Police assist pigfeed oil inquiry

Police in County Carlow are investigating the contamination

Police in Northern Ireland are helping gardaí investigate the contamination of animal feed which sparked a health alert over Irish pork products.

Reports suggest that oil sourced from County Tyrone may have ended up in the meal at the centre of the crisis.

Stormont departments and agencies are also assisting the investigation.

Irish pork was taken off the shelves and products from the Republic have been recalled. However, Northern Ireland pork production has resumed.

Consumption of pork, beef and milk from Northern Ireland has been declared safe by Stormont Health Minister Michael McGimpsey.

On Tuesday, it emerged 53 cattle herds had consumed the contaminated feed but authorities on both sides of the border said neither beef nor milk posed any public health risk.

Nine herds in Northern Ireland had consumed the feed.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) said because of the differences in the digestive system of cows and pigs, the risk of contamination in beef was much lower than had been feared in relation to pork.