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Tesco says some of its value spaghetti bolognese contains 60% horsemeat Tesco says some of its value spaghetti bolognese contains 60% horsemeat
(about 2 hours later)
Tesco has found more than 60% horsemeat in some of its value range spaghetti bolognese, the retailer has admitted. Tesco has admitted its value range of spaghetti bolognaise contains more than 60% horsemeat as fresh DNA tests began to reveal new products affected by the scandal.
Staff had already removed the Everyday Value range from stores because they had been supplied by the same company, Comigel, which made the Findus lasagne that contained 100% horsemeat. Staff had already removed the Everyday Value range from stores because they had been supplied by the same company, Comigel, who made the Findus lasagne that contained 100% horsemeat.
Tesco has now confirmed horsemeat was in the bolognese, although tests for the horse drug, bute, was not present. Last week Aldi confirmed horsemeat was found in its beef products supplied by Comigel. Further revelations are expected throughout the week, as the Food Standards Agency has ordered UK suppliers and retailers to undertake DNA tests on their meat and supply results by Friday.
Similar products from Asda have been withdrawn but not been confirmed to contain horsemeat. The announcement came amid a growing war of words between the supermarkets, processors and producers over who is to blame for the scandal, with Comigel claiming the trail led back to Romania - something which was vigorously denied by the Romanian government.
Tim Smith, group technical director at Tesco, said: "We have carried out a number of tests on the product and those tests identified the presence of horse DNA. Ministers were also accused of sending conflicting messages about the safety of horsemeat after Downing Street contradicted the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, by announcing that there is no risk to human health from the current food scare. Paterson's suggested on Sunday that there may be a health risk if any horsemeat was found to be contaminated with the anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone, or "bute".
"Of the positive results, most are at a trace level of less than 1% but three showed significant levels of horse DNA, exceeding 60%. We have carried out further tests to ensure that there is no danger to health through the presence of potentially harmful bute. The test for bute was clear. There had been fears that Paterson's remarks would damage confidence in the UK meat industry. The shadow environment secretary Mary Creagh said the confusion was symptomatic of a minister and a government that "had showed dangerous complacency over the crisis". Confidence in the British food industry has been sinking like a stone, she added accusing Paterson of incompetence.
"The frozen Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese should contain only Irish beef from our approved suppliers. The source of the horsemeat is still under investigation by the relevant authorities. The level of contamination suggests that Comigel was not following the appropriate production process for our Tesco product and we will not take food from their facility again." Downing Street cited the chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, who said on Monday that there was only a "limited public health risk" if bute, was found in new tests results. Tesco has tested its tainted products and none was found. Davies confirmed there was "currently no indication" bute was present in any product so far identified in the UK.
Further revelations are expected throughout the week, as the Food Standards Agency has ordered UK suppliers and retailers to undertake DNA tests on their meat and supply results by the end of the week. Despite this the Food Standards Agency ordered new rapid testing for bute in all horsemeat prepared for export as food from the five UK-licensed abattoirs that slaughter 9,000 horses a year between them, nearly all of which is exported. Up to now, random testing used techniques that took three weeks to deliver results and positive results were reported by the Food Standards Agency to the country to which the food was exported.
Tesco made its announcement at the same time as the environment secretary, Owen Paterson, was updating parliament on the investigation. The government's insistence that there is no safety problem with horsemeat was also contradicted by the independent Veterinary Residues Committee, which advises the government, which stated in July 2012: "The VRC has repeatedly expressed concern over residues of phenylbutazone entering the food chain. This is because this substance has the potential for serious adverse effects in consumers, such as blood discrasia (a rare but very serious, life-threatening, condition)."
He told MPs: "The events we have seen unfold over the past few days in the UK and Europe are completely unacceptable. Consumers need to be confident that food is what it says on the label. It is outrageous that consumers have been buying products labelled beef, but which turn out to contain horsemeat." The VRC found that 2-5% of UK horse samples had tested positive for bute residues since 2007. One member of the VRC told the Guardian that the horse passport system, designed to record all drugs a horse is given through their life to ensure they do not end up in the food chain, was failing. "This is not acceptable," the member said. "The passport system needs a deal of tightening up."
He added: "There appears to have been criminal activity in an attempt to defraud the consumer. The prime responsibility for dealing with this lies with retailers and food producers who need to demonstrate that they have taken all necessary actions to ensure the integrity of the food chain in this country." Announcing the withdrawal of its spaghetti bolognaise Tim Smith, group technical director at Tesco, said: "The source of the horsemeat is still under investigation by the relevant authorities. The level of contamination suggests that Comigel was not following the appropriate production process for our Tesco product and we will not take food from their facility again."
Last week Aldi withdrew two beef products after test found they contained horsemeat – again, supplied by Comigel. The apparently mixed health messages came after Romania, implicated in France as a source for horsemeat found in beef lasagne made for Findus, denied any part in the crisis. Romania's agriculture minister Daniel Constantin angrily said an official investigation had exonerated his country's abattoirs. Instead, he blamed unnamed European companies involved in the supply chain. A statement on his official Facebook page said: "We will not take responsibility over what is not of our own doing, in that we will not tolerate the faults of a European contractor to be transferred onto Romania without any real basis."
The horsemeat scandal first started with Tesco and other retailers after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland discovered traces of equine DNA in burgers made by Silvercrest Foods and Dalepak suppliers, owned by ABP Food Group, last month. He added that two Romanian companies under investigation had now been officially cleared.
Findus is currently considering suing Comigel for supplying horsemeat from its Luxembourg factory. However, Comigel is also taking legal advice on pursing Spanghero – a French company who provided the meat to Comigel from Romanian suppliers. The Guardian understands the two abattoirs are located in and near the town of Suceava, 282 miles north of Bucharest, and close to the borders with Ukraine and Moldova. Romanian authorities swiftly ruled out the first abattoir, which produces horsemeat only. Constantin said the second had also been cleared, adding that it had an exemplary seven-year history.
One leading Romanian food company, CarmOlimp based in Transylvania, vehemently denied on Monday it was involved in mislabelling. The company is a major producer and distributor of meat.
The horsemeat scandal started after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland discovered traces of equine DNA in burgers made by Silvercrest Foods and Dalepak suppliers, owned by ABP Food Group, last month.
Findus is currently considering suing Comigel for supplying horsemeat from its Luxembourg factory. Comigel is also taking legal advice on pursing Spanghero – a French company who provided the meat to Comigel from Romanian suppliers.
• Additional reporting by Simon Neville and Roberta Radu