Bird flu update: 14 February 2007

Wednesday 14 February 2007

The Food Standards Agency investigation has tonight gathered sufficient information to conclude that product held temporarily in the Bernard Matthews cold stores at Holton and Chesterfield, does not contain meat from a restricted zone in Hungary, which would have made it illegal to enter the food chain.

As a result, the Agency has tonight informed Bernard Matthews that the meat products held voluntarily in its cold stores for the past 48 hours can now be released into the food chain.

This information forms part of the joint report by the Department of Food and Rural Affairs, Food Standards Agency and Health Protection Agency, which is in the process of being finalised and will be published at the end of the week.

Full details of the investigation and its conclusions will also be made available at a media briefing later this week.