Dive Summary:
- After horse and pig meat was discovered in "beef" at several U.K. and Ireland grocery stores, an Irish investigation claimed the meat in question came from a Polish supplier.
- Poland, a significant agricultural exporter, has refuted the claim and said, although some tests were still coming in, there is no evidence the meat was contaminated before it was shipped abroad.
- The Polish Veterinary Inspectorate said it has conducted many tests of both production and storage facilities and has yet to see any signs of contamination.
From the article:
He refused for now to provide the names of the companies being investigated on the principle that they are innocent until proven guilty. But he said that if any supplier added horsemeat into products labeled as beef or something else, it would be a crime and prosecutions would follow. He said that aside from the DNA testing, inspectors are also studying documentation and working closely with counterparts in Ireland and Britain to determine the source of the horsemeat.
Poland has a large agricultural sector that exports significant quantities of meat and other foods to markets in Europe and beyond. A discovery of meat sold as beef, but contaminated with horsemeat, could tarnish the country's reputation as a source of food.
