Manor Farm confirms negative boot swab tests from associated poultry producer
Manor Farm said it will continue to work closely with authorities following a recall of chicken products.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) yesterday (Tuesday, May 12) confirmed recalls for various batches of chicken products produced by Manor Farm and Western Brand due to the possible presence of salmonella.
As a result, both companies are recalling certain chicken products sold in the country's main supermarkets.
The FSAI has advised consumers to check their freezers for the implicated batches and said that recall notices will be displayed at point-of-sale.
Manor Farm
In a statement to Agriland, Manor Farm said it was notified by the FSAI of "confirmation of salmonella typhimurium in one implicated batch of fresh free-range poultry product".
The company said it is undertaking a "precautionary recall of the affected product" in full cooperation with the FSAI, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and its retail partners.
"At Manor Farm, the safety of consumers is our first priority.
"The affected product is past its use-by date. However, as the product carried home-freezing instructions, some consumers may still have it in their freezers.
"Anyone who has the affected batch should not consume it and should follow the instructions set out in the recall notice," the statement added.
Food safety
Manor Farm said that based on the information currently available, no other Manor Farm products or batches are affected.
"As part of our ongoing food safety controls, we maintain a rigorous salmonella testing programme across both our products and production processes.
"Routine verification and monitoring activities to date, including boot swab testing and whole bird sampling associated with this grower, have all returned negative results.
"In addition, retained samples from the implicated batch have also tested negative.
"Further verification measures have now been implemented as an added precaution," the company said.
"We understand that any food safety recall may cause concern, and we apologise for the inconvenience caused.
"We will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and our retail customers to ensure consumers are protected," Manor Farm added.
Manor Farm has been producing Irish chicken since 1775 and is one of the oldest food companies in Ireland.
The company, which has a processing plant and feed mill in Co. Cavan, has almost 1,000 employees, along with nearly 200 contracted farmers.
Salmonella
According to the FSAI, people infected with salmonella typically develop symptoms between 12 and 36 hours after infection, but this can range between 6 and 72 hours.
"The most common symptom is diarrhoea, which can sometimes be bloody. Other symptoms may include fever, headache and abdominal cramps. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days.
"Diarrhoea can occasionally be severe enough to require hospital admission. The elderly, infants, and those with impaired immune systems are more likely to have a severe illness," the authority said.
