According to the Hellenic Food Authority (EFET), horse DNA was found in chicken nuggets, schnitzel, beef burgers, Frankfurter sausages and traditional beef products. The chicken nuggets contained 10-25% horsemeat, while a traditional ' soutzouki' product contained more than 50% horsemeat.
EFET said it had ordered an immediate recall of the affected products and that the relevant controls were “already in progress”.
It added it had also send the samples to the laboratory to test for the presence of the anti-inflammatory drug phenylbutazone and that, so far, all samples had come back negative.
This is the first time horse DNA has been found in a chicken product in Greece, although authorities have previously found horsemeat in salami, burgers, kebabs and other beef products. EFET has also found horsemeat in batches of frozen beef, which allegedly came from Romania.
Meanwhile, further beef product samples from Latvia and Estonia have tested positive for horse DNA. According to local press, of 36 samples sent from Latvia to the British laboratory Genon Laboratories, three came back positive for horsemeat. Of 10 samples send by Estonian food authorities to a German laboratory, one came back positive for horsemeat.