Horsemeat found in ground burger sold in UK and Irish grocery stores

January 16, 2013 by Bob Yirka in Health weblog

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Rump steak on griddle pan. Credit: Wikipedia.

(Medical Xpress)—The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has found evidence of horsemeat in ground meat marketed as beef (meat from cows) and sold in grocery stores in Ireland and the UK. The agency stressed that the findings pose no health risk, but does call into question how well regulations regarding meat processing are being observed in Ireland and the United Kingdom.

After analyzing 27 products purchased from , the FSAI reported finding horse DNA in 10 of them (23 of them also contained pig DNA). They added that in one sample they found horsemeat made up 27% of the sample. Finding pig DNA in the meat was not a surprise as cows and pig are quite often processed out of the same facilities. Evidence of horsemeat on the other hand was completely unexpected and the fact that it's been found is likely to cause a considerable degree of consternation among buyers who find horsemeat completely unacceptable as a . In addition to personal preferences, some religions prohibit the eating of horsemeat and thus consumers who have been eating what they thought was pure beef, must now deal with the realization that they have been eating both pig and horsemeat.

Burger with horsemeat in it was found in samples that came from Tesco, one of Europe's largest grocery chains, Dunnes Stores, Lidl and Aldi. All of them have removed the brands in question from their shelves and have issued statements assuring consumers that they will get to the bottom of the problem and take steps to insure it doesn't happen again. FSAI chief executive Professor Alan Reilly told reporters that the agency's findings do not indicate a health risk. He also noted that there is no plausible reason for horsemeat showing up in burgermeat, which suggests that it was put there intentionally by some unknown persons or organization.

All of the that showed the presence of horse DNA came from just two processing plants, the FSAI says, both based in Ireland: Liffey Meats and the Dalepak Hambleton plant in Yorkshire. At this time it's not been made public what measures the government of Ireland will take against the processing plants or those responsible, if caught, for adding horsemeat to burger.

More information: via BBC

© 2013 Medical Xpress

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Eikka
Jan 16, 2013

Rank: 4.3 / 5 (3)
Reminds me of an old joke.

Some time after the war, a man goes into a restaurant and orders Coq au vin, dines, and calls for the chef. On his arrival he compliments, "I must admit the food is excellent, but I can't help but notice that the meat isn't entirely of chicken."

"Well", said the chef, "we have had some difficulties, and I do deeply apologize: we've had to extend our meager supply with a portion of horse meat."

"How large a portion?"

"Well, you take one chicken, and one horse..."
TheGhostofOtto1923
Jan 16, 2013

Rank: 1 / 5 (4)
Horsemeat is probably to dilute the mad cow prions.
Cave_Man
Jan 16, 2013

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Notice they left out another critical species closely related to pig that has a realistic chance of ending up in the meat. But I fear they are afraid the meat companies will sue after their sales drop off.

Don't we live in a wonderful world?
hjbasutu
Jan 17, 2013

Rank: 1 / 5 (1)
Did they also test for Human DNA...there is an unlimited quantity of human stock out there, considering pork and human flesh look very much the same it would not be surprising to find a hint of Jonny or Susan in the burgers..just saying.
CreepyD
Jan 17, 2013

Rank: not rated yet
Another point of view here - There are millions of people starving in the world and now thousands of burgers have been simply thrown out due to a little horsemeat which technically isn't going to harm anyone.
I doubt this will put most people off, many big fast food outlets sell burgers which could be any kind of meat to be honest, or may not be meat at all with all the crap they put in.
VendicarD
Jan 17, 2013

Rank: 1 / 5 (3)
1. Capitalists will do anything for a buck.

2. Self inspection is pure idiocy imported from America.
TheGhostofOtto1923
Jan 17, 2013

Rank: 1 / 5 (4)
Another point of view here - There are millions of people starving in the world and now thousands of burgers have been simply thrown out due to a little horsemeat which technically isn't going to harm anyone.
There will always be millions of starving people in the world until the religionist cultures which exploit the human tropical repro rate to outgrow and overrun their neighbors, are destroyed. Have I said this before?

Horsemeat was good enough for the troops at verdun, why not the rest of us?
vitonring
Jan 20, 2013

Rank: not rated yet
??? I don't see a problem...horsemeats great stuff! low fat high protien, usually grass and grain fed very little in way of hormone's etc
I get it when I can... 'pass' on the pig and "falldown cows"
I do not eat pig ( they got one thing right anyway! )
Rank 5 /5 (6 votes)
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