Emerging incident involving a meat coldstore in Northern Ireland
Friday 18 November 2005
Food Alert: for Action
Ref: 68/2005 (67/2005 Scotland - For Info)
Heads of Environmental Health and Directors of Trading Standards will wish to be aware of an emerging incident with current details as follows.
The Agency was informed on Wednesday 9 November of an investigation by both the police and Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) officials centred on a coldstore for meat and poultry, Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd, Lisnaskea, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.
A search warrant was obtained to enable police and DARD officials to search the coldstore. Following the search, DARD and FSA are carrying out a full investigation. The coldstore has been sealed and no consignments of meat or poultry can leave or enter the premises. FSA Northern Ireland has also suspended the Licence, EC 9096, of Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd.
Actions to be taken by local authorities
Local authorities will wish to be aware that emerging evidence suggests the use of illicit health marks at the premises. In addition, there were apparently legitimately marked products at the premises.
Initial investigations have identified a number of premises that have received meat products from Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd. Local authorities with named premises in their districts are requested to contact the companies and establish if any of the consignments listed are still at the premises. No Scottish customers of Euro Freeze (Ireland) Ltd have been identified to the Agency.
If any of the meat is reported to be on the premises the company should quarantine the meat to allow for a full inspection by enforcement officers. Inspectors should detain the meat, if necessary using the Food Safety Act 1990 powers of detention, pending further information being provided by the Agency to help assist in establishing the authenticity of the applied health marks. This information will be forwarded as soon as it becomes available. If the company has distributed the listed consignment(s) full details of where the meat has been distributed to should be obtained and the Agency informed.