Frozen beef lasagne on sale in Ireland tests 100 percent horse meat

Irish consumers warned not to eat product that could contain harmful drugs

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Findus beef lasangne contains 60 to 100 percent horse meat

Photo by Findus

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The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)  has advised the public not to consume Findus Frozen beef lasagne found to contain up to 100 percent horse meat.
 
Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive of the FSAI said it is unknown whether the product could pose a food safety risk. Tests are being carried out in the UK to established the presence of veterinary medicine phenylbutazone is present in the frozen lasagnes. Animals who have been treated with this drug are forbidden to enter the food chain.
 
Reilly said “Our advice to consumers at this point, is not to consume this product, but to dispose of it or return it to their retailer.”
 
The Findus product was removed from stores in the UK following the discovery that is was made from predominantly horse meat. The discovery came from the French-based company, Comigel, who were concern about the type of meat being used in the product.

Read more: Have abandoned Irish horses entered the food chain? Ireland’s burger scandal has health implications
 
The FSAI is attempting to establish which Irish retailers have been supplied with the same product. The supermarket chain Tesco withdrew the product from its shelves on Wednesday, but they failed to inform the FSAI.
 
The authority is now working to ensure the product is withdrawn from all retailers shelves.
 
The FSAI said that “full compliance with food law is required across the entire supply chain at all times and that food business operators must remain vigilant in ensuring the authenticity of ingredients used”.
 
A Findus spokesman told the Irish Times “ [we] do not believe this is a food safety issue”
 
However in Findus Sweden have recalled 20,000 packed of “beef lasagna” after tests showed it contains horse meat.
 
Henrik Nyberg, a director at Findus Sweden "Our lab has shown that the lasagne may contain between 60 to 100 per cent horsemeat.”

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