The Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has confirmed it has investigated a complaint that an Irish meat plant breached EU regulations on BSE by exporting meat containing specified risk material to Britain.
The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) had complained of breaches of BSE and meat regulations following the import of the Irish beef last week. Vertebral column, classified as specified risk material (SRM), was found in beef shipped from Fair Oaks Foods (Carlow) Ltd in Bagenalstown.
Under European law, SRM must be removed immediately after slaughter, stained and disposed of safely. While vertebral column is classed as a risk material it is a much lower risk than spinal cord. The importing company, Anglo Dutch Meats (ADM) Ltd in Eastbourne, was not responsible for the problem, according to the FSA.
A spokesman for the Department of Agriculture in Dublin said last night that it had investigated the complaint which involved carvery cuts of beef.
The complaint had arisen when the order was being filled, and its investigation showed that this was "the lowest order of complaint". He said there was "a minor technical breach of the regulations, but this did not merit the temporary closure of the plant".