Cheese linked to E.coli outbreak seized by council

The cheese was seized from Errington Cheese in Carnwath, Lanarkshire

A batch of cheese linked to a fatal E.coli outbreak has been seized by Scottish council officers.

South Lanarkshire Council said a batch of Lanark Blue was taken from Errington Cheese and court approval was being sought to have it destroyed.

Officials said the cheese had tested positive for E.coli and was "unfit for human consumption".

Errington Cheese has repeatedly insisted its products are safe and that food safety is its "highest priority".

As hundreds of cheeses were loaded into vans, the firm said they had raised concerns with the council that there has been a "mix-up" in testing.

Court battle

The local authority has also served 21-day detention notices on the cheesemaker's batches of Corra Linn.

It said it wanted to carry out further testing to establish whether they are "unsafe".

Officials are also considering the producer's proposal to put Dunsyre Blue back on the market, so long as it is clearly labelled as a raw ingredient which required cooking.

Errington Cheese was linked to an E.coli outbreak in July last year in which a three-year-old girl from Dunbartonshire died. A total of 11 people received treatment in hospital.

In September, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) imposed a ban on all cheese produced by the firm. People were advised not to eat the cheese and to return it to the seller.

In a statement, the council said their "clear and primary objective" was to protect public health.

South Lanarkshire Council is considering allowing Dunsyre Blue to be put back on the market

Michael McGlynn, the council's executive director of community and enterprise, added: "Throughout this process we have sought to carry out that important duty while acting appropriately and proportionately in terms of the food alert for action issued by Food Standards Scotland and the relevant food legislation.

"We are continuing to do this through today's actions.

"To ensure public health we are removing one type of cheese which tests have identified as unsafe and we will seek to put this cheese before a sheriff asking that they be condemned.

"However, we will continue to undertake thorough testing and analysis to determine whether it is appropriate to allow Errington Cheese to market the remaining products."

The council's action came a week after the Carnwath-based producer won the latest round of a court battle against the sales ban.

The interim order was designed to force the council to either abandon the case against them or initiate new proceedings under food hygiene regulations.

Food journalist Joanna Blythman, from the Committee for the Defence of Artisan Foods which supports Errington Cheese, said they welcomed the council's action.

She said: "We feel very strongly on the committee that it has to go to court and there has to be maximum transparency and scrutiny of Food Standards Scotland's behaviour in this case so we're really looking forward to seeing the outcome of that.

"As I understand it, there will be senior microbiologists who really understand the science making expert submissions to the court."