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'Horse lasagne' sparks food scare

British authorities warned the public not to eat beef lasagne sold by the Findus brand and made in France after tests found it contained up to 100% horsemeat.

Findus tested 18 of its beef lasagne products manufactured by supplier Comigel in France and found 11 meals containing 60% to 100% horse meat, Britain's Food Standards Agency said.

The agency said further tests have been ordered on the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone, as animals treated with it are not allowed to enter the food chain in Britain.

"Findus withdrew the beef lasagne products after its French supplier, Comigel, raised concerns about the type of meat used in the lasagne," the agency said in a statement.

The agency said tests on the lasagne were ordered "as part of its ongoing investigation into mislabelled meat."

"We have no evidence to suggest that this is a food safety risk. However, the FSA has ordered Findus to test the lasagne for the veterinary drug phenylbutazone."

It is the latest horsemeat related scare after horse DNA was found two weeks ago in beefburgers in Britain and Ireland, countries where horse meat consumption is generally taboo.

Two weeks ago, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) had revealed that up to 29% of the meat content of some beefburgers was in fact horse, while they also found pig DNA.

(SAPA, February 2013)

 

 

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