HORSEMEAT lasagne, Anyone?

Findus admits frozen lasagne was made with 99% horsemeat and they don't know for how long it has been on shelves

• Lasagne packs manufactured at a plant in Metz by French company Comigel
• Comigel makes a range of beef products for supermarkets Tesco and Aldi
• Both stores have removed them from shelves as a precautionary measure
• Concerns horse meat used in the lasagne contained the drug bute, which is a known human health risk

 

By Sean Poulter  

Findus has tonight admitted that it has been selling packs of its popular frozen lasagne that were 99 per cent horsemeat.

The news is the first time that it has been confirmed that horsemeat contamination of products sold in the UK has spread beyond beef burgers.

There are concerns that the horse meat used in the lasagne contained the drug bute, which is a known human health risk.

 

Fresh revelations: Findus tonight confirmed it has been selling packs of its frozen lasagne that contained 99 per cent horse meat

The lasagne packs were manufactured by French company, Comigel, at a plant in Metz, which produces food for supermarkets in Britain and Europe.

Comigel makes a range of beef products for Tesco and Aldi, which have both removed them from shelves as a precautionary measure.

Tesco removed its packs of frozen Everyday Value Spaghetti Bolognese, whiles Aldi has withdrawn its Today’s Special Frozen Beef Lasagne and Today’s Special Frozen Spaghetti Bolognese.

Tests are being carried out on these products, however there is no evidence – to date – that they contain horse meat.

Findus asked supermarkets and corner shops to remove three sizes of beef lasagne - 320g, 360g and 500g – from shelves on Monday.

At the time, it said this was because of what it called a ‘labelling issue’ in what appears to have been a crude attempt to pull the wool over customers’ eyes.

 

Big supplier: Comigel - the company that manufactures Lindus lasagne - also makes beef products for Tesco and Aldi

 

 

Precautionary measure: Both Aldi and Tesco have removed beef products manufactured by Comigel from their shelves

In fact, it has now emerged that these products contained horse meat, which constitutes a crime under labelling laws and will alarm the public.

The revelation raises further questions about whether major food brands have any good idea about what is being put into their products.

Findus said: ‘At Findus UK we are committed to our customers and the quality of our products.

‘Following a thorough investigation, Findus UK can confirm that testing of its beef lasagne, produced by a third party supplier and not by Findus, has revealed some product containing horse meat.

‘As a precautionary measure, on Monday we coordinated a full withdrawal of our affected beef lasagne.

‘We understand this it is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately. We do not believe this to be a food safety issue.’

Labour’s Shadow Food and Farming Secretary, Mary Creagh, described the handling of the scandal by the Government as ‘appalling’.

She said the horse meat found in the Findus products has not been tested for the presence of the drug bute, which is a known human health risk.

 

Wide spread: The revelation is the first time that horse meat contamination of products other than beef burgers has been confirmed

‘This drug is banned from the human food chain because it can cause aplastic anaemia, which is a type of leukaemia,’ she said.

‘Ministers have been hiding under their desks, rather than getting to grips with this.

‘We have a real crisis of confidence in the meat industry, people do not feel they can trust what it says on the label. This is potentially a disaster for UK supermarkets, manufacturers and farmers.

‘The government’s handling of this has been appalling. Unless they come out on the front foot and show leadership, we won’t have a meat processing industry left.’

The Food Standards Agency(FSA) said the level of horse meat found in the Findus products ranged from 60 to 99per cent. It said tests will be carried out for the presence of bute.

A spokesman said: ‘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, or 'bute'. Animals treated with phenylbutazone are not allowed to enter the food chain as it may pose a risk to human health.

‘The Findus beef lasagne was distributed to the main UK supermarkets and smaller convenience stores. Findus has already begun a full recall of these products.

‘People who have bought any Findus beef lasagne products are advised not to eat them and return them to the shop they bought them from.’

Bute was banned from use in humans after it was found that  about one person in 30,000 recipients suffered a serious side effect. But in levels reported  in previous FSA testing of contaminated meat, the maximum level found would have to be multiplied a thousand-fold to be at the same level as that which used to be given to humans.

This suggests that even if someone eats contaminated meat the risk of damage to their health is very low.

Mail Online revealed earlier this week how a British based meat importer has been implicated in bringing in large quantities of beef from Poland that contained horse meat.

Flexi Foods, which is based in Hull, describes itself and partner companies as a supplier to schools, restaurants and market stalls in the UK.

The company supplied at least 60 tonnes of beef, some of which contained horse, to food processors and manufacturers in Ireland.

The meat ended up at the factory of Silvercrest, County Monaghan, which is known to have made contaminated burgers for Tesco, Burger King, Asda and the Co-op among others.