The Department of Environmental Health has advised the public that as a precautionary measure they should not consume Irish pork and bacon products at this time, as announced on Sunday evening.

The Government of Ireland has informed the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feeds (RASFF) that laboratory results of animal feed and pork fat samples obtained that afternoon by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) confirmed the presence of dioxins.

However, dioxins become a problem only when exposed to a long period of time.

Nonetheless, the FSAI is requiring the Irish food industry to recall from the market all pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in Ireland. Preliminary evidence indicates that the contamination problem is likely to have started in September 2008.

It is unlikely that such pork products reached the local market. The Food Safety Commissioner said investigations will continue in line with new developments.

The Commission will issue guidelines to the public should investigation reveal the importation into Malta of any potentially contaminated product.

In case of any further queries, consumers are being requested to contact the Department for Environmental Health on Tel Nos. 21332225 and 21337333 between 08:00hrs and 14:00hrs.