Recall Timeline
Wednesday November 19th
Routine pigmeat samples were taken at a meat plant.
Friday November 28th
A testing laboratory tells the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF) that there is an unusual pattern developing in the sample.
Saturday November 29th
DAFF officials visited the farm in question and began an investigation. They examined the supplier records and in the following days the suspected contamination was narrowed down to a feed recycler.
Thursday, December 4th
DAFF issued a press statement stating that restrictions had been placed on a number of pig farms following on from the discovery of the presence of marker polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in pork fat during routine monitoring of the food chain for a range of contaminants. PCBs are organic pollutants normally occurring as a result of industrial processes, in pork fat during routine monitoring. Samples were sent to a dioxin testing laboratory in the UK . There are no dioxin testing laboratories in Ireland. Results were expected on Monday 8th December.
The Dutch Food Safety Authority heard about the alert and contacted the FSAI to say they had also detected dioxins.
Belgian authorities said they had noticed increasing levels of PCBs and dioxins in September and French authorities also indicated concerns about dioxins.
The dioxin testing laboratory was contacted in an effort to speed up testing.
Saturday, December 6th
The FSAI received confirmation from the laboratory that the animal feed and pork fat samples confirmed the presence of very high levels of dioxins.
A press conference was held at 7.30 pm announcing a total recall from the market of all Irish pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in the State since 1st September. This date was chosen as a precautionary date since the dioxins were first noticed by the Belgian Authorities in mid-September, though not notified to the FSAI.
The FSAI advised all supermarkets to remove products from sale and consumers to dispose of any products that they may have in their homes. The FSAI reassured consumers that there was no immediate risk to health but that these products could not be allowed to remain on the market.
An alert notification was issued by the FSAI and the European Commission’s Rapid Alert System of Food and Feed (RASFF) was triggered.
Sunday, December 7th
The FSAI advice-line received over 2000 calls from consumers and industry seeking information on the recall.
An Ad hoc expert group on human health was convened upon the request of the Chief Medical Officer in the Department of Health and Children, Dr Tony Holohan to carry out a risk assessment. The Group met for the first time on Sunday morning at the FSAI and is chaired by Dr Iona Pratt, Toxicologist, Vice Chair of the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Food Additives.
Wednesday, December 10th
The European Food Safety Authority issued an opinion stating that following its risk assessment there was no risk to health for anyone who had consumed potentially contaminated pork products in the three months prior to the recall of all Irish pork products. This reaffirmed the action taken by the FSAI which limited further exposure to pork products contaminated with dioxins.
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food issued a statement saying that the necessary controls were now in place to enable the restoration of supplies of Irish pork and bacon products. In addition, the European Commission ruled on conditions that must be met for product to be placed on the market. This included rules for composite products like pizza and ready meals that have pork ingredients.
Slaughter and processing resumed at pig processing plants.
Last reviewed: 3/4/2009