ABP confirmed in a statement: “Silvercrest purchased Polish beef products from McAdams Food Service.
“It appears now that, while Silvercrest purchased these beef products in good faith, horse DNA originating in Poland was present in some of these products.”
Originating in Poland
ABP Food Group said that about 170t of beef products were bought from McAdam compared with total purchases last year of 18,000t.
“ABP Food Group continues to co-operate fully with the competent authorities in the investigation,” it said.
A spokesman for McAdam told FoodManufacture.co.uk the firm disputed ABP’s version of the tonnages involved. He said the firm had “no awareness or knowledge whatsoever of any possibility of there being equine content in meat products imported and supplied by McAdam to any other company.”
Meanwhile, the Food Standards Agency confirmed the presence of beef products containing horse DNA at Freeza Meats storage in Northern Ireland yesterday (February 6).
Northern Ireland deputy first minister Martin McGuinness said: “If there was criminal activity, the police should investigate.”
More follows.