The carbon dioxide shortage will start affecting some supplies to supermarkets this weekend, the Food and Drink Federation has warned.
CO2 is used to stun farm animals, put fizz in carbonated drinks and is used in packaging, but is in short supply.
Federation chief executive Ian Wright said carbon dioxide supplies were not expected to resume until next week.
He said that while stocks would not run out, “choice will be eroded”.
Mr Wright told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We will see fewer chicken dishes, fewer pork and bacon dishes.
“We’ll see probably less carbonated drinks and certainly bakery and other things that benefit from what’s called modified atmosphere packaging, which is plastic packaging with a tray underneath and a dish of food in them.”
A number of companies have reported disruption to production because of the shortage.
Warburton’s, the UK’s biggest producer of crumpets, said it has been forced to halt production at two of its four plants.
The company uses carbon dioxide to give its crumpets a longer shelf life and prevent mould.
The British Retail Consortium said: “We are aware of specific pressures in some areas such as carbonated soft drinks, beer, British chicken and British pork but the majority of food products are unaffected and retailers do not anticipate food shortages.
“However, it is likely that the mix of products available may be affected.”
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The Food and Drink Federation’s Mr Wright said that even if supplies of CO2 resumed next week, it would take some time before it made its way to food and drink producers.
“Inventories of products have been eroded quite a lot over the last week and not many people keep very large stocks of products because it is not cost-efficient,” he explained.
Scotland’s biggest abattoir is closed and other meat producers are considering adapting their products to use less CO2.
Some food and drink firms have asked whether the government could help alleviate the problem.
Mr Wright said ministers could ask suppliers that have stopped production for maintenance to put factories back into production.
What is the problem?
CO2 is widely used in the food processing and drinks industries. It puts the fizz into beer, cider and soft drinks, and is used in food packaging to extend the shelf life of salads, fresh meat and poultry.
The gas is also used to stun pigs and chickens before slaughter, and create dry ice to help keep things chilled while in transit.
However, several UK and mainland European producers of carbon dioxide – a by-product from ammonia production that is used in the fertiliser industry – closed for maintenance or scaled down operations.
In the UK, only two of five plants that supply CO2 are operating at the moment.
What are the pubs saying?
Earlier in the week, the Wetherspoon and Ei Group pub chains reported they had temporarily run out, or were short of, brands including John Smith’s, Strongbow, Amstel and Birra Moretti.
However, on Thursday, Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said brewers were “working their socks off around the clock to ensure there is still plenty of beer to go around”.
Source: www.bbc.com
