Low levels of bute found in Asda product
Asda has informed the Food Standards Agency (FSA) that very low levels of phenylbutazone, or "bute", have been found in 340g tins of its Smart Price corned beef.
The supermarket have recalled the product, which is said by the FSA to pose a very low risk to human health. Those with tins of the smart price corned beef have been instructed by the supermarket to return it to their nearest Asda store for a full refund.
The FSA began the horse meat investigation in January 2013, after the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) detected horse meat in otherwise labelled products during their routine sampling.
Food businesses are now required by the FSA to test their beef products. Those containing horse meat levels above 1 per cent must also be tested for bute.
Asda's smart price corned beef was withdrawn from shelves on 8 March 2013 after it tested positive for horse DNA over 1 per cent. As per the FSA's requirements, the product was then tested for bute, and found to contain four parts per billion (4ppb).
In response to the horse meat situation, the FSA announced new system in February, meaning that 100 per cent of horses slaughtered in the UK must be tested for bute. A negative test is now required before the carcass can enter the food chain.
The agency's testing regime allows results to come through within approximately 48 hours of the test being carried out. In February, the FSA reported eight carcasses testing positive for bute in tests carried out between 30 January and 7 February.
Updated figures for the period 11 February to 4 April were added to the FSA website on 16 April. Of the 836 carcasses tested during this period, 14 were found to contain bute and were prevented from entering the food chain.
To date, the FSA has received over 5000 results from food businesses, as a result of the testing they have been asked to carry out on food products. Of these, 99 per cent have tested negative for horse DNA at or above the 1 per cent threshold.
The FSA is continuing its investigations into the issue. Click here for further information and to view the testing results published by the European Commission.
With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.
