The second round of the IFA and Identigen’s pork DNA testing scheme is getting under way this week, with a specific focus on assessing how Irish is the bacon on sale in butchers.

Independent butchers as well as chains such as the Butcher’s Block will be targeted in the new round of sampling. Retailers, again, will also be tested. The initial results of the DNA scheme were announced in November last year and showed that over half of non-Bord Bia Quality Assurance (QA) bacon products on Irish supermarket shelves were found not to be Irish.

The results also showed that Dunnes Stores, in particular, had a poor record for using Irish bacon for its St Bernard own label brand. The IFA and Identigen sampled 300 bacon products.

The sampling involves taking pigmeat samples and then comparing the results against a complete DNA database of Irish boars.

Non-Bord Bia QA bacon products account for approximately 25% of the pigmeat market in Ireland.

Separately, Carroll Cuisine continues to be excluded from the Bord Bia Quality Assurance (QA) scheme for ham. In November, the Irish Farmers Journal revealed that Carroll Cuisine had been excluded from the QA scheme over a “technical” issue with Rosderra.

Managing director of Carroll Cuisine John Comerford explained at the time the issue arose when “some pigmeat from Rosderra which was Bord Bia approved product was smoked in a plant which is not a member” of the Bord Bia QA scheme.

However, the Irish Farmers Journal understands that a meeting is scheduled to take place in the coming days to discuss Carroll Cuisine’s re-entry into the Bord Bia QA scheme.