Meatballs will be back on shelves at Ikea tomorrow after being pulled a month ago at the height of the horsemeat scandal.
Horsemeat was discovered in a batch of meatballs destined for the Swedish homeware giant’s stores in the Czech Republic last month. As a result, it withdrew meatballs from stores.
Ikea has now slashed the number of companies supplying meat for its meatballs from 15 to seven. It also claims to have improved controls at its supplier by introducing DNA analysis on both the raw material and the finished products.
“The trust of our customers and co-workers is of utmost importance to us. In light of the horsemeat concerns in the food industry, it is clear that Ikea Group, despite high standards, has failed to live up to our customers’ expectations,” said Edward Mohr, global Ikea food manager. It is now making changes to strengthen traceability throughout its entire food chain, he added.
Ikea’s goal is to establish traceability on meat back to the farm and DNA analysis is being implemented as a normal procedure for minced meat from all suppliers in all production units, it said. “Through extended regular third-party audits we will ensure that suppliers and sub-suppliers live up to these stricter requirements.”
Meatballs will be sold in the restaurants of all UK and Ireland stores.
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