Further UK beef results expected tomorrow, as EU tackles crisis

Further results of tests on beef in the UK are expected in the coming days.

The Food Safety Authority (FSA) there has been carrying out tests on samples and the results are expected tomorrow.

It comes as the European Commission announced it is introducing random DNA testing on processed meats.

The Commission will contribute half of the estimated €3 million of costs.

The European Law enforcement agency Europol is to coordinate a criminal investigation into the horse meat scandal across several countries.

The moves form part of a series of recommendations put forward after Agriculture ministers from 8 of the EU countries implicated in the scandal met in Brussels yesterday.

Farmers have welcomed the proposals and IFA President John Bryan says tighter controls and inspections are needed as well more detailed food labeling.

“Retail regulation that would mean 100% accurate labeling and traceability – where every product would have country of origin, country rared, country slaughtered” he said.

“And if a secondary processor decided to have products from other countries, that each one of those countries would have to be listed on the package”.

“But the level of enforcement on labeling hasn’t been adequate” he added.

Fallout continues

A German supermarket chain claims traces of horsemeat have now been found in their lasagne.

Meanwhile a poll carried out in the UK which surveyed almost 2,000 people over the last 2 days shows almost 1-in-5 people – or 19% – had changed their buying habits on the back of the horse meat scandal.

58% said they had stopped buying processed meat altogether.

When asked who they believed was most at fault almost half – 49% – said meat processors were to blame.

Pat O’Keefe is Deputy Editor of the Irish Farmers Journal.

He says the Commission tests are not just about determining the levels of horse DNA in beef. 

Speaking in Brussels last night, Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said regulations with protecting consumers rests with individual member states.

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