Parents shocked by revelation of pork DNA in Halal Lamb Burgers in Leicester Schools
Parents are shocked by revelations of pork DNA found in Halal lamb burgers that have been fed to Muslim children in Leicester Schools. Halal lamb burgers supplied by Paragon Quality Foods were found to be contaminated with up to 50% pork.
HMC has for the past decade campaigned for independent continuous monitoring and inspection of Halal food production for the Muslim community to safeguard their religious diet.
Leicester City Council (LCC) statement clarification
The LCC statements over the past 48 hours have unfortunately caused confusion in the community with the mention of the current supplies being certified by the Halal Monitoring Committee, both in their letter to parents and their answers to FMO questions.
As a point of clarification, the Halal Monitoring Committee does not certify any halal meat and poultry in Leicester City Council schools. In fact, the current supplier to LCC, Punjab Kitchens has clarified in writing to HMC that they do not claim to be certified by HMC.
For clarity, the adopted standards by the LCC do not include a requirement for continuous and independent monitoring to provide supply chain assurance, whereas the Halal Monitoring Committees’ system would require all certified organisations to be subject toindependent and continuous inspection.
HMC is the largest Halal certification body in the UK. It inspects and monitors over 80 Abattoirs and Processing Plants nationally and daily. For information, HMC offers a school meals certification system already and currently certifies schools across the UK (see www.halalhmc.org for more information).
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Linked Stories:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-22479712
http://www.fmo.org.uk/index.php/component/newsfeeds/154
HMC Response to pork DNA found in Halal burgers.
Extract of Statement made by Leicester City Council (LCC) 9th May 2013
“The Council is in receipt of a written assurance from February 2013 that all poultry products supplied to the Punjab Kitchen Limited are 100% HMC (Halal Monitoring Committee) certified with production overseen by an independent and impartial HMC Inspector through all production. The Council also understands that Punjab Kitchen lamb products supplied to City Catering are sourced from HMC cutting plants & abattoirs.”
