Iceland shops in Ireland ordered to recall imported frozen animal merchandise

The Irish arm of grocery store Iceland has been ordered to take away imported frozen animal merchandise from its shops.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) served a discover on Metron Stores Limited – which trades as Iceland Ireland – to withdraw gadgets introduced into the nation since 3 March this yr.

The merchandise embody meat and fish in addition to meals that include animal-based substances, resembling eggs and dairy.

Iceland Ireland has additionally been directed to recall affected items from clients – with anybody who has bought frozen animal merchandise since March warned to not eat them.

The enforcement motion was taken following a sequence of breaches of meals legal guidelines and an ongoing investigation.

The firm has been concerned in discussions over “very serious breaches of food law”, mentioned FSAI chief government Dr Pamela Byrne.

There have been no studies of sickness related to the implicated merchandise from Iceland Ireland to this point, Dr Byrne added.

Withdrawal is a ‘precautionary measure’ over traceability issues

However, the measures have been applied as a “precautionary approach to protect customers” after Iceland Ireland failed to offer “valid and correct traceability documentation as required by law”.

“We cannot be fully confident of the traceability and safety of these imported frozen foods of animal origin,” Dr Byrne mentioned.

“It is the obligation of any meals enterprise importing meals into Ireland to make the right import declarations for the meals they’re importing.

“All food businesses must have full traceability information on the food they are importing, producing, distributing and selling.”

Some meals has been imported with out pre-notification and accomplished entry declarations and well being certificates since 3 March, the watchdog mentioned.

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The motion is a part of an ongoing investigation after Iceland Ireland is alleged to have introduced undeclared frozen meals of animal origin with no accompanying importation paperwork into the nation.

This prompted Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to detain consignments and difficulty an import management discover to ship the merchandise again to Britain or destroy them.

Dublin Port officers are assessing consignments to ascertain in the event that they adjust to import controls and authorized necessities.

Sky News has contacted Iceland for additional remark.

In January 2013, the so-called horsemeat scandal noticed main supermarkets together with Tesco take away some manufacturers of frozen beefburgers from shops within the UK and Ireland.

A month later, meat saved in a Northern Irish manufacturing unit was revealed to be 80% horse, the Food Standards Agency mentioned.