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| Horsemeat scandal: Minister to hold new food summit | Horsemeat scandal: Minister to hold new food summit |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is due to meet food industry representatives for the second time in a week to discuss the horsemeat crisis. | Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is due to meet food industry representatives for the second time in a week to discuss the horsemeat crisis. |
| Mr Paterson told the Commons on Monday that it appeared "criminal activity" had been at the heart of the scandal. | Mr Paterson told the Commons on Monday that it appeared "criminal activity" had been at the heart of the scandal. |
| MPs will discuss the issue after Labour called a debate on Tuesday afternoon. | MPs will discuss the issue after Labour called a debate on Tuesday afternoon. |
| It comes after some Tesco Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese, withdrawn from sale last week, was found to contain 60% horsemeat. | It comes after some Tesco Everyday Value spaghetti bolognese, withdrawn from sale last week, was found to contain 60% horsemeat. |
| Horsemeat has been detected in several branded and supermarket-own processed meat products. | Horsemeat has been detected in several branded and supermarket-own processed meat products. |
| Tougher testing | Tougher testing |
| The summit will be the environment secretary's second meeting with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and members of the food industry in a matter of days. | The summit will be the environment secretary's second meeting with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and members of the food industry in a matter of days. |
| On Saturday, Mr Paterson held an emergency meeting to try to discover how products labelled as beef and sold in supermarkets in fact contained up to 100% horsemeat. | On Saturday, Mr Paterson held an emergency meeting to try to discover how products labelled as beef and sold in supermarkets in fact contained up to 100% horsemeat. |
| Retailers have agreed to carry out tougher testing of beef products and Mr Paterson warned that "more bad news" could come when the results are revealed on Friday. | Retailers have agreed to carry out tougher testing of beef products and Mr Paterson warned that "more bad news" could come when the results are revealed on Friday. |
| The minister said there were plans to test all processed beef in the UK. | The minister said there were plans to test all processed beef in the UK. |
| Mr Paterson told MPs testing should take place every three months, and the FSA should be notified of the results. | Mr Paterson told MPs testing should take place every three months, and the FSA should be notified of the results. |
| Labour will urge the government to speed up testing in order to restore consumer confidence when MPs debate the issue in the Commons later. | Labour will urge the government to speed up testing in order to restore consumer confidence when MPs debate the issue in the Commons later. |
| Meanwhile, two Northern Ireland Assembly committees are holding a special meeting later on Tuesday to debate the issue of contaminated meat. | Meanwhile, two Northern Ireland Assembly committees are holding a special meeting later on Tuesday to debate the issue of contaminated meat. |
| A consignment of meat at Newry firm Freeza Meats was last week found to contain about 80% horsemeat. | A consignment of meat at Newry firm Freeza Meats was last week found to contain about 80% horsemeat. |
| The horsemeat scandal was sparked last month when Irish food inspectors announced they had found horsemeat in some burgers stocked by a number of UK supermarket chains. | The horsemeat scandal was sparked last month when Irish food inspectors announced they had found horsemeat in some burgers stocked by a number of UK supermarket chains. |
| The crisis has spread all over Europe as details of the convoluted supply chain in the meat industry emerge. | The crisis has spread all over Europe as details of the convoluted supply chain in the meat industry emerge. |
| 'Appropriate process' | 'Appropriate process' |
| Tesco became the latest firm to announce it was dropping French food supplier Comigel after DNA tests on the frozen bolognese were known. | Tesco became the latest firm to announce it was dropping French food supplier Comigel after DNA tests on the frozen bolognese were known. |
| The supermarket giant took the product off the shelves when it found out it came from the same factory as Findus beef lasagne, also at the centre of the horsemeat controversy. | The supermarket giant took the product off the shelves when it found out it came from the same factory as Findus beef lasagne, also at the centre of the horsemeat controversy. |
| Tesco said the level of contamination suggested Comigel was "not following the appropriate production process". | Tesco said the level of contamination suggested Comigel was "not following the appropriate production process". |
| Tesco Group technical director Tim Smith said: "We are very sorry that we have let customers down." | Tesco Group technical director Tim Smith said: "We are very sorry that we have let customers down." |
| The bolognese was also tested for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone as animals treated with "bute" are not allowed to enter the food chain. The results were clear. | The bolognese was also tested for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone as animals treated with "bute" are not allowed to enter the food chain. The results were clear. |
| On Wednesday, EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg and other European ministers will meet in Brussels to consider the impact of the horsemeat scandal. | On Wednesday, EU Health Commissioner Tonio Borg and other European ministers will meet in Brussels to consider the impact of the horsemeat scandal. |
| The meeting was called by the Irish Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency. | The meeting was called by the Irish Republic, which currently holds the EU presidency. |
| Irish Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said the summit would discuss "whatever steps may be necessary at EU level to comprehensively address this matter". | Irish Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said the summit would discuss "whatever steps may be necessary at EU level to comprehensively address this matter". |
| One proposal they will discuss is to make a label of origin obligatory for processed meat just as it is for unprocessed meat. | |
| French inspectors have been at the Comigel headquarters in Metz, north-east France. | French inspectors have been at the Comigel headquarters in Metz, north-east France. |
| Investigators were also at the offices of importer Spanghero, in the south of France, which brought the meat to France from Romania, via several other countries and agents. | Investigators were also at the offices of importer Spanghero, in the south of France, which brought the meat to France from Romania, via several other countries and agents. |
| After Spanghero, the meat then went to a Comigel factory in Luxembourg, which made ready meals for Findus and retailers in 16 countries. | After Spanghero, the meat then went to a Comigel factory in Luxembourg, which made ready meals for Findus and retailers in 16 countries. |
| Romania has rejected claims that it was responsible for wrongly describing horsemeat from its abattoirs as beef. | Romania has rejected claims that it was responsible for wrongly describing horsemeat from its abattoirs as beef. |