Scare Sees Irish Pork Banned In Asia

The Irish pork scare has prompted Japan and Singapore to suspend Irish pork imports, following similar moves by the UK and much of Europe.

Irish pork products have been found to be contaminated with potentially harmful dioxins, traced to a pig feed supplier in Co Carlow last week, while yesterday it emerged that up to 25 countries could have received the contaminated meat.

An estimated 100,000 pigs will have to be destroyed because of the crisis which has led to the recall of all Irish pork products in Ireland's largest food scare since the foot and mouth outbreak.

The Government has said all pork products should be returned for a refund at their point of sale. Since sourcing the contamination and halting its production, pork produced after the 7 December will carry a new label and is said to be unaffected by the product recall.

Gardaí have now been asked to investigate how pigs in the country came to be contaminated with the potentially harmful dioxins.

Investigations are now ongoing at 10 pig farms and 38 beef farms in the Republic. The contamination is likely to have a severe impact on the €7 billion Irish food industry.

(DW)