Cannabidiol oil (CBD) has been withdrawn from the market in Ireland after being processed in an unregistered establishment.
CBD Hugold’s oils were removed after processing at a location where operations had not been reported to authorities.
In addition, the products contain concentrated CBD, which is an unauthorized novel food. A novel food is a food or ingredient that was not available in the EU to a significant extent before May 1997.
The safety of concentrated CBD and the products containing it have not been assessed and should not be on the European market, said the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI).
As the processing facility is not registered, there are no basic procedures for food safety, hygiene and traceability.
All dates and batch codes of Hugold 4% CBD oil of 15 and 30 milliliters, Immuno CBD oil, Femmi CBD oil, Sacred oil and White Feather Sacred oil are affected.
An extended alert includes all batches and dates of Deus Gold Full Spectrum Hemp Oil 30 millimeters, as the CBD oil used in its production comes from Hugold’s unregistered site. The FSAI advised people not to consume the batches involved.
Execution figures
The FSAI has also released figures showing that 59 execution orders were issued to companies for non-compliance with food safety legislation in 2021.
This increased from 42 in 2020, but mainly reflects the reopening of many food businesses after long periods of temporary closures due to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 47 closure orders, two improvement orders and 10 ban orders were issued by environmental health officers of the Health Service Executive (HSE), veterinary inspectors of local authorities and FSAI officials in companies food.
Recurring problems included activity testing and pest infestation; poor knowledge of the basic rules of hygiene and food safety; inadequate facilities for the hygiene and cleanliness of staff within the business; and inadequate temperature control in food storage and preparation.
Pamela Byrne, executive director of FSAI, said many reasons for enforcement orders cover basic food safety and hygiene requirements and should not happen in any business.
“There is absolutely no excuse for negligent food practices at any time. Enforcement orders are given to food companies only when a serious risk to the health of the consumer has been established or when there is a series of d ‘serious breaches of food law,’ he said.
“All food companies need to recognize that they are legally required to ensure that the food they produce is safe to eat and that they implement and support a strong culture of food security within the business.”
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)
