Russell Hume site allowed to resume production
Russell Hume’s Liverpool site has been allowed to resume production, after assurances that its food safety management system met the legal requirements were satisfied, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced.
Having lifted the enforcement action preventing Russell Hume from processing and distributing meat products, the business will be allowed to resume production and distribution of products to customers but only from that one site.
The other sites cannot restart production until the same assurances are met, FSA has stated.
Russell Hume, known for supplying products such as steak, is being investigated by FSA. (Picture is a stock steak image, not a Russell Hume product.)
The lifting of the statutory notice will have no impact on the ongoing FSA and Food Standards Scotland investigation, which is continuing, and staff from both organisations remain present at sites in England and Scotland.
According to the regulator, the decision has been taken on the basis that it is now assured that the food being produced at the Liverpool site complies with the relevant legislation.
In a statement it added that FSA staff will remain present during operations.
Production and distribution was halted at all Russell Hume sites over two weeks ago and, during this time, FSA and FSS have worked with the business to address concerns raised by its previous investigation.
FSA commented: “The action taken has been proportionate and we recognise the potential impact on the business and peoples’ livelihoods.”
FSA and FSS stated they will continue to work with the business to assess the status of the measures which remain in place at the other sites preventing production and distribution.
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