Recently, it has come to the attention of numerous in the food industry, that horse meat has been utilized as a substitute for beef; as much as a 100% substitution of the meat content has been discovered in some cases. In other cases, other undeclared meat was also used as a substitute; to consist of pork. The issue first got major attention on 15 January 2013 when laboratory testing outcomes of frozen beef burgers sold in Irish and British supermarkets showed results of horse DNA as well as of pig DNA in many from the samples (23 out of 27 samples). Following additional investigation by affected companies, to include some large brand name businesses in the European markets such as Dalepak, Freshlink and ABP Nenagh in the UK, much more testing was conducted by other companies. Burger King, becoming supplied beef by Silvercrest, dropped them as a supplier after finding horsemeat in their provide chain. Tesco and Aldi both cancelled contracts with ABP Food Group consequently from the adulteration. A pub and restaurant supplier within the UK, a food wholesaler known as Makro, also found that some of its laboratory testing of beef products contained horse DNA. Sodexo, a private catering company in Great Britain, withdrew frozen beef products they created consequently of horse DNA discovered in a sample. Sodexo is really a major supplier of schools, armed forces, prisons and old age homes in Fantastic Britain.

In France, around the same time frame, A la Table de Spanghero, a French primarily based meat processing company that supplied Findus (a frozen food brand), was discovered to be the supplier of beef goods that contained horse DNA. Of 18 beef lasagna goods tested, 11 were positive for horse DNA; containing in between 60 – 100% horsemeat. It was found that the horsemeat originated in Romania, sold to another French business called Comigal and produced the adulterated product in Luxembourg.

Nestle, a Swiss primarily based company, on 18 February 2013, discovered two of their beef pasta products were positive for more than 1% horse DNA and led to the withdrawal of pasta goods in Italy, Spain and France. The adulterated meat was procured through a sub-contractor known as HJ Schypke. Also in February, Birdseye, promoting chile con carne item in Belgium, revealed that testing discovered horse DNA was in the item and withdrew three products for sale that contained beef procured in the UK via its supplier; a Belgium firm called Frigilunch.

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What do all these cases tell us? Well, they inform us at least 3 important issues. One is that the supply chain for beef throughout Europe (also as many other products and services) affect not only 1 little nearby region as was the case many years ago. Now that our globe is shrinking when it comes to access of services and products, the impacts of mismanagement, accidents and intentional fraud impacts not just a couple of members of a little neighborhood; but a large population scattered more than many nations with magnified political, health and financial ramifications.

Second, there was a significant failure in the inspection from the supply chain that permitted this to happen. In reviewing many from the horsemeat scandal instances, the suppliers were deep in the supply chain and not generally the first or second major supplier from the products within the chain. This tells me that the inspectors of the item were not performing a total supply chain inspection from the product and much more than likely focused their interest on the final stages of the process where it was usually discovered, through expensive laboratory testing, that the product was adulterated. This could happen to be avoided when the supply chain of the product was correctly managed, physically followed and inspected by competent professionals to ensure the supply chain was completely vetted.

Third, many of these businesses have trusted their primary suppliers simply because they have utilized exactly the same suppliers for years with little or no problems. These days, due to the expansion from the supply chain and also the big amount of territory it covers, it’s a more difficult task to make sure that the whole supply chain is safely managed. It is now much more critical than ever to ensure that both a food safety and food defense viewpoint is imbued within the daily duties of all members of the supply chain. Sadly, this perspective isn’t available or present in numerous companies today.

What is required now in Europe, as is in each part of the world, is an unbiased system that assists companies in assessing the state of their supply chain so that they are able to make an sincere assessment of exactly where they currently stand in terms of having a safe food supply chain; secure from accidental and intentional contamination. This really is what INSCATECH can offer companies worldwide.

Hector Haas, Director of Field Operations, INSCATECH Corporation, www.inscatech.com, April 2013.

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