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| Horsemeat scandal: Ikea withdraws all meatballs from UK stores | Horsemeat scandal: Ikea withdraws all meatballs from UK stores |
| (8 days later) | |
| Ikea has withdrawn all meatballs from sale in stores in the UK and more than 20 other European countries after tests by authorities in the Czech Republic found traces of horsemeat in its Kottbullar line. | Ikea has withdrawn all meatballs from sale in stores in the UK and more than 20 other European countries after tests by authorities in the Czech Republic found traces of horsemeat in its Kottbullar line. |
| The Scandinavian company had originally cleared UK restaurants and shelves in its Swedish food market section of products from the same batch that tested positive for horse DNA from the company store in the Czech city of Brno. | The Scandinavian company had originally cleared UK restaurants and shelves in its Swedish food market section of products from the same batch that tested positive for horse DNA from the company store in the Czech city of Brno. |
| The decision to withdraw that batch affected 13 countries in all as the furniture group became the latest to be caught up in the horsemeat scandal. | The decision to withdraw that batch affected 13 countries in all as the furniture group became the latest to be caught up in the horsemeat scandal. |
| But days after restocking, Ikea yesterday called a wider "temporary" halt to sales of any meatballs from its Swedish supplier, a precautionary move that now applies to all European countries except for Norway, Russia and a limited number of products in Switzerland and Poland. The company said it expected test results at the end of the week to confirm that there were no indications of horsemeat in the meatballs. | But days after restocking, Ikea yesterday called a wider "temporary" halt to sales of any meatballs from its Swedish supplier, a precautionary move that now applies to all European countries except for Norway, Russia and a limited number of products in Switzerland and Poland. The company said it expected test results at the end of the week to confirm that there were no indications of horsemeat in the meatballs. |
| "We take seriously the test result from the Czech Republic authorities, indicating presence of horsemeat in one batch of our meatballs," said Anders Lennartsson, of Ikea food services. "The trust of our customers is of outmost importance, which is why the batch of meatballs was immediately withdrawn and we are now taking this extra precautionary measure." | "We take seriously the test result from the Czech Republic authorities, indicating presence of horsemeat in one batch of our meatballs," said Anders Lennartsson, of Ikea food services. "The trust of our customers is of outmost importance, which is why the batch of meatballs was immediately withdrawn and we are now taking this extra precautionary measure." |
| Meatballs have become a popular dish for Ikea, which sells them hot from the in-store cafeterias and packaged off the shelf. Most are made by Sweden's Familjen Dafgard, which said it was investigating the situation and would receive further test results in coming days. | Meatballs have become a popular dish for Ikea, which sells them hot from the in-store cafeterias and packaged off the shelf. Most are made by Sweden's Familjen Dafgard, which said it was investigating the situation and would receive further test results in coming days. |
| The company said it sold an average 60,000 portions a week at its UK and Irish restaurants and 13,850 packs a week from its Swedish food market in the two countries. Ikea was told of the horsemeat discovery by authorities in the Czech Republic last week and refilled its UK shelves with new stock on Friday, although the country's state veterinary administration only announced yesterday that it had found evidence of horse during DNA tests on 1kg packs labelled as beef and pork meatballs from Ikea in Brno. The consignment had not been distributed to consumers, the government body said. | The company said it sold an average 60,000 portions a week at its UK and Irish restaurants and 13,850 packs a week from its Swedish food market in the two countries. Ikea was told of the horsemeat discovery by authorities in the Czech Republic last week and refilled its UK shelves with new stock on Friday, although the country's state veterinary administration only announced yesterday that it had found evidence of horse during DNA tests on 1kg packs labelled as beef and pork meatballs from Ikea in Brno. The consignment had not been distributed to consumers, the government body said. |
| Ikea said it had started its own in-house DNA analyses of all meat products in the range two weeks ago. Twelve tested samples of different batches of meatballs had shown no traces of horsemeat. | Ikea said it had started its own in-house DNA analyses of all meat products in the range two weeks ago. Twelve tested samples of different batches of meatballs had shown no traces of horsemeat. |
| It said it would not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in its recipes or product specifications. | It said it would not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in its recipes or product specifications. |
| The company operates in 26 European countries and 44 in all, with annual sales of £23.6bn. Ikea stores outside Europe are not affected. | The company operates in 26 European countries and 44 in all, with annual sales of £23.6bn. Ikea stores outside Europe are not affected. |
| Environment secretary Owen Paterson said last night that the European commission had agreed to random testing of food products. This would initially take place for one month. "I have also asked the commission for more risk-based testing of food production and random testing for finished products." Speaking after a meeting with opposite numbers from across the EU, Paterson said Brussels would also speed up a paper looking at country of origin labelling for processed meat. | Environment secretary Owen Paterson said last night that the European commission had agreed to random testing of food products. This would initially take place for one month. "I have also asked the commission for more risk-based testing of food production and random testing for finished products." Speaking after a meeting with opposite numbers from across the EU, Paterson said Brussels would also speed up a paper looking at country of origin labelling for processed meat. |
| Country of origin and slaughter must be included on labels for fresh and frozen beef and the commission had been paving the way to extend that to other meats and ingredients in processed food. However, the report on implementing tougher rules had not been expected until the end of the year. | Country of origin and slaughter must be included on labels for fresh and frozen beef and the commission had been paving the way to extend that to other meats and ingredients in processed food. However, the report on implementing tougher rules had not been expected until the end of the year. |
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