Horse meat controversy a 'European-wide problem'

The chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has said the horse meat controversy is now a Europe-wide problem.

Professor Alan Reilly said the problem was no longer confined to Ireland.

It has emerged that Findus beef lasagne products, which tests in the UK found to be up to 100% horse meat, were on sale in Ireland.

The lasagne was manufactured in Luxembourg for a French company, Comigel, which supplied Findus.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Prof Reilly said: "It's not just confined - as we thought initially - to Ireland. This has spread to France, to Luxembourg, to the UK, Poland are involved and the Netherlands. So it really is a European-wide problem that we have."

Prof Reilly said the FSAI was going out to the retail trade today to ensure that the product was withdrawn from sale.

He said that the FSAI is also advising consumers that if they had purchased Findus beef lasagne they should not eat it.

They should bring it back to the store they bought it in and get their money back.

He said that finding 100% horse meat in a product that was labelled as beef was "a very serious finding" and a very serious issue for Findus.

"If Findus and Tesco cannot have a secure supply line for their products... we do have a major problem within this sector of the trade," he said.

He said there was a small food safety risk associated with horse meat because of some of the drugs used to treat horses.

Prof Reilly said the original investigation into traces of horse DNA in beef burgers here was continuing and lots of other products were being tested.

He said the FSAI had to work with the food industry to make sure there were testing systems in place to ensure the integrity of the meat going into these type of products.

Earlier this week French food company Comigel informed its customers there was a problem with some of its products.

Aldi withdrew some lasagne and spaghetti Bolognese products from its shelves. At the same time, Tesco withdrew lasagne made by Findus from its stores.

The FSAI said Tesco had not told the authority it was withdrawing the Findus lasagne.

Tesco today said there was no intentional delay in informing the FSAI about the withdrawal. It said it was not required under agreed protocols.

The supermarket said following notification from the Findus group on Monday, it immediately withdrew the lasagne product on Tuesday.

The FSAI is in contact with Findus to find out what retailers sold its product in Ireland.

Elsewhere, the owner of a Co Monaghan food company caught up in the horse meat controversy has said he has never seen or handled equine meat products.

It follows the discovery of horse meat in products that McAdam Foods had stored at Freeza Meats in Newry.

Martin McAdam said his firm, McAdam Foods, traded only in beef and pork and that he was co-operating fully with Irish authorities.

Speaking on RTÉ's Prime Time last night, Mr McAdam said he was unable to explain why meat he had sourced from two separate Polish factories had tested positive for horse meat.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of the General Veterinary Inspectorate in Poland has said there are no indications that the mixing of horse meat with beef, which was used for burger production, took place in Poland.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Jaroslaw Naze said the investigation was ongoing and the completion of such investigation depends on the conclusion of the Irish one.

He said he has considered all documents and trading procedures so far and in his opinion, the beef contamination could not have happened in Poland.

Mr Naze said Polish authorities are examining slaughter houses which were identified as potential source of the contaminated beef.

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