FSA update on Russell Hume

The FSA and FSS announced on 1 February 2018 that their investigations into the major non-compliances found at the Russell Hume plants in England and Scotland was intensifying. They had already stopped these plants’ production of meat products, ensured the withdrawal and disposal of the products and were now looking at the root cause of the incident and any culpability. The investigation was looking into all aspects of the business to establish more details about the serious and widespread problems so far identified and this would determine whether additional enforcement action should be taken.

It remained the case that there was no indication that people had become ill through consumption of meat supplied by Russell Hume and the agencies continued to assess the situation working with the relevant public health bodies.

Slaughterhouses, cutting plants and game handling establishments require veterinary control in accordance with Article 4(7) of Regulation (EC) No 854/2004 and must be approved by the FSA in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and by FSS in Scotland. However, unlike slaughter houses, cutting plants do not require veterinary control on a daily basis and are inspected through periodical and unannounced visits by the FSA, FSS or local authorities.

Source: FSS, 1 February 2018