Cancer fears over milk near pyre sites
Cancer fears over milk near pyre sites
By Donald MacPhail
FARMERS will learn this month whether cancer-causing chemicals have been found in milk from animals which grazed near to foot-and-mouth funeral pyres.
Food safety watchdogs have advised that there may be a "slightly higher, although very small" risk to people who consume whole milk and whole milk products from animals that grazed near pyres.
Farmers and direct customers within 2km of pyres who drink their own milk are affected, advises the Food Standards Agency.
The chemicals accumulate only in fat, which means that skimmed milk or semi-skimmed milk and products made from these ingredients are unaffected, said the agency.
Most milk and milk products sold to consumers are unaffected because they are bulked, diluting any dioxins.
Concerned consumers have been told to vary their diet to include milk and milk products from other sources until tests on milk, soil, eggs and grass are completed. Preliminary results of tests were expected within days. Final results are expected at the end of the month.
Dairy industry representatives emphasised FSA assurances that the advice was highly precautionary and unlikely to lead to health concerns. Jill Eisberg, Dairy Council head of communications, said: "There are no implications for the general consumer and the Dairy Council can assure the public that the quality of milk they buy from retailers or milkmen will remain the same."
In a statement, the NFU said risks associated with dioxins arise from long-term exposure so any short-term rise will be insignificant.
Monitoring has shown that the concentration of dioxins found in the air in these rural areas over the year would be no higher than in urban areas, it said.
Meanwhile, concerns that dioxin levels could affect meat have been played down by the FSA and environmental campaigners. An FSA spokesman said: "Its fair to say that dioxins do accumulate in fat but as the build up is very slow this is a secondary concern. They accumulate much more quickly in full fat milk."
The agency was focussing its efforts on dairy produce because it was thought test results would be available before meat could be affected, said the spokesman.
Friends of the Earth campaigns director Mike Childs added: "There is a potential risk as dioxins build up in fat, but the risk would be reduced by the propensity not to eat fat from meat." *