Owner defends bakery after product recall

The FSA said products were being recalled on ‘a precautionary basis, because of possible rodent infestation’.

Last Friday the FSA issued a product recall on fresh breads with best before date April 15, cakes, buns and traybakes with best before date 10 May and shortbread/flakemeal biscuits with best before date August 82013.

“If you have bought one of these products listed, please do not eat it,” said a FSA statement.

However Kingshill Bakery owner Billy Cunningham is adamant his premises is pristine and clean.

Mr Cunningham said the matter related to the possibility of one mouse being detected on the premises.

And he said he had received almost 70 calls of support from customers following the recall notice.

Mr Cunningham said: “I have been in business 25 years. I have never had a problem regarding hygiene standards.

“We take public health and hygiene standards very seriously. I am proud of the high standards of hygiene that exist in our bakery premises, which is a new purpose built factory unit.

“I employ a very reputable pest control company who regularly inspect the premises.

“I am of the opinion that this one off incident in a back store in the bakery may have originated from an outside source.”

A spokesperson for Craigavon Borough Council said: “We can confirm that Craigavon Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department has worked closely with the NI Food Standards Agency and Kingshill Bakery, Waringstown regarding the recent infestation.

“We can confirm the FSA issued a product recall information notice on April 12 on a precautionary basis for various products with the Bakery contacting their retail customers.

“Products affected included all fresh bread best before April 15, 2013, cakes buns and tray bakes best before May 10, 2013 and shortbread/flakemeal biscuits best before August 8, 2013. If anyone has any of these items they should return them to the shop or store where they will be issued with a refund.

“We can also confirm that following improvements undertaken by the Bakery, it is now fully operational again. The Environmental Health team continues to work proactively in protecting the public health and ensuring the highest of hygiene standards in food manufacturing premises within the borough.”