Food, Horsemeat | featured news

Britain's food regulator said horsemeat had been found in beef products at Taco Bell fast food outlets, the first time it has been discovered on sale in British restaurants since the scandal broke in January.

A new study from researchers at Oxford University says the roots of the taboo on horse meat are in the spread of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. But the real reason may be simple economics.

Europe’s horse meat scandal has claimed Ikea meatballs, those mysteriously cheap, lingonberry-sauced snacks that have gained something of a cult following among fans of the furniture store. On Monday, Ikea withdrew bags of the meatballs from 21 European countries after officials in the Czech Republic found traces of horse DNA in a bag labeled as beef and pork.

So hungry you could eat a horse? Chances are, if you've regularly consumed processed-meat products in Europe, you already have. Since Ireland published surprise DNA results on Jan. 15 showing that a third of frozen "beef" burgers in Ireland contained at least a trace of horse, food scientists in more than a dozen countries have found the animal trotting into products where it was never meant to roam.

For Britons worried last week's beef lasagne was in fact a helping of horse, peace of mind that such a meal will never reach dining tables again may come at a price.

Nestle SA has withdrawn beef pasta meals from sale in Italy and Spain after tests found horse DNA. Horse meat has found its way into ready-to-eat meals sold across Europe in a meat mislabeling scandal that has shaken the food industry.

A English county has confirmed that horse meat has been found in cottage pies served at 47 of the county's schools. Lancashire County Council said it has withdrawn the products from all of the schools' kitchens, but it will not say which schools served the contaminated meat.

The meat content of beef lasagne products recalled by Findus has tested positive for more than 60% horsemeat, the Food Standards Agency says.

Horsemeat might not be bad for you to eat, but it's definitely bad for sales of products labeled as beef. But Ireland's surprise discovery of horsemeat traces in many factory-produced burgers is boosting business for one trade: Forensics labs able to use DNA fingerprinting to tell pig from fowl.

Burger King says it has stopped buying beef from an Irish supplier whose patties in Britain and Ireland were found to contain traces of horsemeat.