From Iceland — Surprising Twist in Horse Meat Scandal

Surprising Twist in Horse Meat Scandal

Published February 28, 2013

The horse meat scandal that has prompted food quality testing throughout Europe and North America has taken an interesting turn as The Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) found that a brand of Icelandic beef pies contain no meat at all.
MAST tested a handful of foods produced by food services company Gæðakokkar to ensure that they did not contain any horse meat without saying so on the label and have found improper labeling in all of them. However none contained horse meat, MAST revealed in a press release.
The beef pies, which claimed on the packaging to contain 30% beef, were found to have no meat (no animal protein) at all. Meatballs from the same company were labeled as containing both lamb and beef, but contained no beef.
The Public Health Authority of the West has requested that the beef pies be recalled by Gæðakokkar. The Public Health Authority of the West is also seeking to legally reprimand Gæðakokkar for violating food labeling laws.
Magnús Níelsson, owner of Gæðakokkar, told RÚV that he is shocked at the findings of MAST and cannot explain how no beef made it into the companies 30% beef pies.

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