Nestle products found to contain undeclared horse meat

Raw Horsemeat

The world's biggest food and drinks maker Nestle SA has become the latest company to pull some of its products off European shelves after they were found to contain undeclared horse meat.

The company, based in Vevey, Switzerland, said in a statement late Monday that it withdrew some of its beef pasta ready meals from sale after tests conducted two days earlier detected horse DNA. Nestle said it increased its surveillance after reports emerged last month of mislabeled products being sold in Britain.

"Our tests have found traces of horse DNA in two products made from beef supplied by H.J. Schypke," Nestle said in a statement. "The levels found are above the one percent threshold the U.K.'s Food Safety Agency uses to indicate likely adulteration or gross negligence."

H.J. Schypke, a German subcontractor for one of Nestle's suppliers, Belgium-based JBS Toledo N.V., said in a statement Tuesday that it had never knowingly procured horse meat.

"We regret this incident and will intensify our efforts to provide the highest quality products," it said. "As a result, we will conduct genetic tests on all raw incoming meat in future." Read more >>

Horsemeat scandal draws in Nestlé and largest beef producer

The escalating horsemeat scandal has ensnared two of the biggest names in the food industry, Nestlé, the world’s number-one food maker, and JBS, the largest beef producer by sales.
Switzerland-based Nestlé on Monday removed pasta meals from shelves in Italy and Spain and suspended deliveries of all processed products containing meat from German supplier, H.J. Schypke, after tests revealed traces of horse DNA above 1 per cent. Nestlé said it had informed the authorities.

H.J. Schypke was subcontracted by JBS Toledo, part of Brazil-based JBS, which claims on its website “to supply the ready meals and catering industry with only the highest quality processed meat without concessions. From the selection of animals to the final packing, every facet of the production flow meets the most exacting requirements.”

JBS late on Monday moved to distance itself from the scandal, saying none of the tainted products came from its factories and clarifying that H.J. Schypke “is not in any way part of the JBS Group”.

Nestlé withdrew two chilled pasta products, Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini from sale in Italy and Spain. Lasagnes à la Bolognaise Gourmandes, a frozen meat product for catering businesses produced in France, will also be withdrawn. Read more >>