It may take another two to three weeks for carbon dioxide supplies to return to normal levels, triggering a likely shortage of meat for consumers.
Carbon dioxide gas shortages may affect the supply of meat and meat products to UK consumers as it is widely used in the meat processing industry.
The shortages are more likely to impact the meat industry than other sectors because the knock on effects can occur further back in the food supply chain, which could be heavily disrupted.
Carbon dioxide gas is used for gas-flushed and modified atmosphere product packaging and also as a humane method of stunning at the point of slaughter.
A shortage of CO2 gas will therefore affect a wide variety of foods from cooked and fresh meat and ready meals through to pre-packaged salads.
Nick Allen, the chief executive of the British Meat Producers’ Association, said the CO2 shortage was continuing to cause "considerable disruption" throughout the supply chain.
Mr Allen said it could take two to three weeks for supplies to return to normal.
“We are hoping that the increase in CO2 production will happen quickly. We have a number of plants that will be in difficulty by the end of the week if supplies do not materialise and it will be very difficult to keep everyone stocked with meat,” he told The Guardian.
“We are still expecting plants to be experiencing problems over the next two to three weeks until normal supplies are fully restored.”
The shortage in supplies has led a Scottish meat-body to give Scotland's biggest pig processor a temporary derogation which will see its pigs processed south of the border, in England.
