Horsemeat: MPs Criticise 'Slow' Investigation

MPs have condemned the "slow pace" of an investigation into the horsemeat crisis in the UK as no one has been prosecuted six months after the scandal erupted.

Horsemeat contamination was first revealed in January by officials in the Irish Republic and the food crisis then spread across Europe.

Several supermarket products and school dinners across the UK were found to contain horse DNA.

But authorities in both the UK and Ireland are yet to acknowledge the scale of the illegal activity involved, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee said.

"The evidence suggests a complex network of companies trading in and mislabelling beef or beef products which is fraudulent and illegal," said committee chair Anne McIntosh.

"We are dismayed at the slow pace of investigations and seek assurances that prosecutions will be mounted where there is evidence of fraud or illegality."

Birds Eye products were found to contain horse DNA

The committee complained that there was still a "lack of clarity" over where responsibility lay in dealing with the contamination, and that role of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) was not clear.

"The FSA must become a more efficient and effective regulator and be seen to be independent of industry," Ms McIntosh said.

"It must have the power to be able to compel industry to carry out tests when needed.

"It must also be more innovative in its testing regime and vigilant in ensuring every local authority carries out regular food sampling."

Major supermarkets in the UK have been caught up in the scandal

The MPs were also "surprised" that in EU-mandated tests, 14 out of 836 samples of horsemeat from the UK tested positive for the painkiller bute.

But the committee acknowledged that horsemeat contamination was limited to a "relatively small" number of beef products sold in the UK, with 99% of products tested containing no horse DNA.

They said more regular testing of products is necessary to protect consumers.

"Regular and detailed DNA tests are needed on all meat or meat-based ingredients which form part of a processed or frozen meat product," the MPs said.

"Consumers need to know that what they buy is what the label says it is."

The committee also said there were clearly "many loopholes" in the current system of horse passports and called for assurances that horse movements were being properly monitored.

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