Four Products Test Positive for Horse DNA in Third FSA Update

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has received the third set of test results from the food industry, which has been checking for the presence of horse DNA in products that are labelled as beef.

3 Mar 2013 --- Overall, including the previous weeks’ testing, the Agency has received 5430 test results. This figure includes the 1797 results we are publishing today. The updated information from the food industry's own tests is as follows:

As in previous weeks, the vast majority (over 99%) of tests continue to show no horse DNA at or above the level of 1%.

The results show that four further products have been confirmed as containing horse DNA, since the previous set of industry results was announced last week. These four products are covered by 10 test results that show horse DNA at or above the 1% threshold. These products are named in the According to the FSA, the four products are covered by ten test results that show horse DNA at or above the 1% threshold and have been withdrawn from sale. The products included Birds Eye Traditional Spaghetti Bolognese and Beef Lasagne; spicy minced beef skewers from Brakes; and Taco Bell ground beef and have been withdrawn from sale.

There are now 17 products confirmed as containing over 1% of horse DNA, which have been identified through the industry tests . A further two products have been identified through separate tests.

To date, no tests of products containing horse DNA have found the veterinary medicine phenylbutazone (bute). Detailed information, along with advice for consumers, can be found here: consumer advice.

The FSA focus continues to be on gross contamination of beef products with horse meat, that is, where there is more than 1% horse DNA detected in a product. The Agency believes that such levels of horse DNA indicate either gross negligence or deliberate substitution of one meat for another.

Results have now been received from a range of manufacturers, retailers, caterers, restaurants and wholesalers throughout the UK. The initial phase of testing by industry is almost complete.

There have been, and continue to be, occasions where businesses have withdrawn products due to trace contamination levels, or on a precautionary basis; for example, where they have been produced by manufacturers that have supplied other products found to be contaminated with horse DNA. Where further information relating to these withdrawals has been provided to the FSA, it has been included in the report.

These results show where horse DNA was detected above the 1% threshold by industry outside of the formal testing programme, or through other testing and investigations by the Agency and by local authorities. Details of these products are also available in the report attached below (see Table 3).

Most of the food industry’s initial tests for contamination of beef products with horse DNA are now complete. Industry will continue to test for the presence of horse DNA in its beef products, reporting to the FSA, and these tests will now be published at quarterly intervals.

However, food businesses will continue to report any confirmed cases of gross contamination, that is, above 1% horse DNA, to the FSA immediately. These figures will, in turn, be published on the FSA website as soon as the information is received.

This week, the FSA will publish the first wave of data from the UK-wide sampling programme being carried out by local authorities on behalf of the Agency. This work is intended to verify information from the food industry and help improve the picture of the scale of beef contamination in the UK.

UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson responded to the news by stating: “The vast majority of test results from food retailers, wholesalers, and caterers are now in. The results continue to show that over 99 per cent of processed beef products are what they say they are on the label.”

“The food industry and Food Standards Agency have moved very quickly to complete over 5000 tests in a very short space of time. Industry testing will continue and results will now be published on a quarterly basis.”

“It is important that consumer trust in the food industry is rebuilt and these results show that less than one per cent of products tested have come back as testing positive for horse meat.”

“Investigations into cases where horsemeat has – unacceptably – been discovered will continue, and anyone found guilty of criminal activity should expect to face the consequences.”

British Retail Consortium Food Director Andrew Opie said: "The UK's major supermarkets, and a number of other BRC-member food businesses, have now tested all existing processed minced beef products. The reassuring news is that another intensive week of testing has produced no new positive results. And, since this testing programme started in mid-January, just a third of one per cent of products have tested positive.

"But our members won't accept anything less than 100 per cent compliance. We are working with the rest of the supply chain and with Government to prevent any incidents in the future."