FSA suspends operations at two meat plants in UK over horsemeat concerns

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has suspended operations at two meat processing plants in the UK as part of ongoing investigations into the horsemeat scandal in the country.

The agency raided the two premises, Peter Boddy Licensed Slaughterhouse in West Yorkshire and Farmbox Meats in Aberystwyth, following reports that the two plants have sold horsemeat labelled as beef for kebabs and burgers.

It is believed that the West Yorkshire facility supplied horse carcasses to the Aberystwyth plant.

Following the investigation, the FSA has confiscated all meat found and also seized paperwork, including customer lists, from the two companies.

Meanwhile, Farming Minister David Heath has conducted a meeting with major retailers, food distributors and devolved administrations on the government’s plan of action to deal with the problem of horsemeat in processed beef products.

Minister Heath said that practical steps on how to make progress on the issue have been discussed in the meeting.

"The Food Standards Agency will be informed immediately of any tests that show a positive contamination," Heath said.

"All results will be analysed and if there is evidence of fraud then enforcement action will be taken against those responsible," the minister added.

The European Commission is also urging governments to conduct DNA tests on processed beef for traces of horsemeat, beginning 1 March 2013 for three months.

European Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg said that tests should also be conducted for the presence of the veterinary medicine phenylbutazone in horsemeat, which can be harmful to humans.

Supermarkets across Britain, France and Sweden recently removed a number of products, including beef lasagne, spaghetti bolognese and burgers, from shelves after tests identified that some of them contained nearly 100% horsemeat.