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Horsemeat scandal: Horsemeat in burgers came from Poland, says FSA Horsemeat scandal: Horsemeat in burgers came from Poland, says FSA
(35 minutes later)
Food standards authorities in the Irish Republic are certain that horsemeat found in beefburgers came from Poland, the UK Food Standards Agency has said.Food standards authorities in the Irish Republic are certain that horsemeat found in beefburgers came from Poland, the UK Food Standards Agency has said.
FSA boss Catherine Brown told the Commons environment committee that a mixture of "beef and horse offcuts" were contained in a frozen block of filler product imported from Poland.FSA boss Catherine Brown told the Commons environment committee that a mixture of "beef and horse offcuts" were contained in a frozen block of filler product imported from Poland.
The meat was processed at the Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan.The meat was processed at the Silvercrest plant in County Monaghan.
Inquiries have begun in Poland to find out how it became mixed with beef. Investigations have begun in Poland to find out how beef and horse were mixed.
FSA investigations are still ongoing into how traces of horse DNA came to be found in burgers produced at processing plants in the UK. Meanwhile, FSA investigations are still ongoing into how traces of horse DNA came to be found in burgers produced at processing plants in the UK.
Ms Brown said the Food Standards Agency of Ireland (FSAI) investigation had found the Polish supplier had been used by the Silvercrest facility for about 12 months. Ms Brown told MPs the Food Standards Agency of Ireland (FSAI) investigation had found the Polish supplier was used by the Silvercrest facility for about 12 months.
Traces of both horse and pig DNA were found in value beefburgers sold in Iceland, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and Dunnes Stores.
'Up to a year''Up to a year'
Asked how UK consumers could know if horse meat had not been in burgers "for months, if not years", Ms Brown replied: "We haven't [previously] identified horsemeat in burgers as a likely significant risk in this country... that's why it's very important now that we get to the bottom of the Polish connection and the Irish investigation because it is possible that these burgers have been on sale in this country.Asked how UK consumers could know if horse meat had not been in burgers "for months, if not years", Ms Brown replied: "We haven't [previously] identified horsemeat in burgers as a likely significant risk in this country... that's why it's very important now that we get to the bottom of the Polish connection and the Irish investigation because it is possible that these burgers have been on sale in this country.
"The probable limit of possibility... is a year because it's been a year that this supplier has been supplying."The probable limit of possibility... is a year because it's been a year that this supplier has been supplying.
"When the Polish get to the bottom of this we will hope to know whether it's likely that this has been going on for a year.""When the Polish get to the bottom of this we will hope to know whether it's likely that this has been going on for a year."
Earlier on Wednesday, Tesco announced it was dropping Silvercrest, part of the ABG Food Group, as a supplier in the wake of the horsemeat scandal. Ms Brown said she would not "rule out or in" any prosecutions until all the investigations had been completed.
She added that none of the samples tested by the FSAI had "anything in them that was unsafe to eat" and insisted there was "no evidence" to suggest the food was unsafe for human consumption.
Earlier on Wednesday, Tesco announced it was dropping Silvercrest, part of the ABP Food Group, as a supplier in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.
'Not approved'
Speaking to the committee, Tesco group technical director Tim Smith said they had approved seven suppliers for use by Silvercrest for the production of Tesco branded burgers.
"Silvercrest, for whatever reason, chose to suppliers we had not approved and audited," he said.
"If somebody chooses to step outside of that process... for whatever commercial reason, then it's impossible to check a supplier in Poland who we don't know even exists."
The Silvercrest plant is currently closed. ABP Food Group's chief executive Paul Finnerty said the firm has "established comprehensive DNA testing procedures" to ensure this "never happens again".
The results of FSAI tests, released to the FSA on 14 January, revealed some burgers made at the Silvercrest plant contained up to 29% horsemeat constituting a "gross contamination".The results of FSAI tests, released to the FSA on 14 January, revealed some burgers made at the Silvercrest plant contained up to 29% horsemeat constituting a "gross contamination".
Some 10 million burgers were withdrawn from sale across all of the supermarket chains implicated.
At Tesco, the products included its Everyday Value 8 x Frozen Beef Burgers (397g), Tesco 4 x Frozen Beef Quarter Pounders (454g) and a branded product, Flamehouse Frozen Chargrilled Quarter Pounders.