February 15, 2013

UK introduces DNA testing on beef products from 1 March

The UK will introduce a three-month programme of random DNA testing of beef imports from March 1, according to the region's Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson, following an EU meeting to address the current problem of horse meat in the food chain.

"We agreed a new intelligence-sharing system so that new information about the current investigations can be shared immediately. This will enable other member states to act straight away if they have any suspicions that food businesses are not playing by the rules," Paterson adds. "It will also allow Europol to co-ordinate investigations into criminal activity."

The EU has reached an agreement on a number of key issues concerning the scandal involving horsemeat in beef products, he added.