Cheese workers axed amid E.coli row

A CHEESE firm at the centre of an E.coli outbreak claim has laid off 12 workers due to a ban on sales of its products.

Errington Cheese has been forced to lay off the workers three months after it was forced to stop selling its cheeses following an outbreak of the E.coli 0157 bug which led to the death of a child.

The firm’s owner, Humphrey Errington, has vowed to fight Food Standards Scotland in the courts over the ban and has said it faces complete closure unless it is allowed to restart production and resume sale of its existing stock.

The national E.coli outbreak was linked to the eating of gourmet cheese and 22 people were infected.

Food Standards Scotland imposed the ban following the outbreak of E.coli, but Mr Errington says the food watchdog has still failed to show any evidence.

In the face of Mr Errington seeking a judicial review, the firm says FSS has now withdrawn an order that stocks of Dunsyre Blue cheese should be destroyed. However, the ban on sale and production of all the firm’s products remains in place.

Mr Errington said: “We have carried out our own tests and found no trace of E.coli 0157.

“We are therefore continuing to seek a judicial review at the Court of Session in order that Food Standards Scotland’s evidence is made public and open to scrutiny.

“They say it could take six months to finalise its report, but by that time our cheese will have to be destroyed and our business will be finished.”