4 to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Braising Steak | 4 to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Rump Steak | 6 to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Frying Steak | 4 Nov to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Lean Braising Steak | 4 Nov to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Stewing Beef | 4 to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Topside/Top Rump | 31 to 14 Nov |
| Co-op Silverside Joint | 3 to 14 Nov |
The risk to consumers is extremely low but, due to the breach of regulations, the Agency is advising that if people still have uneaten products at home that they do not eat them and return them to the store where they bought them.
Food Standards Agency Director of Enforcement David Statham said: 'If people have eaten any of the affected products they should not be concerned, as the risk to health is extremely low. The controls in place, including the removal of spinal cord, mean that over 99% of any infectivity that would be present if the cow had BSE is removed. Restrictions on the material that cattle are fed have meant that cases of BSE in the UK have been in steep decline over recent years.
'However, the regulations were breached and we are working closely with the company involved and our colleagues in FSA Northern Ireland and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to find out the exact circumstances of the breach and to prevent it occurring again.'
Meat and other products from the carcass of the cow were mixed with those from other animals slaughtered at the same time and these have entered the food chain. Action is being taken to recall raw, unprocessed products from affected batches because under the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy legislation, which covers BSE controls, they have to be disposed of as animal by-products and should not enter the food chain.
Investigations are continuing and other products may be affected. The Agency will advise consumers as soon as information becomes available.
Food alerts
Food alerts are the FSA's way of letting local authorities and consumers know about problems associated with food and, in some cases, providing details of specific action to be taken. They are issued under two categories:
- Food Alerts: for Action
- Food Alerts: for Information
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