Britain checking whether bird flu meat in shops

LONDON, Feb 9 (Reuters) Britain's Food Standards Agency is checking whether meat contaminated with the bird flu virus has reached shops, a spokeswoman today said.

''We are investigating at the moment. If infected meat had got into the food chain it wouldn't be a safety risk to consumers,'' she said. ''If it was found that this meat had got into the food chain it would be illegal and we would take appropriate action.'' REUTERS SY RAI1917