Ireland says horse DNA in burgers came from Poland

DUBLIN (Reuters) – Beef containing horse DNA that was supplied by an Irish company to major food companies like Tesco originated in Poland, Ireland’s agriculture department said on Saturday.

The British food industry has been rocked by the revelation retailers sold beef products that contained horse DNA, a scandal that has also left Ireland’s two billion euros (US$2.6 billion) beef industry reeling from the knock-on effects.

Results of tests showed that Polish ingredients used by Irish burger manufacturer Silvercrest contained 4.1 per cent horse DNA, the agriculture department in a statement.

It said further tests of the Polish ingredient concerned showed up to 20 per cent horse DNA content relative to beef, confirming the raw material from Poland to be the source of equine DNA content in certain burgers.

Tests on samples taken from Irish food ingredients were negative for equine DNA and agriculture minister Simon Coveney said the results maintained the integrity of Irish food production.

Burger King, one of the most popular fast-food chains in Britain and Ireland, said on Thursday it had stopped using Silvercrest’s products. There was no horse DNA found in products sold by Burger King.