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Horsemeat now found in Ikea's meatballs sold in 13 countries
Source: Agencies |
February 26, 2013, Tuesday
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SWEDISH furniture giant Ikea was drawn into Europe's widening food labeling scandal yesterday as authorities said they had detected horsemeat in frozen meatballs labeled as beef and pork and sold in 13 countries.
The Czech State Veterinary Administration said that horsemeat was found in one-kilogram packs of frozen meatballs made in Sweden and shipped to the Czech Republic for sale in Ikea stores there. A total of 760 kilograms of the meatballs were stopped from reaching the shelves.
Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said meatballs from the same batch had gone out to Slovakia, Hungary, France, Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Ireland. Magnusson said meatballs from that batch were taken off the shelves in Ikea stores in all those countries. Other shipments of meatballs were not affected, she added.
However, the company's Swedish branch announced on its Facebook page that it won't sell or serve any meatballs at its stores in Sweden out of concern for "potential worries among our customers."
Magnusson said Ikea saw no reason to extend that guidance globally. She said Ikea was conducting its own tests of the affected batch. She also said that two weeks ago Ikea tested a range of frozen food products, including meatballs, and found no traces of horsemeat.
Ikea's stores feature restaurants and also sell typical Swedish food, including the so-called Kottbullar meatballs.
European Union officials met yesterday to discuss tougher food labeling rules after the discovery of horsemeat in a range of frozen supermarket meals such as burgers and lasagna that were supposed to contain beef or pork.
The Czech authority also said yesterday that it found horse- meat in beef burgers imported from Poland during random tests of food products.
Spanish authorities, meanwhile, announced that traces of horsemeat were found in a beef cannelloni product by one of the brands of Nestle, a Switzerland-based food giant. The Agriculture Ministry said it was a case of fraudulent labeling but represented no health threat.
In a statement on its website, Nestle Spain said that after carrying out tests on meat supplied to its factories in Spain it was withdrawing six "La Cocinera" products and one "Buitoni" product from store shelves.
It said it was taking the action after the traces of horsemeat were found in beef bought from a supplier in central Spain. Nestle said it was taking legal action against the company, adding that the products would be replaced by ones with 100 percent beef.
Some EU member states are pressing for tougher labeling rules to regain consumer confidence. The 27-nation bloc must agree on binding origin disclosures for food product ingredients, starting with a better labeling of meat products, German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said.
The Czech State Veterinary Administration said that horsemeat was found in one-kilogram packs of frozen meatballs made in Sweden and shipped to the Czech Republic for sale in Ikea stores there. A total of 760 kilograms of the meatballs were stopped from reaching the shelves.
Ikea spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said meatballs from the same batch had gone out to Slovakia, Hungary, France, Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Ireland. Magnusson said meatballs from that batch were taken off the shelves in Ikea stores in all those countries. Other shipments of meatballs were not affected, she added.
However, the company's Swedish branch announced on its Facebook page that it won't sell or serve any meatballs at its stores in Sweden out of concern for "potential worries among our customers."
Magnusson said Ikea saw no reason to extend that guidance globally. She said Ikea was conducting its own tests of the affected batch. She also said that two weeks ago Ikea tested a range of frozen food products, including meatballs, and found no traces of horsemeat.
Ikea's stores feature restaurants and also sell typical Swedish food, including the so-called Kottbullar meatballs.
European Union officials met yesterday to discuss tougher food labeling rules after the discovery of horsemeat in a range of frozen supermarket meals such as burgers and lasagna that were supposed to contain beef or pork.
The Czech authority also said yesterday that it found horse- meat in beef burgers imported from Poland during random tests of food products.
Spanish authorities, meanwhile, announced that traces of horsemeat were found in a beef cannelloni product by one of the brands of Nestle, a Switzerland-based food giant. The Agriculture Ministry said it was a case of fraudulent labeling but represented no health threat.
In a statement on its website, Nestle Spain said that after carrying out tests on meat supplied to its factories in Spain it was withdrawing six "La Cocinera" products and one "Buitoni" product from store shelves.
It said it was taking the action after the traces of horsemeat were found in beef bought from a supplier in central Spain. Nestle said it was taking legal action against the company, adding that the products would be replaced by ones with 100 percent beef.
Some EU member states are pressing for tougher labeling rules to regain consumer confidence. The 27-nation bloc must agree on binding origin disclosures for food product ingredients, starting with a better labeling of meat products, German Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner said.
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