EU executive calls for DNA tests in horsemeat crisis

BRUSSELS: The executive of the European Union (EU) called in Europe’s law enforcers and urged bloc-wide DNA food testing on Wednesday to restore consumer confidence in a widening scandal over horsemeattainted processed food.

“We do not know exactly what has gone wrong,” British Food and Environment Minister Owen Paterson told reporters after emergency talks in Brussels and amid growing public anger over mislabeled meat products.

France and Switzerland have now joined Britain in finding horsemeat in frozen beef lasagne, while supermarket chains in Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany have pulled millions of frozen ready meals off the shelves.

The row has exposed the complex web of suppliers involved in the food chain, raising public fears about health as well as suspicions of fraud.

EU’s Health Commissioner Tonio Borg said Brussels was calling on all 27 EU states to carry out DNA tests on beef products to see if they contained horsemeat.

The European commission would also urge checks in all European establishments handling raw horsemeat for phenylbutazone, an equine veterinary drug that can be dangerous to humans.

Since Britain last week discovered horsemeat in frozen lasagne— made by French firm, Comigel and sold under the Findus label— supermarkets across Europe have pulled millions of frozen ready meals from the shelves.