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Tesco takes burgers off shelves after horse DNA found Tesco takes burgers off shelves after horse DNA found
(about 2 hours later)
Tesco has removed all its own brand fresh and frozen burgers from sale in Britain and Ireland as a precaution after equine and porcine DNA was found in their products during checks by Irish authorities on three food processors in Britain and Ireland. Tesco has removed all its own-brand frozen burgers from sale in Britain and Ireland as a precaution after equine and porcine DNA was found in products during checks by Irish authorities on three food processors in Britain and Ireland.
Two burger lines sold by Britain's biggest supermarket chain in the UK were implicated – the Everyday Value and Beef Quarter Pounders products. In the first, the level of positive DNA indicated horsemeat accounted for 29% relative to the beef content. Trace elements of porcine DNA were also found. Low levels of horse DNA were found in its second product. Both were supplied by an Irish processor, Silvercrest Foods. Two burger lines sold by Britain's biggest supermarket chain in the UK were implicated, the Everyday Value and Beef Quarter Pounders products. In the first, the level of positive-indicated horsemeat accounted for 29% relative to the beef content. Porcine DNA was also found, and low levels of horse DNA were found in its second product. Both were supplied by an Irish processor, Silvercrest Foods, in County Monaghan.
Iceland and Lidl also withdrew beef products sold in the UK after horse DNA was found in frozen burgers sold in the UK and Ireland. Irish authorities say there is no health risk. The UK Food Standards Agency has begun its own investigations. Iceland, Lidl, and Aldi also withdrew beef products sold in the UK after horse DNA was found in 10 samples of frozen burgers sold in the UK and Ireland. The Aldi line found to contain both horse and pig DNA in the checks was sold only in Ireland but the company withdrew three UK lines as a precaution.
Irish authorities say there is no health risk and the country's agriculture minister, Simon Coveney, said the traces of horsemeat probably orginated in Holland and Spain. The UK Food Standards Agency has begun its own investigations.
Tim Smith, Tesco's group technical director said it had withdrawn from sale all products from Silvercrest. "We are working with the authorities in Ireland and the UK, and with the supplier concerned, to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again. We will not take any products from this site until the conclusion and satisfactory resolution of an investigation.Tim Smith, Tesco's group technical director said it had withdrawn from sale all products from Silvercrest. "We are working with the authorities in Ireland and the UK, and with the supplier concerned, to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again. We will not take any products from this site until the conclusion and satisfactory resolution of an investigation.
"The safety and quality of our food is of the highest importance to Tesco. We will not tolerate any compromise in the quality of the food we sell. The presence of illegal meat in our products is extremely serious. Our customers have the right to expect that food they buy is produced to the highest standards.""The safety and quality of our food is of the highest importance to Tesco. We will not tolerate any compromise in the quality of the food we sell. The presence of illegal meat in our products is extremely serious. Our customers have the right to expect that food they buy is produced to the highest standards."
A spokeswoman for the company said that all own brand fresh and frozen burgers had been taken off the shelves. Iceland said had withdrawn the two quarter-pounder burger lines implicated in the study, pending further investigations. "Iceland will be working closely with its suppliers to investigate this issue and to ensure that all Iceland brand products meet the high standards of quality and integrity that we specify and which our customers are entitled to expect." A spokeswoman for the company said that all own brand frozen burgers had been taken off the shelves. Iceland said it had withdrawn the two quarter-pounder burger lines implicated in the study, processed at Dalepak Hambleton near Northallerton, north Yorkshire, pending further investigations. "Iceland will be working closely with its suppliers to investigate this issue and to ensure that all Iceland brand products meet the high standards of quality and integrity that we specify and which our customers are entitled to expect."
Silvercrest, a subsidiary of ABP Foods, said it was pulling products from sale and replacing them with new lines. It suspected European suppliers of being the source of the horse DNA. "Following tests carried out by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, we have been alerted to frozen beefburgers which contain porcine and equine DNA," said a spokesman. Aldi said it was withdrawing three products from sale in the UK as a "purely precautionary measure" while it conducted further investigations. These were Frozen Oakhurst 100% Beef Quarter Pounders, Frozen Specially Selected Aberdeen Angus Quarter Pounders and Frozen Oakhurst Burgers 16 pack. The product tested by in Ireland – Oakhurst Beef Burgers (8 Pack) – was not on sale in Aldi UK stores.
"Any customers who wish to return the products in question will receive an immediate refund. No other Aldi products are affected by this issue."
Coveney stressed that while there was no threat to human health, unlike in the case of the dioxin scandal in pork products or BSE, his government was taking the horsemeat revelations "very seriously" because the country relied heavily on exporting food. Irish food exports are worth €3bn (£2.5bn) to the economy and employs 100,000 people in the state.
It was "totally unacceptable" almost a third of the meat content of a burger could be horsemeat, said Coveney. But there was no evidence from the investigation to date to show that a manufacturer had knowingly brought in horsemeat for use in the burgers.
"We pride ourselves in Ireland in having one of the best traceability systems in the world, in terms of where our meat comes from, and with having the best safety system in food in terms of inspections in these factories in the world."
The department of agriculture in Dublin had taken new samples from the Silvercrest plant and results would be available within 48 hours, he said.
Liffey Meats, in Cavan, said it sincerely regretted that any product produced by the company would fail to conform to the highest specifications, and it apologised to its customers. Silvercrest, a subsidiary of ABP Foods, said it was pulling products from sale and replacing them with new lines. It suspected European suppliers of being the source of the horse DNA. "Following tests carried out by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, we have been alerted to frozen beefburgers which contain porcine and equine DNA," said a spokesman.
"Although the products pose no risk to public health, Silvercrest has taken immediate action to isolate, withdraw and replace all suspect product. Silvercrest has never purchased or traded in equine product and has launched a full-scale investigation into two continental European third party suppliers who are the suspected source of the product in question.""Although the products pose no risk to public health, Silvercrest has taken immediate action to isolate, withdraw and replace all suspect product. Silvercrest has never purchased or traded in equine product and has launched a full-scale investigation into two continental European third party suppliers who are the suspected source of the product in question."
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which made the discovery, said the burgers were produced by two processing plants in Ireland, Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods, and Dalepak Hambleton in the UK. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which made the discovery, said the burgers were produced by Liffey Meats and Silvercrest Foods in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in the UK.
In nine of the 10 burger samples, horse DNA was found at very low levels. Products sold in Ireland only by Aldi and by Dunne's were also implicated. Horse DNA was at very low levels in nine of the 10 products where it was found. Products sold in Ireland only by Aldi and by Dunne's were also implicated.
The FSAI said the retailers have agreed to remove all implicated batches from sale. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland(FSAI), which made the checks, said the retailers have agreed to remove all implicated batches from sale.
Professor Alan Reilly, chief executive of the FSAI, said while the findings posed no risk to health they did raise concerns. "The products we have identified as containing horse DNA and/or pig DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried," he added. "Consumers who have purchased any of the implicated products can return them to their retailer. Professor Alan Reilly, its chief executive. said while the findings posed no risk to health they did raise concerns. "The products we have identified as containing horse DNA and/or pig DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried," he added. "Consumers who have purchased any of the implicated products can return them to their retailer.
"While there is a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products, due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants, there is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horsemeat in their production process.""While there is a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products, due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants, there is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horsemeat in their production process."
He said it was not part of Irish culture to eat horsemeat: "We do not expect to find it in a burger; likewise, for some religious groups or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."He said it was not part of Irish culture to eat horsemeat: "We do not expect to find it in a burger; likewise, for some religious groups or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."
Products affected in the UK: Tesco – Everyday Value Beef Burgers (equine and porcine DNA), Beef Quarter Pounders (equine DNA).Products affected in the UK: Tesco – Everyday Value Beef Burgers (equine and porcine DNA), Beef Quarter Pounders (equine DNA).
Lidl – Moordale Beef Burgers, Moordale Quarter Pounders, Moordale Ultimate Beef Burgers (equine and porcine). Moordale Fresh Beef Quarter Pounders (porcine).Lidl – Moordale Beef Burgers, Moordale Quarter Pounders, Moordale Ultimate Beef Burgers (equine and porcine). Moordale Fresh Beef Quarter Pounders (porcine).
Iceland – Iceland Quarter Pounders (two batches. Both equine and porcine DNA).Iceland – Iceland Quarter Pounders (two batches. Both equine and porcine DNA).