Total recall for Swedish horse-meat lasagne

Swedish food company Findus has recalled its frozen single-portion lasagne after samples were found to contain up to 90 percent horse meat.

• Swedes eat 70 tonnes of fake beef (5 Jan 13)
• Dyed pork scandal sinks Swedes' trust in meat (23 Nov 12)
• 19-year-old rotten meat sold in Swedish shops (13 Jun 12)

Findus withdrew the 375 gramme product after its Luxembourg supplier, Comigel, warned that it contained a high percentage of horse meat.

However, the Swedish company assured customers the presence of horse meat did not pose a health hazard.

"We have been assured from the supplier that it is not a health risk for consumers. Had it been a risk, it would be another story" Henrik Nyberg, head of production at Findus in Sweden, told the TT news agency.

Meanwhile, the Findus product has caused a storm in the UK, where it has also been taken off the shelves, with Findus UK apologizing to customers.

"We understand this it is a very sensitive subject for consumers and we would like to reassure you we have reacted immediately" a spokesman told the AFP news agency.

Swedish customers with the product at home have been advised to return it, or to contact Findus online or by telephone.

The company stressed that only the 375 gramme frozen lasagne product contained horse meat, and that their other products had no connection to the horse meat at all.

The Local/og
Follow The Local on Twitter