The Department of Agriculture in Ireland has announced that China has discovered 23 tonnes this week of frozen Irish pork and there are probably still untraced consignments in circulation.

The contaminants were detected at high levels between 80 and 200 times the recommended safety limit.

The pork was imported through the Shanghai Customs on October 30. China's entry-exit and quarantine inspectors detained about 312 tonnes of Irish pork products across the country, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) said in December. Chinese inspectors sealed the pork and ordered the firm to send it back.

The department's spokesman said "contaminated pork turning up here and there and are still in the process of recalling the meat so this is bound to still be happening".  He added that there are some consignments in other countries which have still not been recalled.