Romania denies blame over horsemeat

[Graham]

Romania denies blame over horsemeat
11 February 2013 Last updated at 13:26
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21413376
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65812000/jpg/_65812641_6t9ms3wz.jpg

The Romanian prime minister has denied allegations that two abattoirs in his country sold horsemeat purporting to be beef to European food companies.

Victor Ponta said checks had been carried out and there had been no breach of rules and standards.

Two abattoirs had been linked to the contamination of processed meat products sold in Europe.

Many countries have been affected and the UK government says that a "criminal conspiracy" may have taken place.

Mr Ponta expressed anger that his country had been blamed.

"From all the data we have at the moment, there is no breach of European rules committed by companies from Romania or on Romanian territory," he told a news conference.

"I am very angry, to be honest."

In France, the government has summoned meat industry representatives for crisis talks. Seven French supermarket chains have already withdrawn some frozen ready meals from sale.

French investigators have visited two companies involved in the import and processing of meat to try to establish at what stage the horsemeat was labelled as beef.

[Corvus]

Again a negative story which sheds bad light on this nice Balkan country.
I start to feel compassion for them

[Graham]

This is big news in the UK & many products have been moved. This may well destroy businesses.

Also our local farmers have been undercut, through this scam. We could have sold perfectly good beef.

Eating horse meat isn't that bad, instead of destroying it, hope they can still use it.

[Mistel]

Eating horse meat isn't that bad, instead of destroying it, hope they can still use it.

Yes, I hope so, too. I don't think eating it is bad, but in the UK lots of people are so against eating horse meat, whereas in other countries it is eaten much more.

[Xyresic]

Eating horse meat isn't that bad, instead of destroying it, hope they can still use it.The main problem isn't the eating of horse meat in itself. The problem is that horses are given drugs which can be cancerous to humans.

Also when the consumer goes into a supermaket and buys a rump of beef, they expect to get 100% beef without traces of other animals.

I think some positives will come of this scandal, more people will seriously consider using local butchers.

[Graham]

^^
Local butchers have reported a big rise in sales. Beef's good business here.

[Xyresic]

Thats great news, its great to hear that small businesses are having an increase in takings. Though I doubt it would make much of a dent in those supermarkets profit margins.

[Incal]

I've probably eaten horse meat since I was born. No problem so far.

[Xyresic]

I've probably eaten horse meat since I was born. No problem so far.Fair enough, I understand that horse meat is meant to be quite popular in some places.

This horse meat that was found in beef, pork, lamb and chicken products was not declared by the suppliers and the manufacturers. Since they were not declared no checks were done on the horses, they could have been disabled, ill or mistreated. Its not the same as going to a high quality Argentinian steak house and buying high quality horse meat from a horse bred for consumption and was hopefully treated well.

[Heart of Oak]

The horse meat should have been tested; And declared; Then all this nonsense would not of taken place; It is another attempt by the big companys to make a quick buck$$$$; Only this time it has back fired on them:
I hope all the little people make a dollar out of it ££££; It will not last long for them, as Horse meat will soon be legal in this Country, due to the low price of the meat, soon every out let will be selling it, I have eaten it an it tastes nice, I think most of the people will feel the same; in other Countrys it has been eaten for a long time::::

[Incal]

Fair enough, I understand that horse meat is meant to be quite popular in some places.

This horse meat that was found in beef, pork, lamb and chicken products was not declared by the suppliers and the manufacturers. Since they were not declared no checks were done on the horses, they could have been disabled, ill or mistreated. Its not the same as going to a high quality Argentinian steak house and buying high quality horse meat from a horse bred for consumption and was hopefully treated well.

Here is not popular either. And nobody has ever declared it lol.