Cooked meat supplier initiates “pharmaceutical grade” cleandown
Dawn Farm Foods, the meat products supplier at the centre of an investigation into a food poisoning outbreak, has instigated a “pharmaceutical grade" cleandown at its plant in Ireland.
The company said “The health and safety of consumers is paramount at Dawn Farm Foods. The "pharmaceutical grade" cleandown of our plant (no.734) in Naas announced last week is underway.“
The company has engaged the services of a specialist, international bio-deactivation technology company, normally utilised in the pharmaceutical and bio-medical sectors, to carry out this process. It includes a certified validation report to ensure that the plant is clear of all potential environmental contaminants.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has been investigating Dawn Farm Foods as part of an inquiry into a salmonella outbreak in Ireland and in the UK. It is believed that potentially contaminated beef may have been supplied to sandwich outlet Subway, which has stores throughout Ireland and the UK. Some 110 cases of illness caused by a particular type of salmonella have been reported in Ireland and the UK affecting all ages, but predominantly young adults.
Dawn Farms specialise in the production of individually quick frozen (IQF) and chilled cooked meat ingredients for supply to ready meal manufacturers, frozen and chilled pizza manufacturers, the sandwich industry and the foodservice sector.
The company says continues to fully support the investigation by the authorities. The possible link to Dawn Farm Foods has focussed on one specific production line, which has since been decommissioned.