Halal pie probe to go on until all clear

THE Food Standards Agency (FSA) will not close a probe into the discovery of traces of pork DNA in Halal meat pies made by McColgan’s Quality Foods in Strabane until all necessary action has been taken to protect consumer interests.

Health Minister Edwin Poots said the McColgan investigation was one half of two strands – the other is centred on Freeza Meats in Newry – of a wider investigation concerning meat labelling and traceability.

He explained that the “timescale in relation to investigation of an incident is dependent on complexity and scale of the issue.”

Mr Poots said the probes will not be closed until the FSA is satisfied that all necessary action has been taken to protect consumer interests.

“The investigation concerning products held in the cold store at Freeza Meats is one strand of a wider investigation concerning labelling and traceability,” he stated.

“The other strand of the investigation concerns the discovery of traces of pork DNA in a selection of meat pies labelled as Halal, where the affected product was manufactured by McColgan’s Quality Foods in Strabane.

“Aside from this, there are currently no other specific investigations taking place regarding labelling and traceability in Northern Ireland.”