Council seeks horsemeat assurances (From Western Telegraph)

Council seeks horsemeat assurances

1:30pm Saturday 23rd February 2013 in County News

Assurances that meat and meat products supplied to Pembrokeshire’s schools and care homes do not have any horsemeat contamination have been sought by the county council.

The authority has six different food suppliers within Wales, including four based in Pembrokeshire.

And the council’s procurement officers have been given the necessary assurances regarding the authenticity of the products.

Said a council spokesman: “Other than products on sale through national retailers, which have received widespread recognition in the press, we are not aware of any other affected products available in Pembrokeshire at this time.”

Officers from the council’s food safety and standards team are currently visiting cold stores and premises for approved meat products and meat processing, which have not been inspected in the last 12 months, to check documentation, labelling and traceability in line with Food Standards Agency advice.

“Samples will be taken if there are any concerns regarding meat authenticity,”

added the spokesman.

Following a raid on premises in Aberystwyth last week, which did hold a licence to deal with horse meat, deputy Welsh agriculture minister Alun Davies AM urged consumers to continue their confidence in products labelled PGI Welsh Beef.

He explained: “Welsh Beef has been awarded the European Union’s Protected Geographical Indication status. This means that the whole of the supply chain meets the highest possible standards.

“In practice, this means that only beef from cattle born and reared in Wales and slaughtered and processed in PGI-approved premises can be labelled as Welsh Beef.”