Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 42: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she intends to undertake a review of food safety procedures in view of the fact that so many products on sale here have been found to contain the carcinogenic, Sudan Red 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6952/05]

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 59: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken to ensure that all food products containing the banned carcinogenic, Sudan Red 1, are removed from all shops and that consumers are alerted to the dangers from products they may have in their homes containing the substance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7052/05]

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 129: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if she will make a statement on the recent food scare caused by the use of Sudan Red 1 in a variety of foods; and the measures which have been introduced to safeguard against these types of incidents. [6983/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 42, 59 and 129 together.

Sudan Red 1 is a synthetically produced red dye normally used for colouring solvents, oils, waxes, petrol and shoe and floor polishes. In May 2003, through the European rapid alert system, authorities across the EU became aware that Sudan Red 1 had been used illegally to enhance the colour of chilli powder and thereby increase its commercial value. The use of colourants in foods is strictly regulated and only those on an approved list can be used and then only under restricted circumstances. Sudan Red 1 is not on an approved list and therefore its use in foodstuffs is banned.

Following the detection of the dye, a risk analysis was conducted and this led to new EU rules which were introduced in July 2003. These rules require that chilli powder imported into the EU must be tested and certified to be free of Sudan Red 1. In addition to the import checks, member states are required to carry out testing of products on the market. The developments at EU level from May to July 2003 had the effect of introducing a more rigorous monitoring system for a dye that was already banned.

The batch of contaminated chilli powder at the centre of the recent food recalls was imported into the UK from India in 2002, prior to the introduction of the protective measures. The contaminated batch was used in the production of Worcester sauce which, in turn, was sold to almost 200 food businesses and used as an ingredient in about 470 food products. Contaminated food products were then distributed to at least 15 countries around the world, including Ireland, and this led to the series of product recalls that we have seen recently.

Following the receipt of information from the Food Standards Agency in the UK regarding the detection of the dye in Worcester sauce, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, worked with Irish food manufacturers, distributors and retailers in order to ensure the immediate removal of any contaminated products from the market. The FSAI is satisfied that in all cases contaminated products were removed from shelves as soon as they were identified. A major media campaign was undertaken by the FSAI to ensure that consumers were informed of the products identified and advised to throw out contaminated products or return them to the shop where they had been purchased. A press release containing the full list of identified products was issued and the FSAI updated the list as further information was received. A measure of the success of this publicity campaign can be seen in the fact that almost 22,000 hits were recorded in a single day on the FSAI website and the consumer help line dealt with in excess of 1,300 phone calls over the period.

I am satisfied that the FSAI acted rapidly and responsibly in the interests of consumers by providing full information and by working with other agencies and the food industry to ensure that affected products were speedily removed from the market. The scale of this recall and withdrawal is unprecedented and, in these circumstances, I believe that the comprehensive and timely response by all concerned, provides clear evidence that our food control systems are sound.

I can confirm that the effectiveness of our food control measures will be kept under continuing review and to this end the FSAI has been asked to undertake an appraisal of the Irish response to the Sudan Red 1 problem to ascertain the lessons, if any, which can be learned.