Cake destruction reports are half-baked Euro-lies, says EU

No ban on eating cakes at shows, says commission

IRISH PEOPLE can still have their cake and eat it, says the European Commission, which has described as "Euro-lies" reports that competition cakes at agricultural shows would have to be destroyed after judging.

It was reported that new European Union regulations had banned the consumption of cakes and confectionery at country fairs and agricultural shows after baking competitions.

But Martin Territt, director of the European Commission representation in Ireland, said EU rules covered only food businesses, so agricultural shows were free to go on having traditional cake competitions.

"This story is a typical Euro-lie and is completely false.

"There are no EU rules banning the eating of cakes at agricultural shows.

"Any rules are only there to cover businesses. In fact, they specifically protect agricultural cake fairs and other traditional events," he said.

"People producing food occasionally and on a small scale are not covered by the rules.

"The 'new' EU food hygiene legislation was written into Irish law in 2006 (SI369/2006).

"There is no national scheme covering cake competitions at fairs or shows," Mr Territt said in a statement.

"Operations such as the occasional handling, preparation, storage and serving of food by private persons at events such as church, school or village fairs are not covered by the scope of the Regulation," the statement added.

It had been claimed that following adjudication of cakes, the items had to be destroyed immediately and that the rules were already in force in Scotland.

In a statement yesterday, the Scottish Food Standards Agency said there was nothing in EU legislation which prevented the consumption of competition cakes after judging.

But, it said, as with all safe food preparation, basic principles of hygiene should be followed.

"A common sense approach should be taken and obviously if there are cream cakes and they have been left sitting without any temperature control then clearly they should not be eaten," it added.

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times