Leicestershire County Council withdraws products from school menu over horse meat scare
Leicestershire County Council has withdrawn two beef products from school dinners over fears they could contain horse meat.
Beef grill steaks and minced beef will no longer be served to youngsters after the council sought reassurances from its suppliers. Tests are now underway to ensure the products contain only beef following revelations that some products in the food chain contain horse meat.
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Beef grill steaks and minced beef will no longer be served to youngsters in schools in Leicestershire
In a statement released yesterday, a county council spokesman said: "The vast majority of food supplied by the council's School Food Support Service is Red Tractor assured and we regularly seek assurances from our suppliers to ensure that they comply with legislation.
"It's important to reassure parents that following this mis-labelling issue, we've sought and received further specific assurances from suppliers that their products do not contain horse meat.
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"We're happy with the quality of all beef products on our menu except for two that we have removed. These are two products we buy which aren't processed on site by the supplier. Although they are produced within the UK we're carrying out precautionary sampling and analysis to ensure that horse meat isn't contained within them.
"Until we know the outcome of these precautionary tests we have put a hold on using these products."
The Red Tractor is a food assurance scheme which covers production standards developed by experts on safety, hygiene, animal welfare and the environment.
All suppliers in the Red Tractor food chain are inspected and certified by an independent professional body to ensure that the food is safe and it is known where the raw ingredients come from.
The Red Tractor certifies that food has been produced to independently inspected standards right across the food chain – from farm to pack and was started by UK farmers, food producers and retailers. It was launched by Tony Blair in June 2000.
The School Food Support Service provides 22,000 meals to children across 244 schools across Leicestershire every day. Leicester City Council withdrew beef from its school menus several years ago following the scare over BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy).
6 Comments
by Bob491
Saturday, February 16 2013, 10:06PM
“Quote:"this could have been far worse than just horse-meat"
You mean this could well be far worse than just horse meat. But will the Con government employ sufficient inspectors to find out?
They should be investigating high levels of salt for a start.”
by Ratae999
Saturday, February 16 2013, 2:26PM
“Spoilsports!”
by Ratae999
Saturday, February 16 2013, 2:03PM
“I think many of us are overlooking the fact that some people find horsemeat quite acceptable. I think we should put it to the vote...should it be completely excluded or could trace elements of horsement be included in the diet? I for one would vote neigh but I object to the government-knows-best crowd champing at the bit to ride roughshod over the dietary preferences of their fellow citizens. I accept that this issue has been a burr under the saddle of many people for some time now but think they should be reined in nonetheless.”
by Grant2010
Friday, February 15 2013, 7:29PM
“The issue is that we can no longer believe whats on the label because of a serious lack of government protection. They would far sooner listen to businesses than check them out. Can we for instance believe "for foods to be labelled as organic, at least 95% of the ingredients must come from organically produced plants and animals. Any food product sold as 'organic' falls under the EU regulations 834/2007 and 889/2008". A government's job is to ensure ordinary people are protected. Not to protect business to hide behind lies and incompetence.”
by Grant2010
Friday, February 15 2013, 6:57PM
“Let's face it; with the government's support of industry, that there are far too many regulations checks shackling industry, this could have been far worse than just horse-meat. In fairness to all decent businesses that are prepared to play it straight, both health and safety regulations and indeed all others, need to be rigorously enforced by the enforcing agencies that cannot be manipulate by threats of government funding cuts. No organisation should be allowed lenience of self-regulating and neither should it be left to private companies no-matter how independent and professional they claim to be.”
by Bob491
Friday, February 15 2013, 6:57PM
“Beef should be withdrawn from school menus permanently. There are far too many problems with it, including mad cow disease and horsemeat, but also the likelihood of this Con government exterminating the wild badger population because of beef problems.
I have stopped buying it!”