AM expresses disappointment at horsemeat discovery (From Tivyside Advertiser)

AM expresses disappointment at horsemeat discovery

9:41am Friday 15th February 2013 in News

AM expresses disappointment at horsemeat discovery Lessons should be learned from the horse meat scandal according to a local AM.

In response to the news that horse meat had been found at a Ceredigion packaging plant, AM Elin Jones said: “It’s really disappointing that a business in Ceredigion is under suspicion for illegally labelling horsemeat as beef.

“This investigation needs to be thorough and immediate. When an event such as this happens, confidence in the whole of the meat industry is dented and the reputation of all farmers and processors are in danger of being tarnished. “It’s important for consumers to know that food labelled as Welsh lamb and Welsh beef has full traceability and remains the best on the market.”

“I want Governments and retailers to learn the lessons from this horsemeat scandal. In the future, the FSA should be resourced to undertake spot-check DNA sampling of meat on retailers shelves. The technology now exists to do this, and this scandal came to light when Irish authorities undertook such sampling. If retailers and processors were subject to random DNA checks, then this problem would soon be eradicated.”