Horsemeat scandal spreads in Europe

A Findus Beef Lasagne photographed in a shop in Jarrow, England, Friday, Feb. 8, 2013. / AP

PARIS Europe's horsemeat scandal is spreading, as French consumer safety authorities say companies from Romania, Cyprus and the Netherlands were part of a supply chain that resulted in horsemeat being disguised as beef in frozen lasagna sold around the continent.

Romania's president scrambled to salvage his country's reputation as Romanian authorities investigate the claim. Dutch authorities say they're ready to investigate if needed. A Swedish manufacturer is suing a French supplier.

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No one has reported health risks from the mislabeled meat, but it has unsettled consumers across Europe.

French supermarkets announced Sunday that they've pulled a raft of pre-prepared meals, including lasagna, moussaka and cannelloni suspected of containing undeclared horsemeat.

The motivation for passing off horsemeat as beef appeared to be financial, and authorities are concentrating on pursuing anyone guilty of fraud in the affair, said France's junior minister for consumer goods, Benoit Hamon.

Hamon said in a statement Saturday that an initial investigation shows that a subsidiary of French company Poujol bought frozen meat from a Cypriot trader, who had received it from a Dutch food trader. And that Dutch company had received the meat from two Romanian butchers.

The statement didn't name the Romanian, Cypriot or Dutch companies.

Poujol then supplied a Luxembourg factory, Hamon's statement said. Another French company, Comigel, also was involved, and the lasagna was ultimately sold under the Sweden-based Findus brand.

• U.K.: Recalled lasagna products contain 60 percent horsemeat
• Burger King drops supplier linked to horsemeat

While horsemeat is largely taboo in Britain and some other countries, in France it is sold in specialty butcher shops and prized by some connoisseurs. But French authorities are worried about producers misleading the public.

An affair that started earlier this year with worries about horsemeat in burgers in Ireland and Britain has spread into a Europe-wide scandal.

The EU commissioner for agriculture is meeting Monday with Romania's foreign minister. Romanian President Traian Basescu said Sunday that his country would lose credibility "for many years," if the Romanian butchers turn out to be the root of the problem — and face potential export restrictions.

"I hope that this won't happen," Basescu said in televised statements.

Basescu said that so far no irregularities have been discovered. Romania's agricultural ministry has begun an investigation.

In the Netherlands, Esther Filon, spokeswoman for the Dutch Foods and Wares Authority, said Sunday that the Dutch haven't started investigating but they are ready to if necessary.

"We're a ways away from being able to confirm or deny whether a Dutch company is involved," she said. "It would presumably be a question of fraud, rather than food safety. Horse meat can be sold legally in the Netherlands, as long as it is labeled as such."

Findus Sweden plans to sue France's Comigel for breach of contract and fraud, Findus Nordic CEO Jari Latvanen said Sunday. He said the company's deal with Comigel stipulates the beef in the lasagna should come from Germany, France or Austria, but that has not been the case.

"We understand that customers are disappointed. So are we. Customers must be able to trust the contents declaration," he said. "We will take strong action to make sure those who are liable in this affair are punished. Our reputation has been damaged, and we do everything to re-establish confidence."

[chipmonk13]

Chuck 666 has never been to big farms. Much animal waste replaces chemical fertilizer and also builds "tilth" which improves the soil. We would all be better off if the EPA was shut down...ask the 20,000,000 million people without jobs!

[bobnjersey]

[an initial investigation shows that a subsidiary of French company Poujol bought frozen meat from a Cypriot trader, who had received it from a Dutch food trader. And that Dutch company had received the meat from two Romanian butchers ... Poujol then supplied a Luxembourg factory, Hamon's statement said. Another French company, Comigel, also was involved, and the lasagna was ultimately sold under the Sweden-based Findus brand]
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planes from germany ... trucks from spain ... pilots and drivers from italy ... and forklifts from norway were used to load the meat on greek ships ... which made port of calls in all other european countries not already mentioned ... before the whole mess became the so called swedish cheddar cheese 'lasagne'.

[foo8259]

Instead of Findus ... Catchus would seem more appropriate?

[jgg000010]

cheddar cheese in lasagne?

[mntrosie]

Im a horse owner so i dont want to be eating horse if i can help it. im also Italian and i have as big a problem with Bechamel and CHEDDAR CHEESE in the lasagna! WTH is that?? YUCK! If the French are going to call this Lasagna im going to call California sparkling wine, Champagne.

[tmonta67]

LOL...my Nonna's lasagna had spinach, ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella.

[basefare]

The companies responsible should be put out of business. At the very least, consumers should not buy their products, any of it, and if possible not do business with any store carrying their products. This is worse than the slime mess in the US.

[Valhalla0907]

My Mexican friends tell me horse meat is quite tasty! Their feed is quite different than that of a cow. While the mislabeling and deception of the companies involved is criminal, meat is meat.

[hbullis]

Meat is meat? What kind of stupid answer is that? Your Mexican friends tell you....haha what BS? Why haven't you ate it? Meat is meat, that is one of the dumbest replies ever. You must be a horses a**!

[cbs_bull]

Two of the big problems for many company nowadays, greedy and careless about their products. They put their profits over product value for consumers. Once the fraud got caught, they started to play the victim card, such as being fooled.

Although we're not lack of greedy large corps in the US, I just hope America can do better on food safety this time than Europe or China where milk laden with melamine, recycled cooking oil containing potentially deadly molds, ... etc are common practices.

[Jhihmoac]

Hell, in some countries it's probably, "Ohh, you'll like our cooking, it's the cats!" Literally!

[dickkahrs]

The way things are going, you're going to be eating soylent red, yellow, or green!