Intentional Food Adulteration European Horse Meat Scandal 2013

Recently, it has come to the attention of many in the food industry, that horse meat has been used as a substitute for beef; as much as a 100% substitution of the meat content has been found in some cases. In other cases, other undeclared meat was also used as a substitute; to include pork. The issue first got major attention on 15 January 2013 when laboratory testing results of frozen beef burgers sold in Irish and British supermarkets showed results of horse DNA and also of pig DNA in many of the samples (23 out of 27 samples). After further investigation by affected companies, to include some big brand name companies in the European markets such as Dalepak, Freshlink and ABP Nenagh in the UK, more testing was conducted by other companies. Burger King, being supplied beef by Silvercrest, dropped them as a supplier after finding horse meat in their supply chain. Tesco and Aldi both cancelled contracts with ABP Food Group as a result of the adulteration. A pub and restaurant supplier in the UK, a food wholesaler called Makro, also found that some of its laboratory testing of beef products contained horse DNA. Sodexo, a private catering business in Great Britain, withdrew frozen beef products they produced as a result of horse DNA found in a sample. Sodexo is a major supplier of schools, armed forces, prisons and old age homes in Great Britain.

In France, around the same time frame, A la Table de Spanghero, a French based meat processing company that supplied Findus (a frozen food brand), was found to be the supplier of beef products that contained horse DNA. Of 18 beef lasagna products tested, 11 were positive for horse DNA; containing between 60 100% horsemeat. It was found that the horsemeat originated in Romania, sold to another French company called Comigal and produced the adulterated product in Luxembourg.

Nestle, a Swiss based company, on 18 February 2013, found two of their beef pasta products were positive for more than 1% horse DNA and led to the withdrawal of pasta products in Italy, Spain and France. The adulterated meat was procured through a sub-contractor called HJ Schypke. Also in February, Birdseye, selling chile con carne product in Belgium, revealed that testing found horse DNA was in the product and withdrew three products for sale that contained beef procured from the UK through its supplier; a Belgium firm called Frigilunch.

What do all these cases tell us? Well, they tell us at least three important things. One is that the supply chain for beef throughout Europe (as well as many other products and services) affect not just one small local area as was the case many years ago. Now that our world is shrinking in terms of access of services and products, the affects of mismanagement, accidents and intentional fraud affects not only a few members of a small community; but a large population scattered over many nations with magnified political, health and economic ramifications.

Second, there was a major failure in the inspection of the supply chain that allowed this to happen. In reviewing many of the horsemeat scandal cases, the suppliers were deep in the supply chain and not usually the first or second major supplier of the products in the chain. This tells me that the inspectors of the product were not doing a complete supply chain inspection of the product and more than likely focused their attention on the final stages of the process where it was normally discovered, through expensive laboratory testing, that the product was adulterated. This could have been avoided if the supply chain of the product was properly managed, physically followed and inspected by competent professionals to ensure the supply chain was thoroughly vetted.

Third, many of these companies have trusted their main suppliers because they have used the same suppliers for years with little or no issues. Today, due to the expansion of the supply chain and the large amount of territory it covers, it is a more difficult task to ensure that the whole supply chain is safely managed. It is now more critical than ever to ensure that both a food safety and food defense perspective is imbued in the daily duties of all members of the supply chain. Unfortunately, this perspective is not available or present in many companies today.

What is needed now in Europe, as is in every part of the world, is an unbiased system that helps companies in assessing the state of their supply chain so that they can make an honest assessment of where they currently stand in terms of having a safe food supply chain; safe from accidental and intentional contamination. This is what INSCATECH can provide companies worldwide.

Hector Haas, Director of Field Operations, INSCATECH Corporation, www.inscatech.com