Suppliers ordered to FSA meeting after latest meat scandal
The Food Standards Agency orders major food retailers and suppliers to an urgent meeting after the latest food foul-up – pork being found in halal prison food.
On Friday, the FSA ordered a host of companies to the meeting on Monday in order to establish what has gone wrong with various fod labelling mishaps, and what the next steps should be.
“People have a right to expect that the food they are eating is correctly described,” an FSA spokeswoman said. “It is the responsibility of food businesses to ensure the food they sell contains what it says on the label.
“We are considering, with relevant local authorities, whether legal action is appropriate following the investigation.”
Pork in halal pies
The Prison Service yesterday launched an urgent investigation and after a number of halal meat pies and pasties supplied to jails were found to contain traces of pork DNA.
The Ministry of Justice also said it was suspending a supplier of meat to prisons after discovering that food products may contain traces of non-halal meat, despite being sourced from a properly Halal-certified supplier.
This is an absolutely unacceptable situation, and one which we regret greatly – Jeremy Wright, justice minister
Islamic law forbids the consumption of pork. All the contaminated products have been withdrawn, the ministry said.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said all prisons and the FSA were informed immediately after the pork discovery was made.
The FSA said the local authority where the supplier is based is now investigating how the contamination came about and whether products have been distributed elsewhere in the UK.
‘Absolutely unacceptable’
Justice minister Jeremy Wright said: “This is an absolutely unacceptable situation, and one which we regret greatly. Clearly this must be distressing for those affected and they can be reassured we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation. The Prison Service is investigating this as a matter of urgency.”
The Prison Reform Trust said it welcomed the immediate apology and investigation. Its director Juliet Lyon said: “This is not a matter of dietary preference but of Islamic law. There are clear hospital and prison rules that Halal meat must be on the menu.
“This lapse will have offended and distressed high numbers of Muslim prisoners and their families so apologising, suspending the supplier and investigating the incident are the right steps for the Ministry of Justice to take.”
The revelation follows the recent scandal over horse meat contamination. On Thursday Burger King dropped the Irish food processing plant which supplied burgers contaminated with horse DNA.
The contamination has been traced back to a supplier in Poland.