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| Burger scandal: new tests at factory reveal more horse DNA | Burger scandal: new tests at factory reveal more horse DNA |
| (25 days later) | |
| More traces of horse DNA have been found in burgers and ingredients at one of the plants involved in the adulterated food scandal, the Irish government has announced. | More traces of horse DNA have been found in burgers and ingredients at one of the plants involved in the adulterated food scandal, the Irish government has announced. |
| Tests instituted on Tuesday, the day before contamination of products was revealed, showed equine DNA in products manufactured there this month. | Tests instituted on Tuesday, the day before contamination of products was revealed, showed equine DNA in products manufactured there this month. |
| Nine of 13 finished burgers tested from the Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan, Ireland in the latest checks were contaminated, while equine DNA was also found in one in seven raw ingredients. This came from another EU country. No ingredients originating in Ireland had traces of horse. | Nine of 13 finished burgers tested from the Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan, Ireland in the latest checks were contaminated, while equine DNA was also found in one in seven raw ingredients. This came from another EU country. No ingredients originating in Ireland had traces of horse. |
| The Guardian understands attention is being paid to ingredients derived from horse rather than fresh meat. Major retailers in Britain were told earlier this week to give the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) full lists of the sources of meat and other ingredients used in their burgers by Friday afternoon. | The Guardian understands attention is being paid to ingredients derived from horse rather than fresh meat. Major retailers in Britain were told earlier this week to give the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) full lists of the sources of meat and other ingredients used in their burgers by Friday afternoon. |
| Tesco, which was implicated in previous test results published this week, with up to 29% of meat content having horse DNA in samples, is among high street names affected by a shutdown of the Silvercrest plant along with Asda, the Co-op and Burger King. Supermarkets had already withdrawn from sale burger lines made at all three processors involved in the original tests. Several took such action even though their products had not been tested. | Tesco, which was implicated in previous test results published this week, with up to 29% of meat content having horse DNA in samples, is among high street names affected by a shutdown of the Silvercrest plant along with Asda, the Co-op and Burger King. Supermarkets had already withdrawn from sale burger lines made at all three processors involved in the original tests. Several took such action even though their products had not been tested. |
| On Thursday, Burger King said it had its own dedicated production line at the Silvercrest plant and was confident its burgers had not been affected. The plant, owned by the ABP Food group, had already stopped work and no products made this week have left the factory. | On Thursday, Burger King said it had its own dedicated production line at the Silvercrest plant and was confident its burgers had not been affected. The plant, owned by the ABP Food group, had already stopped work and no products made this week have left the factory. |
| ABP said on Friday it was acting responsibly in "temporarily closing down the entire plant for purposes of expediency" and reiterated that there was no evidence of any contamination of raw material used for the manufacture of any Burger King products. | ABP said on Friday it was acting responsibly in "temporarily closing down the entire plant for purposes of expediency" and reiterated that there was no evidence of any contamination of raw material used for the manufacture of any Burger King products. |
| "We anticipate that the facility will be closed for several days to complete the sanitation process," it said. "During this time, all staff will continue to be paid, and we will be working with the relevant authorities, management and supervisory team to complete our investigation." | "We anticipate that the facility will be closed for several days to complete the sanitation process," it said. "During this time, all staff will continue to be paid, and we will be working with the relevant authorities, management and supervisory team to complete our investigation." |
| The company said its own investigations had centred on two third-party continental suppliers. As a result of the latest test results, "we believe that we have established the source of the contaminated material to one of these two suppliers". | The company said its own investigations had centred on two third-party continental suppliers. As a result of the latest test results, "we believe that we have established the source of the contaminated material to one of these two suppliers". |
| Supermarkets are thought to be using alternative suppliers during the crisis. The Co-op said it had no problems with stock levels, as it had a number of branded frozen beefburger lines from other suppliers. | Supermarkets are thought to be using alternative suppliers during the crisis. The Co-op said it had no problems with stock levels, as it had a number of branded frozen beefburger lines from other suppliers. |
| The focus of ongoing investigations by Irish and UK authorities now centres on a common ingredient used at Silvercrest, Liffey Meats in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in North Yorkshire. Iceland, which was implicated in earlier test results, and Sainsbury's are among companies using the British plant. They too have withdrawn lines made there from stores. | The focus of ongoing investigations by Irish and UK authorities now centres on a common ingredient used at Silvercrest, Liffey Meats in Ireland and Dalepak Hambleton in North Yorkshire. Iceland, which was implicated in earlier test results, and Sainsbury's are among companies using the British plant. They too have withdrawn lines made there from stores. |
| The first tests were conducted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in November and December but were made public only this week. On Thursday night Simon Coveney, the Irish minister of agriculture and food, said samples of burgers and ingredients taken by his department on Tuesday had revealed further horse contamination. | The first tests were conducted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in November and December but were made public only this week. On Thursday night Simon Coveney, the Irish minister of agriculture and food, said samples of burgers and ingredients taken by his department on Tuesday had revealed further horse contamination. |
| Seven samples of raw ingredients were tested, one of which, sourced from another EU country, tested positive, a department statement said. All ingredients in the production of burgers sourced from Irish suppliers tested negative for equine DNA. Thirteen samples of finished burgers were tested for the presence of equine DNA. Nine had traces of equine DNA and another four were negative. No companies' products were named as having been involved in this week's tests. | Seven samples of raw ingredients were tested, one of which, sourced from another EU country, tested positive, a department statement said. All ingredients in the production of burgers sourced from Irish suppliers tested negative for equine DNA. Thirteen samples of finished burgers were tested for the presence of equine DNA. Nine had traces of equine DNA and another four were negative. No companies' products were named as having been involved in this week's tests. |
| Coveney and the FSAI have arranged to have all the positive samples further analysed in Germany to quantify the percentages of equine DNA. | Coveney and the FSAI have arranged to have all the positive samples further analysed in Germany to quantify the percentages of equine DNA. |
| These tests and further examination of all raw ingredients used in the affected products by Irish authorities should give "greater clarity to the source of the original problem", said the statement. It repeated earlier assurances that there was no danger to consumers. | These tests and further examination of all raw ingredients used in the affected products by Irish authorities should give "greater clarity to the source of the original problem", said the statement. It repeated earlier assurances that there was no danger to consumers. |
| The focus of the investigation was now to establish a common ingredient used in the manufacture of burgers in all three plants and from where it was sourced, said the Irish statement. Earlier this week Irish authorities suggested the problems might have originated in the Netherlands or Spain. | The focus of the investigation was now to establish a common ingredient used in the manufacture of burgers in all three plants and from where it was sourced, said the Irish statement. Earlier this week Irish authorities suggested the problems might have originated in the Netherlands or Spain. |
| The Guardian has been told efforts to trace the source of adulteration in the Tesco economy burgers are focusing on additives used in the manufacturing process. ABP has pointed the finger at suppliers of the "beef ingredient products" it uses to make cheap burgers. The Tesco burgers were only 63% meat and 37% other ingredients. Economy burgers are typically bulked out with additive mixes of concentrated proteins extracted from animal carcasses and offcuts. Industry sources said the 29% horse DNA was more likely to have originated with these high-protein powders from rendered horses rather than any fresh horse meat. ABP declined to comment on its ingredients or on the companies it uses for additive mixes but they are believed to be in the Netherlands and Spain. | The Guardian has been told efforts to trace the source of adulteration in the Tesco economy burgers are focusing on additives used in the manufacturing process. ABP has pointed the finger at suppliers of the "beef ingredient products" it uses to make cheap burgers. The Tesco burgers were only 63% meat and 37% other ingredients. Economy burgers are typically bulked out with additive mixes of concentrated proteins extracted from animal carcasses and offcuts. Industry sources said the 29% horse DNA was more likely to have originated with these high-protein powders from rendered horses rather than any fresh horse meat. ABP declined to comment on its ingredients or on the companies it uses for additive mixes but they are believed to be in the Netherlands and Spain. |
| Tesco said it could not comment on the source of the horse DNA while it was investigating with its supplier and the authorities. | Tesco said it could not comment on the source of the horse DNA while it was investigating with its supplier and the authorities. |
| The FSA in the UK is negotiating with local authorities to test samples of beef products from retailers around the country for the presence of DNA from other species, including horse and pig, because it does not have the capacity to sample and test nationwide. However, some local authorities have had to cut their budgets for food standards testing drastically as their finances have been squeezed. The FSA is expected to announce it will make some DNA checks on meat. | The FSA in the UK is negotiating with local authorities to test samples of beef products from retailers around the country for the presence of DNA from other species, including horse and pig, because it does not have the capacity to sample and test nationwide. However, some local authorities have had to cut their budgets for food standards testing drastically as their finances have been squeezed. The FSA is expected to announce it will make some DNA checks on meat. |
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