Another Food Recall: This Time It's Irish Pork

In yet another food contamination incident, the government of Ireland has made public that samples of both animal feed and pork fat samples revealed high levels of dioxin, a carcinogenic and toxic compound. Irish pork is being pulled from food shelves in Ireland, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom, as well as other European and some Asian countries which import pork from Ireland (CNN).

Recalls affect not only freshly butchered pork, but are as far-reaching as recalling pizzas with pepperoni made from Irish pork. 10 farms in Ireland have so far been identified as having the contaminated pork, but more than 30 more farms bought animal feed from the same company as these 10, a company called Millstream Power Recycling LTD. in Carlow County (CNN). The recycling company recycles breads and confections into animal feed (Patrick Wall, IrishTimes.com).

During routine testing by the Food Safety Authority and Department of Agriculture, a sample was taken on November 19, 2008 with tests results reported on November 28, 2008. These results prompted a closer investigation of the farm from which the sample was taken, with initial theory that an untoward occurrence related to that one farm was involved (Wall, IrishTimes.com). Immediately, all pork products from that farm were halted; further testing revealed the pig feed to be contaminated.

Testing was then done at Millstream Power Recycling, where tests confirmed the animal feed was contaminated with dioxin.

Patrick Wall of the IrishTimes.com explains the time and testing methods involved:

"Eight other pig farms were identified. These were shut and pigs from the farms were tested. The testing requires the pigs to be slaughtered, and samples of kidney fat taken for analysis. Testing for these chemicals takes time and initial results only give the family of chemicals. Further analysis is required to identify the specific chemical and quantities present. Samples from Ireland had to be forwarded to a laboratory in England for definitive identification. The preliminary results were shared with competent authorities in other EU member states."

Other farms which had bought pigs from the 9 known contaminated farms have also been locked down and their animals tested.

Further compounding the problem of removing potentially contaminated pork from the food chain is that once the pork products are broken down and sold to other manufacturers, it is difficult to trace back those pork products origin to specific farms/sellers, which is which Irish officials have ordered a recall of all Irish pork products dating back to September 1, 2008 (Wall, IrishTimes.com)

And although only a small number of Ireland's 400+ pig farms have so far been identified as having contaminated pork, all Irish pig farms' products are involved in the recall (Wall, IrishTimes.com). There is the potential that 100,000 pigs may have to be destroyed in Ireland (CNN).

Resources: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2008/1208/1228571630411.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hn8dQ7aGiM9koU3wZO58_ZWih4VAD94U43FG0

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/08/ireland.pork.dioxin.scare/