Cross-posted from Farming UK
Taste of Hungary in South Road, Waterloo, where horse meat has been discovered.
Lancashire County Council has identified traces of horse meat imported from Hungary that was labelled as beef, the Food Standards Agency has confirmed.
The meat was imported by Hungarian Food Ltd in Preston. Investigations showed that 40kg were sold through Hungarian Food Ltd’s own market stall in Preston, and through a shop in Liverpool called Taste of Hungary.
The remaining meat has been withdrawn from sale. The meat was sold in 1kg bags labelled as ‘diced beef’.
The Food Standards Agency has notified the European Commission and the Hungarian authorities. The local authority is investigating and the meat will be tested for the veterinary drug ‘bute’.
The European Union discussed meat labelling before the horse scandal broke but member states chose the weakest rules available, according to Public Health Committee chair Matthias Groote.
“In the past we have discussed legislation on whether or not meat of different forms should be labelled, and member states have chosen the weakest option. We need to see how we can guarantee traceability and improve deterrence” he said.
In a public health debate, MEPs said member states failed to enforce EU food chain laws and highlighted a lack of ‘dissuasive sanctions’ against fraud.
“What we have now is a crisis of confidence” said Groote.
“We are getting more and more news about the impact and the scope of this labelling issue. We need to see how we can guarantee traceability and improve deterrence.”
Health and Consumer Policy Commissioner Tonio Borg said member states are responsible for enforcing EU rules and reported that food in all EU countries was now being tested for horse DNA and traces of the painkiller phenylbutazone, or ‘bute.’ Continue reading >>
RELATED READING
Waterloo delicatessen Taste of Hungary sold horse meat; Liverpool Echo; 23 March 2013
Tuesday's Horse 
Wow….I have to say, I had wondered for a very longtime – with the numbers of horses slaughtered ‘WHERE WAS ALL THE MEAT GOING’??? We are now learning not just to people who know they are eating it & not just to feeding zoo animals. As for this tainted meat found in baby food…I do hope if any illnesses become of it, heads roll & law suits are started! Payback is a b—-h & karma is in the air!
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Have any effected countries tested commercially prepared baby foods that contain meat? I have seen no mention of this type of product which is fed to one of the most vulnerable segments of the population for any adverse reactions that may be assc. with eating horse meat that could contain residues of banned substances….
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Yes, it is has appeared in baby food in the UK; not sure about what other countries. It is so widespread it is hard to keep up with. It appears that just about anywhere meat is eaten, horse meat is turning up in it, or as it.
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This just keeps getting better and better, doesn’t it? Yesterday, I read an article that horse meat was found in meat products in Greece.
Makes ya wanna stay home and hug a bag of carrots…
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“hug a bag of carrots…” Love it. I am with you. What better time to go vegan or vegetarian. Think of the problems this would solve.
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