(Adds caterer's comments)

The Health Department said this afternoon that prompt action was taken after a nurse yesterday reported finding part of the head of a mouse while eating vegetables at the hospital canteen.

Health inspectors were on the scene quickly to verify the report . Since the vegetables had been imported from Belgium after being processed in the Netherlands, the Public Health Inspectorate informed the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed to investigate this batch on the European market.

Contact was also made with the supplier, the stores were inspected and the remaining packets of that consignment were sealed.

The inspectorate will be taking action against the person responsible, in terms of the law, the Health Department said.

The canteen caterer in a statement said that the vegetables served in the meals were frozen packed in the Netherlands and imported from Belgium.

All stock coming from the supplier concerned had been destroyed, all ties had been cut, and legal action was being considered.

The caterer explained that health inspectors happened to be making an inspection of the canteen on the same day of the incident. They had found the canteen and kitchen to be up to all the catering standards required by EU legislation.

The caterer said he was completely confident that the incident did not arise in-house.

The Health Department in a second statement said the caterer at the Mater Dei Hospital canteen who provided meals for the workers was not the caterer who provided the patient meals.