§ 37. Mr. K. Robinsonasked the Minister of Health when he ordered the withdrawal from distribution of corned beef produced by Establishment 1819 in Cordoba and imported during 1963, and for what reasons; how much was condemned by port health inspectors after landing, how much passed and how much has been recovered to date; what brands were involved; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. BarberMy Chief Medical Officer circularised medical officers of health about the withdrawal of 6 lb. cans of "Andes" brand on 15th June, and about all such cans of all brands from Argentina Establishment 1819 on 22nd June; this was done as a precautionary measure because food-poisoning organisms had been isolated from an unopened sample of "Andes" brand, and because of information from the Argentine authorities. Information is not centrally available to answer the other points raised.
45. Mrs. Butlerasked the Minister of Health on approximately what dates the typhoid outbreaks at Harlow, South Shields, and Bedford in 1963 were first attributed to corned beef.
§ Mr. BarberMay, June and October. But evidence did not accumulate until the end of October to justify attribution to meat infected in the can.