In Arizona: European Union Asks Member Nations to Test Meat for Bute: PLUS More News

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

European Union Asks Member Nations to Test Meat for Bute: PLUS More News

February 13, 2013

Story and Photo By Steven Long

HOUSTON, (Horseback) – The European Union, faced with a burgeoning horsemeat scandal has asked its member nations to conduct DNA tests on processed beef. The scandal erupted when horsemeat, substituted for beef was found in the European version of Burger King products and lasagna from the frozen dinner giant Findus.

At the center of the probe is the EU demand that all meat determined to come from horses be tested for phenylbutazone, or bute. Details emerged on a report by the BBC in its feed to America.

Horsemeat is similar to beef, but is said to tast slightly gamey, is sweeter, as well as being more lean.

“This is a Europe-wide issue that needs a Europe-wide solution,” Irish Farm Minister Simon Coveney is reported to have said. “This is about someone in the food supply chain selling horsemeat as beef and making money in a fraudulent way by doing that.”

The report, aired by the BBC, suggested that the EU is investigating a possible conspiracy that may reach the United States.

The tests will be carried out over a three month period. Testing will begin March 1, however, such a late start is likely to enable European meat producers and food companies’ ample time to move 100 percent beef into the food supply. That will not, however, prevent enormous pressure investigators will bring to bear on food company employees to out their bosses if they have crossed the line.

The United Kingdom called earlier for an EU wide DNA testing regimen of beef products. The testing will continue for three months with random tests thereafter.

U.S. critics of horse slaughter have long claimed that American horsemeat sent abroad is laced with bute because almost all of the domestic animals have received the drug at some point in their life. Once a horse has been given phenylbutazone, it remains in the body to for life.

The scandal erupted two weeks ago and has mushroomed to the point that 16 countries have now found horsemeat in food labeled as containing beef products. A number of European supermarkets have withdrawn frozen beef dinners from their shelves. Most recently, horsemeat was found in frozen Lasagna in France. Germany is currently investigating delivery of frozen lasagna.

There are currently no U.S. horse slaughter plants, but domestic producers ship their unwanted horses to abattoirs in Mexico and Canada where testing for bute is virtually non existant. The EU recently said it would not accept U.S. meat because of the phenylbutazone scare.

American wild horses are also shipped to slaughter after they are captured and processed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. If a horse is in pain he is likely given bute. Most recently, the BLM sold more than 1,700 wild horses to a killer buyer who has refused to divulge their location. It is suspected the horses went to slaughter in Mexico. The sale is currently under investigation.