Kosher meals were returned to British Airways flights from Heathrow and Gatwick on Monday after the airline temporarily pulled the provisions over �potential hygiene problems�.

Passengers flying between late last Friday until early Monday were left without their usual Hermolis snacks after food sent by the company to India thawed out and was then refrozen.

The airline acted after was being alerted to worrying laboratory test results on the food. But further tests on Hermolis products have proved all clear and within minutes, the airline had placed fresh orders with the company.

Moishe Lisser, managing director of Hermolis UK, told TJ: �There was a minor issue over the weekend in an overseas lab regarding meals that were thawed out and refrozen. The laboratory produced results which were not acceptable but both ourselves and BA did our own tests and all samples were of an excellent standard.�

He added that it was a day between the follow-up results and when the food returned to flights worldwide as planes are prepared a day early.

Confirming that Hermolis meals had now returned to its flights from the two major airports, a BA spokesman said there is �no problem�.

Earlier, she said that �due to potential hygiene problems with our supplier at Heathrow and Gatwick�, vegetarian meals and fruit platters were being offered as an alternative. �We apologise for the inconvenience to those passengers affected.� she said.

However, challenged on why alternative kosher food could not be provided, a spokesman said: �In common with any other business we wouldn�t start using a new supplier at a moment�s notice because we have to make sure they comply with our health and safety.� Any complaints from passengers would be looked at on an �individual basis�.

TJC