FSA News Item, 19 February 2013
As part of its ongoing investigation into mislabelled meat, the FSA has tested a quantity of frozen meat currently detained in a cold store on the premises of a company called Freeza Meats* in Northern Ireland, which is potentially linked to the Silvercrest factory in the Republic of Ireland.
Silvercrest was the supplier of beef burgers that contained horse DNA, identified in a survey carried out by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
Of the 12 samples from the suspect consignment that have been tested, two of the samples came back positive for horse meat, at around 80%. The investigation into the traceability of these raw materials and their source is under way. As this meat was detained, it has not entered the food chain.
* The Food Standards Agency wishes to clarify that the detained meat does not belong to Freeza Meats and that Freeza Meats is co-operating fully with Newry and Mourne Council. The detained meat, not the company, may be linked to Silvercrest.