We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
TWO FOOD BUSINESSES were ordered to close this month by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
One business, operating through a website called ‘www.FatBurney.com’, was marketing and selling a dangerous chemical used for weight loss.
2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP) is not intended for human consumption and the FSAI said its use has “serious and unpredictable side effects, including death”.
The FSAI closure orders in January were given to:
The website was ordered to cease its activities immediately due to a “failure to comply with food legislation” by marketing and selling DNP.
Commenting on the closure, the chief executive of the FSAI Dr Pamela Byrne said there are “serious health risks” when taking slimming products bought online that aren’t linked to registered food businesses.
“We are urging consumers to remain very cautious and to only buy from established food businesses,” Dr Byrne said.
She said DNP is a “highly toxic industrial chemical which has been abused as a ‘fat burner’ to achieve rapid weight loss”.
“It is illegal for DNP to be sold for use as a weight loss product and it is not allowed in food,” she said.
“Its use has serious and unpredictable side effects, including death. There has been one recorded death in Ireland in 2015 and the UK National Poisons Information Service has recorded 32 deaths in the UK from 2007 to date.”
In terms of the butcher oubuilding in Wicklow, the entire premises was ordered to close.
It said it was operating “without registration or approval”. It did not have the necessary approvals for the “handling of wild game and the production of meat preparations and meat products from wild game meat”.
The FSAI letter stated that there were rodent droppings in the storage cupboards and a bowl in the processing area, showing “inadequate procedures in place” to control pests.
The meat products had been produced from wild game meat where the carcasses “had not undergone veterinary post-mortem examination”, meaning the meat used wasn’t demonstrably fit for human consumption.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
My father used to cook a Christmas turkey for an old bachelor farmer who lived nearby. One night around new years, we went back to his for drops of whiskey after the pub. He asked us if we’d like some turkey sandwiches.We said Christ, we would. When he brought them out to us, he said: “Sorry they’re so sparse on the meat lads, but there’s a little rateen in there in the kitchen and he has most of that Turkey ate,” Lol. True story!
Shocking, preying on people’s insecurities, no one needs to diet that much, well done FSA.
What is the brand name of the wild game meat supplier? We eat game & I want to make sure its not the same company that produces the wild game meat that we buy.
@Grainne Hughes Bray: “Unregistered” https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/meat-sent-for-destruction-following-discovery-of-deer-processing-business/
@Grainne Hughes Bray: Just put the company name listed on your packaging into Google search and you should get results from there.
2,4-Dinitrophenol : “When in a dry form, it is a high explosive and has an instantaneous explosion hazard.”
That’ll shift stubborn day alright
@Pat Reilly: *stubborn fat.
Autocorrect fail.
@Pat Reilly: Lol. Operation detonation.
@Pat Reilly: also known as Brady’s reagent
@Pat Reilly: yikes
@Vonvonic: explosive diarrhoea
@Ross Cleary: no sheet
have your say