Pork-tainted‘halal’ pies from Strabane

McColgan’s Quality Foods Limited has been named by prisons food supplier 3663 as the source of pies that contained traces of pork DNA.

“3663 would like to clarify that the very small number of halal savoury beef pastry products that have been withdrawn from supply were only ever distributed to custodial establishments,” a spokesperson for the firm stated.

“The products in question are from one particular food manufacturer, McColgan Quality Foods Limited, and have not been distributed to any other customer.”

McColgan’s said it was co-operating with the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

“McColgan’s has already taken swift measures to identify, isolate and withdraw all of the products which are supplied to The Prison Service while an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding this deeply regrettable and unforeseen incident takes place.”

“McColgan’s is keen to stress that at no point has pork of any kind been included in the recipes of any of the halal-certified products it supplies,” the firm stated.

Pork is considered haraam under Islamic law and is not eaten by observant muslims.