Latest round of horsemeat tests negative – FSA

22-Jul-2014 - Last updated on 23-Jul-2014 at 09:41 GMT

No horse DNA found in the latest round of FSA testing

Related tags Horse dna Food standards agency Meat

Tests for horse DNA on nearly 6,000 meat products carried out by UK local authorities were negative, according to a new report from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The fourth quarterly report, published today (July 23), included new results for 3,395 beef products and 2,466 new results for non-beef products. All of which tested negative for horse DNA at or above the 1% threshold.

Since the FSA started testing for horse DNA, following the horsemeat scandal last year, 50,876 meat samples had been submitted for analysis, the FSA said.

There have been no positive results for horse DNA reported since the FSA’s first quarterly report in June 2013, it added.

In addition, the UK had taken part in a second round of EU-wide testing for undeclared horsemeat in processed beef products.

No traces were found

In the latest round, 150 samples were submitted by 24 local authorities and no traces were found, said the FSA.

Commenting on the results, Nick Martin, senior vice president at traceability firm Trace One, said: “The fact that no horsemeat has been detected in products is a very welcome development for everyone involved with the UK food industry.

“By maintaining a level of awareness, the industry can ensure that the horsemeat crisis was a one-off, rather than a sign of things to come,” added Martin.

Winning back customers would be the hardest task for the industry, he said. But being transparent and demonstrating the origins of ingredients in every product produced by food manufacturers, would be beneficial to the industry, said Martin.