No nasty new surprises in raft of horse-meat tests

Twenty-nine positive exam results for horse-meat contamination were announced yesteryear British regime today, although the vast bulk of 2500 tested products recorded clear results.

Britain’s Food Standards Agency published the showtime laid of manufacture results from beef products tested for the presence of Equus caballus DNA.

The 29 positive results for undeclared Equus caballus center all related to 7 products that have got already been reported in addition to where the nutrient concern in addition to the means had already taken appropriate activeness to take the products from sale.

It said it had received 2501 results, 2472 of which were negative for Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid at or to a higher house the grade of 1 per cent. That equated to 99 per cent of products testing clear.

At to the lowest degree 950 tests are all the same inwards progress.

The means has been working alongside merchandise bodies inwards the nutrient manufacture to collate the results every bit rapidly every bit possible, to larn an accurate pic of the testing beingness carried out across the British nutrient chain.

This testing was a lawsuit of an pedagogy issued yesteryear the agency’s principal executive, Catherine Brown, before this month, to acquit authenticity tests on their composite beef products, such every bit burgers, lasagnes in addition to meatballs, inwards lite of the recent horse-meat scandal.

The samples were carried out on both raw ingredients in addition to in conclusion products, in addition to taken from a attain of manufacturers, catering suppliers, wholesalers, producers in addition to retailers across Britain.

Where products were constitute to incorporate Equus caballus DNA, they were tested for the veterinarian drug phenylbutazone, known every bit bute, which is banned from the human nutrient chain because of wellness risks. All tests for bute came dorsum negative.

Announcing the results, Brown said: “Since this incident began on Jan 16, businesses have got been carrying out a large number of tests.

“We said that manufacture should part those results alongside us, in addition to the public, in addition to nosotros asked for the showtime results to last alongside us today. The results hence far engagement from when businesses began their testing 4 weeks ago. They include results which were received yesteryear companies upward to or hence 10am this morning.

“It is encouraging that nosotros have got received hence many results from manufacture hence quickly, which reaffirms their commitment to working alongside us to address the serious number of consumer confidence inwards the U.K. nutrient supply.

“More of import for consumers, it shows that inwards the vast bulk of cases the results hence far are showing that no Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid is introduce inwards the foods tested. But this is all the same far from the total pic in addition to nosotros await manufacture to locomote along to furnish us alongside regular updates on their testing regime.

“We’ve asked manufacture to exam for Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid downward to a grade of 1 per cent. There are 2 reasons for this. First, that’s a pragmatic grade to a higher house which nosotros intend whatever contamination would last due to either gross incompetence or deliberate fraud; it’s non going to last accidental. Second, some laboratories tin alone exam accurately downward to a grade of 1 per cent.

“But that does non hateful that we’re non concerned with, or that nosotros accept, levels below 1 per cent. In damage of religious belief groups, at that spot remains a meaning number close delineate levels of other species below 1 per cent. So nosotros have got a assort programme of locomote nether mode alongside [agriculture body] Defra to facial expression at the issues or hence that, too.

“Further results are expected over the coming weeks in addition to the Food Standards Agency volition position out some other update this fourth dimension side yesteryear side week.”

Meanwhile, British supermarket chain Asda said on Th it had constitute Equus caballus deoxyribonucleic acid inwards its beef bolognese sauce. The chain said it was withdrawing the product. Three other products – a beef broth soup, center feast pasta sauce in addition to chilli con carne soup – were beingness withdrawn every bit a precauitionary stair out because of manufacturing links.

An Asda spokespeson said preliminary tests on the bolognese had indicated the presence of Equus caballus DNA, resulting inwards the withdrawal.

Last month, the chain withdrew 4 burger products constitute to incorporate delineate levels of Equus caballus DNA. The burgers were supplied yesteryear Irish Gaelic work solid Silvercrest, which had also sold Tesco.

Also on Thursday, Irish Gaelic catering supplier Rangeland Foods said it was withdrawing frozen burger products later discovering some had v per centum to xxx per centum Equus caballus meat. The work solid supplies restaurants, pubs, caterers in addition to a fast-food chain.

The scandal or hence horse-meat contamination inwards processed beef products has mushroomed since initial exam results inwards the Irish Gaelic commonwealth revealed contamination. The worst inwards that serial of tests was 29 per cent Equus caballus meat.

Testing of other products produced inwards Europe in addition to purportedly made alone from beef were constitute to incorporate upward to 100 per cent Equus caballus meat.

 

 

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