Food Safety Authorities Update on Meat Product Authenticity Scandal

21 Jan 2013 --- Given that the survey’s findings did not indicate a food safety risk for consumers, the FSAI was not required to communicate the findings via the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (as would be normal procedure in international food safety incidents). The findings did not require a mandatory withdrawal of implicated products from sale by either the food manufacturers or retailers. However, they did this rapidly in the interests of their customers’ expectations.

The FSAI survey identified equine DNA in ten of 27 samples of burger products, from three (two in Ireland, one in the UK) of the ten production plants (seven in Ireland, two in the UK) whose beef burger products were sampled. In nine of the ten positive samples, the amount of equine DNA found is at trace or very low levels. Given that the plants in question do not handle horse meat products, these results indicate some cross contamination along the food ingredient supply chain, rather than adulteration. In one sample, the amount of equine DNA found to be present is more significant and this is a matter of investigation. Testing of product and ingredients is ongoing and officials are systematically checking any possible routes of entry which might provide an explanation. 

 

In the interests of food safety, as part of the survey, the FSAI conducted testing for the presence of phenylbutazone in those equine DNA positive samples. Phenylbutazone is a veterinary medicine commonly administered to horses and horses treated with this drug are excluded by law from the food chain. All the tests for phenylbutazone were negative. 

 

To check the safety, purity, integrity or authenticity of the food we eat, both producers and regulators use laboratory analysis. The methods available range from the very simple to highly sophisticated. The range, speed, accuracy and reliability of tests is constantly evolving and improving to the extent that we can now not only detect, but quantify very tiny amounts of chemical and biological materials. For instance, measurements of substances at levels such as one part per million, per billion or per trillion are commonplace. 

 

The FSAI engaged two private laboratories which used a DNA-based technique - the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)- to detect the presence or absence of bovine, porcine or equine DNA in samples of meat products purchased in retail stores. The initial tests were qualitative where the absence or presence of DNA from the three different species was determined. Samples which tested positive for equine DNA (expressed as “trace” in certain instances) were subjected to quantitative testing to estimate the amount of equine DNA relative to bovine DNA. When results are expressed as less than the limit of quantification (<LOQ), the level of DNA in a sample is present at such low levels that it is not quantifiable, and for all practical purposes can be considered as negligible.

 

The detection of trace amounts of non-bovine DNA highlights the need for food processors to be more vigilant about the integrity of food ingredients and the potential for cross contamination in plants where meat from multiple species is handled. 

 

With regard to labelling, under EU legislation, where the horse or pork meat is used as an ingredient or part of a compound ingredient, their presence has to be declared. However, if these are inadvertently or accidently present at low levels they would not be declared on the label. The very low levels that were detected in some of the beef burger products are more indicative of inadvertent rather than a deliberate presence and as such, would not be declared. 

 

Some research is required to determine if there are thresholds below which cross-contamination with DNA is unavoidable. Should that prove to be the case, authorities, consumers and the food industry across Europe will have to consider how this could be addressed.

 

The FSAI will provide further update, as necessary.

 

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported that retailers and UK processor that were named in the investigation by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) into horse and pig DNA in beef products have provided additional information to the Food Standards Agency.

 

This has included detailed information on the suppliers of the products involved, which is allowing further investigations to take place. The authorities in Ireland and in the UK are working closely together; Tesco is carrying out a complementary investigation.

 

The FSA is stressing that, on the basis of the evidence, there is no food safety risk to consumers from these products. There is nothing about horse meat that makes it any less safe than other meat products. The meat products were supplied to the retailers by approved establishments. The burgers that contained horse DNA were tested by FSAI for the presence of phenylbutazone, a commonly used medicine in horses that is not allowed in the food chain; all of the results were negative. 

 

The retailers named by FSAI have confirmed that they have removed all relevant products from their shelves. Other major retailers have decided to remove products from sale from the suppliers named in the investigation. The FSA recognises that this is an appropriate action for retailers to take to maintain consumer confidence. 

 

The Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in Ireland stated yesterday evening that further samples of products from the Silvercrest processing plant had been tested. Seven samples of raw ingredients were tested, one of which, sourced from another European Union Member State, tested positive for the presence of horse DNA. The Silvercrest plant has temporarily suspended all production. The FSA’s investigation into the Dalepak plant in Yorkshire is focusing particularly on Dalepak's suppliers and whether it has suppliers in common with Silvercrest.

 

The FSA has initiated a sampling programme to investigate the authenticity, that is, the content compared with the label’s listed ingredients, of a range of meat products. We are working with a number of local authorities to take samples for analysis in Official Control laboratories. Samples have been taken from the Dalepak plant by North Yorkshire Trading Standards. These have been sent for testing to assess both the presence and level of any horse or pig DNA.