UK: ANSA is dismayed with pig DNA found in burgers from Ireland

ansalogoANSA is dismayed with pork in burgers in UK and seeks supports from council members

ANSA asking council members to find out the state of the burger market in Birmingham after a recent Food Standards Agency Ireland report highlighted ..

A total of 27 products were analysed, with 23 of them containing pig DNA.

In addition, 31 beef meal products, including cottage pie, beef curry pie and lasagne, were analysed, of which 21 tested positive for pig DNA.

ANSA are now engaging with the Muslim community not to buy burger from shops that could possibly be contaminated with pork DNA.

ANSA core value has been in promoting only processors and slaughter house who do not do part production as this is the only way of safe guarding Muslim consumers from doubtful products

The Association of non stun abattoirs is seeking assurity and support that the halal burgers in the Birmingham market do not have any pork DNA protein in them. This problem was previously highlighted when pork protein was injected in frozen halal chickens.

It is a responsibility of Birmingham Environmental Health in carrying out regular checks that no pork protein has entered the halal food supply.

Having checked with Environmental Health they have advised they have never carried out any checks so far regarding pork protein in burgers and sausages.

However a survey was carried by Food Lead Team (FLT) Birmingham City Laboratories (BCL) in July 2012  Findings were shocking.

A total of ten named ‘lamb meat’ restaurant/takeaway dishes were obtained from various premises and in turn submitted to the laboratory for speciation.

Whilst lamb meat was successfully recovered from all ten samples obtained (100%), small amounts of beef and poultry proteins were also detected in 5 samples (50%), whilst a further 3 samples (30%) were found to contain a mixture of both lamb and beef meat. A further sample (10%) was found to contain a mixture of lamb and poultry meat.

It is suspected that with the samples reported as a trace, the reaction could be given by a stock protein or possible contamination by a cooking instrument, machine or utensil eg. A mincer previously having been used for beef and not cleaned down properly after, rather than the actual presence of pieces of beef meat.(source: FOOD SURVEY REPORT SUMMARY-THE FOOD LEAD TEAM BCC)

Nick Lowe Operations Manager Food Birmingham City Council  said that he will be allocating resource for FOOD SURVEY REPORT aimed burgers.

As Birmingham being the largest populated Muslim city in the UK, Muslim paying millions of pounds in tax to Birmingham City council, the Muslim consumers have totally been ignored the welfare of the their community by denying them regular checks insuring the food being sold is /could be non halal.

Therefore it is a moral duty of the Birmingham Muslim Councillors insuring that the basic rights of Muslim consumer are safeguarded.

So far no DNA checks or survey has ever been carried out on frozen foods or retail packs for Muslims or non Muslim.

It has been brought to ANSA attention that some these products which have been named in multiples have been produced halal, We are shocked to find out that there is no recall for these product as some if these products could be in Muslim consumers freezers yet multiple have not sent out product a recall and have not advised the FSA.