The Maltese authorities are monitoring developments in the contaminated-meat scare in Ireland, which has now spread from pork to beef, and will inform the public accordingly, the Rural Affairs Ministry said yesterday. A spokesman said the chief veterinary officer Tony Gruppetta was establishing whether beef products or livestock had been imported from Ireland.

The British media yesterday reported that three beef farms have become embroiled in the scare that has already devastated Ireland's pork industry, as cancer-causing dioxins were found in 11 cattle herds tested.

Irish agriculture officials also confirmed that the contaminated animals, which ate oil-tainted food, were being taken out of the food chain. But there were no plans to take the Irish beef products off the shelves.

The reports quoted Irish officials saying the public should not be worried as levels of dioxins found in the beef were only two to three times above safe limits, compared to 200 times for the pig meat.

The meat became contaminated after breadcrumbs supplied to 56 farms in the Republic of Ireland and nine farms in Northern Ireland were tainted by unlicensed oil used in a burner. Since dioxins were first found in Irish pig meat, products have been recalled from 21 countries. More than 1,700 pig factory workers lost their jobs only three days into the crisis.

Maltese consumers have been advised not to consume Irish pork and bacon products at this time as a precautionary measure, although the tainted products are not likely to have reached the local market.

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