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Conor Murphy, MP for Newry & Armagh after meeting with Freeza Meats management has called for ASDA to confirm when they will be re-engaging with the local processor in order to help safeguard jobs at the plant in Greenbank.
Conor Murphy said: “As ASDA has confirmed in their public statement, their own DNA tests independently verified that there was no equine DNA in their burgers.
"This was confirmed by the local environmental health office and I met today with the management of Freeza Meats to discuss the best way forward.
"During this meeting I was made aware that further tests from Newry & Mourne Environmental Health returned today have confirmed all samples taken from Freeza Meats are clear and that the quarantined product belonging to McAdams Foods has been removed.
"I am now asking the senior management of ASDA, what is required to remove its precautionary measure of suspending its Freeza Meats lines?
“There are almost 50 direct and a large number of indirect jobs at risk in my constituency over this issue even though this company has been vindicated.
"We need clarity as a matter of urgency. I will be in contact with both the Ministers for DARD and DETI, as a speedy response is needed to reassure consumers and to protect the wider industry.”
Earlier this week Freeza Meats released a statement to clarify their position where they stated they were storing the item in question for another business in County Monaghan.
The Statement
A spokesperson for Freeza Meats, Newry said, “In August 2012 we were approached by meat trader ---- to purchase a parcel of raw material, which we declined. --- subsequently asked us to hold his product in storage which we did in goodwill in a separated area of the storage facility.
This raw material was not purchased by Freeza Meats and never reached the food chain through this company. We have under legal jurisdiction been required to detain the product in quarantine awaiting the direction of the local Environmental Health Office.
All tests that have been carried out routinely on our own finished products i.e. (burgers) have been negative. There have been no traces of equine DNA in any samples taken from Freeza Meats products.
At all times we have worked in conjunction with the Environmental Health Office who have been fully aware of the background to this McAdam product from the outset. We have also sought the authority of the Environmental Health Officer to remove / dispose of this product from our premises.
We are providing employment in this area since 1988, employing more than 45 people. We are fully committed to working with our suppliers and customers. Giving the sensitivities of the area in which we work jobs could be put unnecessarily at risk by misinformation. We look forward to working with the relevant agencies in Northern Ireland to resolve this issue.”
