UK: Pork traces in Halal chicken sausages

Pork DNA has been found in Halal chicken sausages that have been served in at least one primary school in west London.

Westminster Council has immediately removed the product from all school menus and had instructed its contractor to temporarily cease supplying meat until the issue was resolved. The problem came to light after the authority decided to carry out its own proactive tests on food contamination in the wake of the horse meat scandal.

The testing, which involved analysis for the presence of DNA from beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, goat and horse, all proved negative for horse DNA. However, a preliminary report suggested pig DNA could be present in the Halal chicken sausages range and eating pork is forbidden under Islamic law. A spokesman for the sharia halal board said that this failed Muslims in the borough in a great way.

The Halal sausages were a menu choice in 15 primary schools, two nurseries, one special school and one pupil referral unit, all of which took Halal-only meat. An investigation has been launched to establish how the contamination arose.