Horse DNA Found in 1% of UK Beef Samples

LONDONThe Food Standards Agency (FSA) on Feb. 15 published the first set of industry results from beef products that have been tested for the presence of horse DNA. The agency said 1% of the nearly 2,501 results tested positive for the presence of horse DNA.

Last month, European law enforcement authorities and regulators began investigating a network of food suppliers, grocery stores and other companies following revelations that horse meat was detected in beef sold in the United Kingdom. The growing probes could result in a substantial number of civil lawsuits and criminal prosecutions, potentially rattling consumer confidence in a global food supply chain.

According to the FSA report, 29 samples, relating to seven products that already have been reported and where the food business and the FSA have already taken appropriate action to remove the products from sale and notify consumers, tested positive for the presence of undeclared horse meat at or above a level of 1%. At least 950 tests are still in progress.

The testing follows the statement by FSA Chief Executive Catherine Brown earlier in the month, where she announced the food industry had been instructed to conduct authenticity tests on their composite beef products, such as burgers, lasagnas and meatballs, in light of the recent horse meat issue. The samples were carried out on both raw ingredients and final products, and taken from a range of manufacturers, catering suppliers, wholesalers, producers and retailers across the United Kingdom.

Where products have been found to contain horse DNA, they have been tested for the presence of veterinary drug phenylbutazone, known as bute. All of the tests for bute have come back negative.

Since this incident began on Jan. 16, businesses have been carrying out a large number of tests. We said that industry should share those results with us, and the public, and we asked for the first results to be with us today. The results so far date from when businesses began their testing four weeks ago," Brown said. Its encouraging that we have received so many results from industry so quickly, which reaffirms their commitment to working with us to address the serious issue of consumer confidence in the UK food supply."

She said the agency asked industry to test for horse DNA down to a level of 1%. There are two reasons for this. First, thats a pragmatic level above which we think any contamination would be due to either gross incompetence or deliberate fraud; its not going to be accidental. Second, some laboratories can only test accurately down to a level of 1%.

But that does not mean that were not concerned with, or that we accept, levels below 1%. In terms of faith groups, there remains a significant issue about trace levels of other species below 1%. So we have a separate program of work under way with Defra to look at the issues around that, too. Further results are expected over the coming weeks and the FSA will publish another update this time next week."