Beef dripping withdrawn from sale

Tuesday 28 September 2004

Ref: 2004/0530

The Food Standards Agency has launched an investigation after beef dripping made from fat not intended for human consumption was found to be on sale. The Agency is investigating with local authorities how this product entered the food chain and the extent of the problem.

This batch of dripping is highly unlikely to pose any risk to health because of the high temperatures at which it was processed, and microbiological testing of the dripping has not found any harmful bacteria. The fat was derived from carcasses that had been through the normal hygiene and BSE controls.

The dripping was made by the Doncaster-based company Nortech Foods Ltd. The company, which is co-operating fully, has disposed of all its remaining stock and is carrying out a trade withdrawal to recover from its customers any remaining dripping. The product is being withdrawn from sale.

The fat that is not intended for human consumption would typically be used after processing and refining to make products such as petfood, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

People who have bought this dripping, labelled as 500g Nortech's Finest Beef Dripping, may wish to return it to where they bought it. The affected batch has best before dates of Feb 2005 or Mar 2005 followed by the numbers 4229 to 4261 (inclusive).

NOTE: On September 29 2004 these best before dates were amended as the original best before dates in the press release, 16 August and 17 September 2005, were incorrect.