The Hull-based meat supplier that was named last week as a possible source of horse meat has said it is helping the Food Standards Agency in its investigations into the scandal.

However, Flexi Foods stressed it was only involved in one part of the FSA’s investigation, for which it had been asked to supply information. It was doing so “quite voluntarily”, the company said in a statement issued through its lawyers today.

“We feel it would not be fair, nor appropriate, to comment any further whilst the authorities continue with their much wider investigations,” it added.

Flexi was drawn into the scandal after Irish meat trader McAdam Foods named Flexi as the source of frozen meat stored in a cold store in Northern Ireland, owned by Freeza Meats. DNA tests carried out by the FSA on the meat found that it contained up to 80% horse.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, McAdam said it had ordered the meat, which is from Poland, from Flexi last year and then asked Freeza to store it because it was too big to be stored elsewhere. The meat was subsequently inspected by the local council in September 2012, which identified labelling issues with the consignment, and has asked Freeza to keep it under quarantine ever since.

The meat was not tested for horse until last week.

McAdam said Flexi was ultimately responsible for the consignment. “Responsibility for the provenance of the shipment lay with the UK supplier who was also the responsible party in terms of answering enquiries from the officer of Newry & Mourne District Council,” it said. “McAdam relinquished its ownership and insisted that the UK supplier redeem the goods.  The council officer conducted their enquiries through the UK company as the supplier and shipper of the product.”

It then added: “The UK supplier was Flexi Foods Ltd., of Hull in England. It is not in our remit to comment for or on behalf of that company. The provision of their name to you (following your specific enquiry) is provided in the interests of openness and accuracy.”

McAdam supplied small quantities of beef products to ABP Food Group’s Silvercrest plant, which made the Tesco Everyday Value burger that was found to contain 29.1% horse. It also supplied Rangeland Foods, where traces of horse DNA were found in raw material.

Rangeland temporarily stopped production in the wake of the horse DNA discovery but restarted it yesterday, after being given the all-clear from Irish officials. Silvercrest remains closed.

 

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