Why have Irish pork and bacon products been recalled?

Irish produced pigmeat has recently tested positive for the presence of dioxins. As all Irish pigs are slaughtered and processed at the same processing plants, it is impossible to differentiate between products that have tested positive and those that have not. In the interest of consumer safety, all pork and bacon products have therefore been recalled.

Could I have been exposed to dioxins?

Consumers are exposed to dioxins at low levels on a daily basis from a potentially wide range of sources including car emissions, smoking and fires. Until now, surveillance work undertaken by the FSAI indicates that the general exposure of consumers in Ireland is low when compared to other European countries, and well below the maximum intake established by international risk assessment bodies.

To ensure consumers are fully protected, this maximum intake level also incorporates very large safety margins compared to any level that might cause effects in experimental animals. Therefore, any increased exposure to dioxins for a short period is highly unlikely to lead to any health effects.

Should I be concerned?

Even though it is illegal for dioxins to be present in foodstuffs, any possible risk to consumer health is extremely low.

Could I have some products at home that contain dioxins?

All raw and cooked pork and bacon products could possibly be contaminated. They include:

Pork

Bacon

Rashers

Pork sausages

Sausage meat

Gammon steaks

Offal from pigs

Salami

Ham

Sausage rolls

Black pudding

White pudding

Ready meals with Irish pork/bacon as an ingredient

It is advisable to not to eat any of the products that may be contaminated.

What should I do with any products I have at home?

You should not consume the product. You should dispose of the product with your household waste. Alternatively, you could bring back the product to the shop where you bought it and you may be offered a refund. Most retailers are accepting returned product.

If I have eaten an affected product, has my health been damaged?

There is no risk of immediate illness. If you have eaten an affected product the risk is likely to be minimal, however not eating it any more is a sensible thing to do. It is continued high level exposure over time that gives cause for concern.

I'm pregnant, has this affected my baby?

Any risk from this short-term exposure is minimal and is not of concern to the health of the mother or child. Any risk from dioxins is related to high level exposure over a prolonged period.

Should I continue to breastfeed my baby?

Yes, you should continue to breastfeed your baby. The exposure to dioxins has been over a short period and any risk is associated with long-term exposure at high levels.

Do dioxins affect children?

Children are affected by dioxins in the same way as adults. If your child has eaten any affected product, he/she is unlikely to be affected. Again, this exposure is over a short period and any risk is linked with long-term exposure at high levels.

Are all pork products affected?

No, it is estimated that approximately 10% of pigmeat is affected. This 10% has been processed (and mixed in with) approximately 80% of total pig meat produced in Ireland . There is some pigmeat on the market which is not contaminated and when it is identified, it will be back on the market again.

When will pork be back on the market?

The pork that has been exposed

to potentially contaminated feed represents about 10% of production in Ireland. However, these animals are slaughtered in a small number of processing plants that also deal with 80% of national pork production. It has not been possible to distinguish between potentially contaminated and non-contaminated product and therefore as a precautionary measure all product has been removed. The majority of pig farms are unaffected and therefore uncontaminated product should be available in the near future.

If the risk is very small why are all pork and bacon products removed from sale?

Dioxins are toxic and persistent and consumers should not be exposed to them unnecessarily. It is also illegal in foods.

What about organic pig meat and products?

The recall in the Republic affects all pork and bacon products, including organic. Organic product will also be released by inspectors once it's verified that it is safe.

How does food become contaminated with dioxins?

Dioxin contamination of food can occur from two sources. The main source is feed that contains contaminated components. The second source is contamination that comes from the environment where animals may be kept.

How has pork and bacon become contaminated with dioxins?

Animal feed, from one source, which recently tested positive for dioxins, was distributed to a number of pig farms and fed to the pigs.

What are dioxins?

Dioxins are persistent chemical contaminants in the environment. Although there are natural sources of dioxins such as forest fires, dioxins are usually formed as by-products of certain industrial combustion and chemical processes.

What are ‘persistent' chemicals?

Persistent chemicals are highly resistant to breakdown processes, and therefore persist in the environment, followed by uptake into the food chain.

Can dioxins cause cancer?

There is evidence to suggest that exposure to dioxins at very high levels (following industrial accidents) has been associated with an increase in the incidence of cancer in humans.

Are there maximum levels set for dioxins in food?

Maximum levels (MLs) for dioxins are set by European Commission Regulation No 1881/2006, the framework EU legislation which sets maximum levels for chemical contaminants in foodstuffs. MLs are set at a very low level (as low as reasonably achievable for the particular foodstuff in question), in order to ensure that consumers' health is not affected by consuming these products.

Are there maximum levels set for dioxins in feed?

Yes. Separate legislation applies to levels of dioxins and PCBs in animal feeds, since this is another important source of contamination of the human food chain.

What levels were found in the pigmeat?

The samples tested indicated a wide range of dioxin levels, all above the maximum levels set by legislation.