From traces of equine DNA to findings of 100% horse meat in a beef lasagna in less than a month. The story of how the meat industry cuts corners and the reason consumers shouldn’t accept it peacefully.
First there were traces of horse DNA in a few samples from Tesco, then there were more contaminated samples with up to 30% horse meat. Days go by and as FSA widen the search to find Beef Burgers in the market with almost 100% horse meat. By this time, this is still understood as an UK situation, understanding the Irish processing plants have supplied UK supermarkets.
Things then escalate a bit, when Burger King decided to conduct their own investigation towards current Irish suppliers to found prove of Horse DNA in the production lines of Silvercrest. Allegedly, the productions lines used to process BK burgers were NOT contaminated, but the contract is anyhow revoked. During all this process, the Irish authorities accused the horse DNA to be originated from Spain but country decline responsablity proving no horse meat was sold to Ireland since 2007. Then the accusations go Poland way, who despite refuting them haven’t been able to place any prove to support it.
The world was still trying to understand the magnitud of the problem when another bomb blasts: Up to 100% Horse Meat is found in Findus Beef Lasagna supplied by a Comigel (a French company). I believe, most of us in the industry are shocked and taken my surprise as the situation spreads in Europe. All parts involved are well known companies lead by reputed professionals. Companies like Tesco, Aldi, Iceland, Lidl, Burger King and Findus are expected to be reliable by complying with their labels statement.
Far beyond than delivering quality at competitive prices, consumers expect to be able to trust these brands. So, how could this happen?
Not accusing any of the referred above to play along, one must wonder how was it possible that hundreds of quality check points in different parts of production process were unable to identify something was not right. One must remember that it was a random Equine DNA test that triggered this scandal.
As many state, horse meat consumption doesn’t constitute any harm for human beings. Naturally, the reason why it was so commonly used is to lower the costs and increase margins. Some may say it was greed, others will claim recession and increasing competition, but at the end of the day no company looks nice in this picture from processing plants to retailers.
We can only hope that better control and better food standards will come out of this troubled situation. And … Yes, prices will go up to support it.
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