Imported frozen food 'of animal origin' recalled from Iceland over documentation

The Food Safety Authority has served a notice on Iceland stores in Ireland to remove all imported frozen products of animal origin from its supermarket shelves going back to 3 March, and to recall the implicated products from consumers who bought them.

The reason for the notices are inadequate evidence of food traceability and alleged non-compliance with import legislation from non-EU countries.

The action by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is part of an ongoing investigation that started when officials from the Department of Agriculture, the Marine Border Control and Revenue, identified undeclared frozen food of animal origin with no documentation being imported into the country for Iceland stores.

That led to Department of Agriculture officials seizing a number of consignments at Dublin Port and issuing orders for them to be returned to the UK or destroyed.

Iceland stores in Ireland are owned and operated by Metron Stores Limited, the company on which the FSAI served notice today.

Head of the FSAI Dr Pamela Byrne said they cannot be confident of the traceability and safety of the imported frozen food products of animal origin sold in Iceland over the last number of months and therefore is advising customers not to consume those products.

"To date, while we have no reports of any illness associated with implicated products from Iceland Ireland stores, in the absence of the company providing valid and correct traceability documentation as required by the law, we have to take a precautionary approach to best protect consumers, as we cannot be fully confident of the traceability and safety of these imported frozen foods of animal origin," Ms Byrne said.

"As a precaution, we are therefore advising consumers not to eat imported frozen food of animal origin bought from Iceland Ireland stores since 3 March 2023.

"Foods of animal origin are any food products that contain ingredients that come from an animal, such as chicken, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, etc.

"It is the legal responsibility of any food business importing food into Ireland to make the correct import declarations for the food they are importing.

"All food businesses must also have full traceability information on the food they are importing, producing, distributing and selling.

"Due to these breaches of food legislation and in the interest of consumer protection, this action has been taken."