Cooked ham should not be eaten unless its source can be verified, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has warned following an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in the north-east. The outbreak has hospitalised 10 people out of 25 confirmed cases so far.
A processing plant in Navan, Co Meath, Augherskea Meats, is being investigated by the North Eastern Health Board as the possible source of infection. Most of its ham is distributed through supermarkets and delicatessens where it is sold as loose slices or pre-packed under the brand name Augherskea. It does not carry any other brand name.
The company, which distributes its products throughout the Republic but mainly in the northeast, has closed its plant at Carriage Road, Navan, and with drawn its products from sale. As cases are spread over a wide area of Meath and Louth, and more cases are suspected in other regions, the outbreak is of particular concern, according to FSAI director of communications Ms Eilis O'Brien. Very young and older people are most susceptible to infection, which can develop over 24 hours with a range of symptoms including vomiting, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.
The type responsible for the outbreak is a strain which caused two very large outbreaks in the Republic during the summer of 1998. It can be especially problematic if it is found to be resistant to a series of antibiotics, as is often the case. It had yet to be verified if it is resistant, she said.
She added: "Consumers with loose sliced ham in their fridges should contact their retailer and should only eat the ham if it is confirmed that it is not from Augherskea. Retailers with supplies should remove them from counters and contact their supplier directly."
Augherskea Meats director Mr Fergus Dunne said his company regretted very much the product withdrawal was considered necessary but stressed they had fully co-operated with the health board after it was notified of a possible problem on Thursday afternoon. "We wish to assure the public that a full investigation is under way to determine the source of contamination. At this stage, it is not possible to determine if, in fact, the contamination occurred at Augherskea's premises."
Tracing the ham is relatively easy in terms of identifying retailers selling the product, but there is an obvious difficulty for consumers who may have bought sliced ham and may not know its source, the FSAI spokeswoman confirmed. Equally, it was important that retailers who have sold Augherskea product to be especially thorough in cleaning their cooked meat slicers, Ms O'Brien said.
Augherskea Meats produces about 350 cooked hams a week. Some 10 per cent of its product is sold as pre-packed slices of ham with the brand name clearly identifiable on the packaging. It does not have its own pig farms, Mr Dunne said. With outbreaks of this type, the initial source is usually traced back to a pig herd.
Two helplines have been set up to assist the public. The FSAI helpline is 1800 33 66 77, while the North Eastern Health Board helpline is 1800 44 54 40 - it will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including this weekend.
