Tests from Ireland's 'number one' beefburger producer show that 75% equine DNA found in firm's raw material ingredients
Ireland's agriculture minister has confirmed that another Irish meat processing company has suspended production of burgers after horsemeat was found in a consignment of beef. Simon Coveney said his department had received tests that found 75% equine DNA in a raw material ingredient at Rangeland Foods in the border county of Monaghan.
The company bills itself as Ireland's number one producer of beef burgers to the food service industry with customers in the UK, Greece, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Holland, Cyprus and Gibraltar.
Coveney has also called in the Garda Siochána to investigate the latest discovery of horsemeat in beef.
The department of agriculture has been conducting further investigations to establish if a Polish-labelled product has been used in other meat processing plants in Ireland following a similar find at the Silvercrest food production company.
The minister said the consignment in the latest case was imported through a meat trader based in Ireland.
A spokesman for the minister said: "The department is continuing contact with the Polish authorities as the investigation has shown that all implicated raw material ingredient is labelled as Polish product. Arising from today's findings, added to the facts uncovered in the investigation at Silvercrest and inquiries north of the border, the minister has ordered the involvement of the special investigation unit of the department. He has also asked the gardai to join the investigation team."
The spokesman added that Coveney was "110% certain" of the veracity of test results from the plant.
The latest horsemeat scare comes as a joint committee of the Republic's parliament prepares to discuss promoting Irish food on Wednesday.
The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine was planning to debate the impact of Ireland taking over the EU Presidency on agricultural issues such as the Common Agricultural Policy.
The President of the Irish Farmers Association John Bryan said the results of the latest tests for horsemeat was "further evidence" that only Irish raw material should be used in the manufacture of Irish beef burgers.
Bryan demanded it was clear that stricter controls must apply to the secondary processing industry, particularly where imported products are being used.
The company said the consignment was received in early January but did not go into food production. None of the burgers have gone into the food chain, it said. Production had been temporarily suspended and the test results were immediately reported to the department of agriculture, it added.
Rangeland stressed that 90% of its beef is of Irish origin. Established in 1982, the company has annual turnover of around €18m (£15m) and has more than 80 employees.
Last month scientific tests on beef products sold in Ireland in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Lidl, Aldi and Iceland uncovered low levels of horse DNA. Food safety officials in the republic said there was no risk to human health and the burgers had been removed. Since then Tesco, Aldi, the Co-op and Burger King have dropped Silvercrest as a supplier.
Revelations of horsemeat in burgers processed in Ireland threaten to damage a food industry which employs more than 160,000 people and is a major source of exports.
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