Rangeland withdraws burgers after positive test for horsemeat
Rangeland Foods is withdrawing some batches of burgers after they tested positive in the UK for between 5-30% horsemeat, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed.
The burgers were used in the catering and wholesale sectors and contained beef supplied from Poland.
The company issued a statement today.
It read: "Rangeland Foods, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan has contacted a number of their customers to alert them to the fact that burgers that were produced by Rangeland in September 2012 for the export market, may contain traces of equine DNA as they were produced with meat of Polish origin.
"Rangeland Foods chose to alert their customers yesterday that burgers produced in September 2012 had tested positive for equine DNA in a small number of cases.
"The burger product was specifically produced for the UK market and was made to a specification for EU beef from EU approved suppliers.
"Rangeland Foods has since taken the decision to withdraw all of their hitherto untested produce made from meat of Polish origin from the food chain, and that process is underway.
"On Thursday, February 7, following consultation with the Department of Agriculture, Rangeland Foods Ltd today recommenced production at their Co Monaghan meat processing plant, on the basis that it was using only Irish raw materials.
"Rangeland Foods Ltd regrets the inconvenience that this recall will have on its customers; however responsibility to the consumer for the safety and integrity of the food produced by Rangeland is central focus of its business."
