Retailers have breathed a sigh of relief after test results on processed beef released today found no new products contained horse meat.

Independent test results released today found six products containing horse DNA from 1,133 samples, however these products have already been named and withdrawn from sale and included an Asda Chosen By You beef bolognese sauce.

Today’s results from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) bring the total number of tests conducted to 3,599. Within that total, 13 products were found to contain horse meat.

The Food Standards Agency said that retailers have completed 90% of the tests on beef required of them. Manufacturers, caterers and wholesalers have completed around 80% of their tests including all the major suppliers to schools, hospitals and other public institutions.

A further update of industry testing results will be published next Friday. The result will come as a boost for retailers after consumer confidence in meat products has been dented by the horse meat scandal.

Asda chief executive Andy Clarke said yesterday he will “leave no stone unturned” in the search for the source of the contamination to prevent it happening again.

Retailers intend to begin testing other products which contain beef such as meat dripping on Monday. The FSA will release the results of its own sampling programme in early March.

B&F Meats in Ireland today suspended its operations after it was discovered that it had been displaying processed beef containing horse meat to the Czech Republic.

Birds Eye some of its ready meals made by a Belgian manufacturer and sold in the country after discovering a chilli con carne dish contained 2% horse DNA.  

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