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Horsemeat scandal deepens as minister admits bute may be in food chain Horsemeat scandal deepens as minister says bute may be in food chain
(about 1 hour later)
Eight horses slaughtered in the UK have tested positive for the veterinary painkiller phenylbutazone, new tests from the Food Standards Agency have revealed. Eight horses slaughtered for food in the UK have tested positive for the veterinary painkiller phenylbutazone, known as "bute", new tests from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) revealed.
Environment minister David Heath told the Commons that the Food Standards Agency had tested 206 carcasses. Six of the carcasses that tested positive may have entered the food chain in France in the last few weeks, and efforts are being made to recall them. Heath said the Findus food products found to contain horse had tested negative for "bute". Environment minister David Heath told the Commons that 206 carcasses had been tested. Six of the carcasses that tested positive may have entered the food chain in France in the last few weeks, according to the FSA, and efforts were being made to recall them. Heath said the Findus food products found to contain horse had tested negative for bute.
The shadow environment secretary, Mary Creagh, told Heath she had raised the issue of bute three weeks ago and accused ministers of "catastrophic complacency".The shadow environment secretary, Mary Creagh, told Heath she had raised the issue of bute three weeks ago and accused ministers of "catastrophic complacency".
In July 2012 the veterinary residues committee (VRC), which advises the government, warned that it had "repeatedly expressed concern" over bute entering the food chain.In July 2012 the veterinary residues committee (VRC), which advises the government, warned that it had "repeatedly expressed concern" over bute entering the food chain.
The VRC said its concern was because bute had "the potential for serious adverse effects in consumers, such as blood dyscrasia [a rare but very serious, life-threatening, condition]".The VRC said its concern was because bute had "the potential for serious adverse effects in consumers, such as blood dyscrasia [a rare but very serious, life-threatening, condition]".
No bute is permitted in horsemeat for human consumption, but it was found in 2-5% of samples tested between 2007 and 2011, during which time only 50 tests a year were conducted. The horse passport system meant to prevent bute contamination in the 8,000 or so horses slaughtered for meat in the UK each year was not working, a member of the VRC told the Guardian.No bute is permitted in horsemeat for human consumption, but it was found in 2-5% of samples tested between 2007 and 2011, during which time only 50 tests a year were conducted. The horse passport system meant to prevent bute contamination in the 8,000 or so horses slaughtered for meat in the UK each year was not working, a member of the VRC told the Guardian.
The environment secretary, Owen Paterson, said on Sunday that there might be a public health issue if bute was found in food, but Downing Street later contradicted him, referencing the chief medical officer, Dame Sally Davies, who said that "there is a very low risk indeed that it would cause any harm to health". Dame Sally Davies, the UK's chief medical officer, said: "The trace levels detected are very unlikely to have harmed any human, child or foetus." She said a person would have to eat 500-600 horsemeat burgers to get a harmful dose.
All food products tested for bute, including Findus lasagne and Tesco burgers, tested negative.
The FSA tested all 206 horses slaughtered in the UK for food between 30 January and 7 February and found eight positive results for bute.
Six, all slaughtered by LJ Potter Partners at Stillmans Ltd in Taunton, Somerset, were sent to France and may have entered the human food chain. The other two, killed in Nantwich, did not leave the slaughter house.
The rate of bute contamination found was 6%, meaning that across a year, 540 contaminated carcasses would be expected, as 9,000 horses are killed for meat each year in the UK.
The FSA said that from now on horse carcasses would not be released from abattoirs until they had received a negative test.
The FSA did not test for any other possible contaminants.
The tests were carried out in response to the scandal of horsemeat adulteration of processed food labelled as beef.The tests were carried out in response to the scandal of horsemeat adulteration of processed food labelled as beef.
The results came on the day that a committee of MPs severely criticised the government's response to the horsemeat scandal, calling it "flat-footed".The results came on the day that a committee of MPs severely criticised the government's response to the horsemeat scandal, calling it "flat-footed".