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FSA orders tests of processed beef after horsemeat is found in Findus lasagne FSA orders tests of processed beef after horsemeat is found in Findus lasagne
(35 minutes later)
The Food Standards Agency has ordered companies to test their processed beef products after analysis of lasagne made by Findus found up to 100% of the meat came from horses. The Food Standards Agency has ordered all British companies to test their processed beef products in the next week after analysis of lasagne made by Findus found up to 100% of the meat came from horses.
Catherine Brown, the chief executive of the FSA, described the situation as "appalling" and said it seemed likely to have happened through deliberate fraud or other criminal activity, rather than mistaken contamination. Catherine Brown, the chief executive of the FSA, described the situation as appalling and said it seemed likely to have happened through deliberate fraud or other criminal activity, rather than mistaken contamination.
The deadline for companies to have completed the new tests is next Friday, the FSA said. The deadline for companies to have completed the tests is next Friday, the FSA said in a statement.
The FSA tested 18 supposedly beef-based processed lasagne dishes made by Findus, the latest food supplier to be caught up in a crisis that has affected firms in Ireland, France and Poland, as well as Britain, and found 11 of them contained between 60% and 100% horsemeat. The agency tested 18 supposedly beef-based processed lasagne dishes made by Findus, the latest food supplier to be caught up in a crisis that has affected firms in Ireland, France, Poland and Britain, and found 11 of them contained between 60% and 100% horsemeat.
Findus began withdrawing lasagnes in 320g, 360g and 500g sizes from shops on Sunday after Comigel, the French company that makes them, warned they did not "conform to specification".Findus began withdrawing lasagnes in 320g, 360g and 500g sizes from shops on Sunday after Comigel, the French company that makes them, warned they did not "conform to specification".
However, Findus had declined to say the problem related to undeclared horsemeat. Tesco and the discount chain Aldi cleared their shelves of frozen spaghetti bolognese and beef lasagne earlier in the week, pending their own tests, because they were made by Comigel. However, Findus had declined to say the problem was related to undeclared horsemeat. Tesco and the discount supermarket chain Aldi cleared their shelves of frozen spaghetti bolognese and beef lasagne earlier in the week, pending their own tests, because they were made by Comigel.
The FSA said tests would take place on the lasagne products for the veterinary anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, often known as bute, which is banned from entering the food chain. The agency said anyone who had bought one of the Findus products should not eat it but return it to the shop of origin. The FSA said tests would take place on the lasagne products for the veterinary anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, often known as bute, which is banned from entering the food chain. The agency said anyone who had bought one of the Findus products should not eat it but return it to the shop where it was bought.
Brown told the BBC: "This is an appalling situation." She said: "I have to say that the two cases of gross contamination that we see here indicate that it is highly likely there has been criminal and fraudulent activity involved. Brown told the BBC: "This is an appalling situation. I have to say that the two cases of gross contamination that we see here indicate that it is highly likely there has been criminal and fraudulent activity involved.
"We are demanding that food businesses conduct authenticity tests on all beef products, such as beefburgers, meatballs and lasagne, and provide the results to the FSA. The tests will be for the presence of significant levels of horsemeat.""We are demanding that food businesses conduct authenticity tests on all beef products, such as beefburgers, meatballs and lasagne, and provide the results to the FSA. The tests will be for the presence of significant levels of horsemeat."
There is no evidence to suggest the horsemeat in itself is a food safety risk, the FSA added. There was no evidence to suggest the horsemeat in itself was a food safety risk, the FSA said.
Apologising to its customers, a spokesman for Findus UK said: "We understand this it is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue. We are confident that we have fully resolved this supply chain issue. Fully compliant beef lasagne will be in stores again soon." While the environment minister, Owen Paterson, had no comment his Labour shadow, Mary Creagh, was touring media studios to call for more government action.
More than 200m burgers have been withdrawn from sale in the month since the Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that cheap burgers supplied to supermarkets contained horsemeat. The Irish authorities have called in the police to investigate criminal fraud in the supply chain to Ireland's largest beef processor ABP. Creagh, who said she would not personally eat any processed beef products currently on sale, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We've had 10m beefburgers withdrawn. What tests have been conducted on them, if any? The big concern for me now is corner shops, schools, hospitals, prisons, public-sector caterers, people who may have these products sitting in their fridges and freezers. There's been absolutely no advice from government ministers about what people should do."
The shadow environment minister, Mary Creagh, said she would not personally eat any processed beef products currently on sale and called for more government actions. Creagh told ITV's Daybreak she believed there would be more revelations to come: "Absolutely, and I'm glad that the Food Standards Agency last night have announced that they are demanding that supermarkets and retailers and caterers test all products, I think that's a significant step forward."
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We've had 10m beefburgers withdrawn. What tests have been conducted on them, if any? The big concern for me now is corner shops, schools, hospitals, prisons, public-sector caterers, people who may have these products sitting in their fridges and freezers. There's been absolutely no advice from government ministers about what people should do." Anne Mcintosh, the Conservative MP who chairs the environment, food and rural affairs select committee, said the revelations were "sending shockwaves through the farming community" and asked why the FSA was not doing more.
"What is the FSA for?" she asked on Friday. "What is it doing?" The message to consumers, she said, was to "go out and buy your meat as locally as you can".
Apologising to its customers, a spokesman for Findus UK said: "We understand this is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue. We are confident that we have fully resolved this supply chain issue. Fully compliant beef lasagne will be in stores again soon."
More than 200m burgers have been withdrawn from sale in the last month since the Food Safety Authority of Ireland found that cheap burgers supplied to supermarkets contained horsemeat. The Irish authorities have called in the police to investigate criminal fraud in the supply chain to Ireland's largest beef processor ABP.