Probe into cancer drug in chickens

A TOP Northern Ireland farm yesterday launched a probe to find out how a potentially cancer-causing drug was found in some of its chickens.

Moy Park is liaising with officials from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs after traces of the banned veterinary medicine nitrofuran was found in organic meat sold by leading supermarkets. Traces were discovered during routine checks at its factory in Dungannon, Co Tyrone.

Even though the Food Standards Agency believed the risk from eating the chicken is low, up to 23 tonnes of the affected birds have been distributed across Britain and been sold by major retailers Tesco, Waitrose and Morrisons.