By John Sexton

The Irish government Saturday recalled from the market all pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in Ireland.

The move followed the discovery of levels of dioxins around 100 times the European Union (EU) maximum permitted limit in some pork.

The problem is believed to stem from contaminated feed supplied to farms responsible for 10 percent of Irish pig supply. Pigs from the farms were processed in meat processing plants responsible for about 80 percent of Irish pork and pork products. The feed is believed to have originated from an Irish factory.

Given the high levels of contamination and that it is not possible to trace pork back to its farms of origin, the Irish government decided to recall all pork products as a precaution. Its website described the risk to consumer health as "very low".

Dioxins are an unwanted chemical by-product of industrial processes involving chlorine, such as fertilizer production and waste incineration. Once ingested they persist for long periods in the body and can cause cancer. They are described by environmental campaigners as "super-toxic".

The European Commission said on Sunday that it is watching the situation closely and that preliminary evidence indicates that the contamination problem began in September 2008. It said that supply of the contaminated feed has been blocked.

The problem appears to have spread into Northern Ireland. The Irish Times reported on Sunday that nine farms in the North are believed to have used the same contaminated animal feed that caused the problems in the Republic. The UK Food Standards Agency advised consumers on Sunday not to eat pork labeled as coming from the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.

Irish pork is exported to dozens of countries and Ireland's chief veterinary officer Paddy Rogan said on Sunday that contaminated meat had reached between 20 and 25 countries. The UK is the main export destination but others include the United States, France and Japan.

(China.org.cn December 8, 2008)