The body responsible for promoting Irish food is rolling out a digital strategy intended to reassure UK shoppers about the quality of the country's beef.

The campaign follows a series of health scares in the Republic. In December 2008, the Irish government recalled all domestic pork products after dioxins were found in slaughtered pigs thought to have been given contaminated feed.

Soon after, it emerged that some cattle had also received contaminated food. The risk to humans was deemed low and beef products were not removed from shelves. However, meat from nine farms hit by the problem was kept out of the food chain as a precaution.

The Irish food board, Bord Bia, has now hired marketing agency Spinnaker to create a campaign focusing on the way that Ireland’s climate and lush pastures allow cattle to graze for longer, which it claims gives the meat a unique flavour. The agency was appointed after a three-way pitch handled by creativebrief.

It is the first time that Bord Bia has used digital marketing and social media to promote Irish produce in the UK.

In March, the Board ran a UK campaign centred on on-pack promotions, including a competition to win Le Creuset cookware and cooking holidays in Ireland. The push was created by The Big Kick.

Bord Bia was formed in 1994 to promote Irish food, drink and horticulture globally and develop more markets for the nation’s suppliers.

Separately, Eblex, which markets English beef and lamb, is sponsoring ITV1’s daytime amateur cookery programme, Britain’s Best Dish.

The idents, which promote meat from the Red Tractor quality scheme, feature simple beef and lamb recipes. The sponsorship starts this week.