The enforcement action preventing Russell Hume from processing and distributing meat products has been lifted at one of their sites after assurances that their food safety management system met the legal requirements were satisfied.
The business will be allowed to resume production and distribution of products to customers but only from their Liverpool site. The other sites cannot restart production until the same assurances are met.
Production and distribution was halted at all Russell Hume sites over two weeks ago until the business could provide assurances they were complying with relevant legislation.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) announced on 1 February that their investigations into the major non-compliances found at the plants was intensifying. The investigation will be looking into all aspects of the business to establish more details about the serious and widespread problems so far identified and will determine whether additional enforcement action should be taken.
The FSA and FSS have worked with the business to address concerns raised by their investigation. As a result, they have been assured that food being produced at the Liverpool site is compliant. FSA staff will remain present during operations.
The lifting of the statutory notice will have no impact on this ongoing investigation and staff for both organisations remain present at sites in England and Scotland.
The FSA and FSS continues to work with the business to assess the status of the measures which remain in place at the other sites preventing production and distribution.