Posted on 02/01/2013 9:22:01 PM PST by DeaconBenjamin
The Ministry of Justice is suspending a supplier of meat to prisons after it discovered that halal pies and pasties sourced from a properly halal certificated supplier may contain traces of pork.
The products concerned have been withdrawn immediately, a spokesman said.
He added: "All prisons have been informed about this very regrettable incident and we reported this issue to the Food Standards Agency immediately.
"We are taking immediate steps to suspend the contract with the relevant subcontractor."
Justice minister Jeremy Wright said: "This is an absolutely unacceptable situation and one which we regret greatly. Clearly this must be distressing for those affected and they can be reassured we are doing everything we can to resolve the situation. The prison service is investigating this as a matter of urgency.
"The FSA has been informed that a number of meat pies and pasties supplied to UK prisons which were labelled and served as halal contained traces of pork DNA. The local authority is investigating how this contamination came about and whether these products have been distributed further across the UK."
This related to the local authority where the supplier is based, she said. She declined to say which one it was.
On a more general theme relating to recent stories about mis-description of food, she said: "People have a right to expect that the food they are eating is correctly described. We have called an urgent meeting of major retailers and suppliers on Monday to ensure that everyone is fully aware of their responsibilities.
"It is the responsibility of food businesses to ensure the food they sell contains what it says on the label. We are considering, with relevant local authorities, whether legal action is appropriate following the investigation."
The Prison Reform Trust said it welcomed the immediate apology and investigation.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
I *LOVED* bacon. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to pork and pork products in my early youth. Should I die from anaphylactic shock because you like bacon too?
I MISS bacon. You have NO idea how much I miss bacon, and ham, and porkchops, but I would likely DIE if I ate a meal including them. I get VERY unwell (for a week or so) just eating lard based piecrust.
THINK before speaking. There are reasons OTHER than religious for the strictness of food standards.
So, give them BK double-horsemeat Whoppers.
Its just not fair.
Are haggis and eel pie halal?
excellent, now all those muslims will never be able to go to paradise. that’s why you need to dip your bullet tips in pork beforehand.
Pork, the other white meat...
Man! NOw I want sum ribs....
Hatuh ....
Hey Don. Sorry for your bacon/pork allergy. That sucks. Never heard of that. But, I was only referring to their religious intolerance for pork. [and anything else they are intolerant of which is just about everything] (Not even bacon bits?)
Maybe they should order out from BK. The serve horses, don’t they?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2984450/posts
The label did not say “halal.”
It said “ha lol.”
The serve = they serve
It’s late.
Are you sure it’s not all the nitrates/nitrites pumped into pork products?
Nitrate/nitrite allergies are common.
Mebbe, aye dinno fer sartin.
That's just the tip of the iceberg.
I wouldn’t turn it down ... if I were in prison.
Yeah, sorry about your allergies, too.
But, I don’t give a rat’s ass what the moslems eat in prison.
Let them eat what is served them (at taxpayer’s expense), OR let them edit the meals they are served. If there is meat, skip it, for fear it isn’t halal, or whatever.
Worried about what you might ingest?
Stay the hell outta jail in non-moslem countries.
Pasties? Like strippers use?
Tired of all this Pandering...
LOL. ‘Pasties’?
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