Horsemeat Scandal: Suppliers continue with tests following Whitbread contamination

By Michelle Perrett

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Pub operator Whitbread Nutrition

Two companies - Brakes and Paragon Quality Foods -  which supplied contaminated food to pub restaurant operator Whitbread are continuing with tests on their beef products.

Pub-restaurant chain Whitbread, which operates the Brewers Fayre and Beefeater Grill chains, revealed last week that horsemeat traces had been found in two of its beef products following testing. One of these was the meat lasagne supplied by Brakes, while the other was beefburgers supplied by Quality Paragon Foods.

Brakes, the major pub food supplier, has recalled a Brakes-brand lasagne as a precaution following news that traces of horsemeat DNA were found in a product it supplied to Whitbread.

Brakes recalled the Brakes brand lasagne product (product code: 34790—Brakes Lasagne; batch code: 3011F; Best Before date: 11/07/2014), as a precaution and confirmed that no horsemeat DNA was found in this specific product. Brakes confirmed that all affected operators had been contacted.

Further DNA testing on all Brakes branded products containing beef is also underway and it expects all testing to be completed by Friday (22 February).

While burger supplier Paragon Quality Foods said it supplies Whitbread with three types of beef burgers and it has been advised that equine test results were clear for two of these products and positive for one product. Paragon confirmed the product in question was first produced on 18 January 2013 and said it would be conducting its own tests on a retained sample of the batch as part of an ongoing investigation.

Pub operators have also moved to reassure customers about beef products.

Nigel Wright, chief operating officer of managed pub and bar operator TCG, said: “When it emerged last Friday that Brakes had supplied affected products to another pub operator, we immediately sought further assurance, and have been again been advised that no products which we purchase have tested positive. Brakes is continuing with rigorous testing of all products as required by the FSA.”

Mitchells & Butlers, the managed pub operator, said it does stock a Brakes and Creative Foods lasagne but uses a different specification of product and is therefore not affected.

Punch Taverns, the 4,500-strong leased and tenanted pub operator, said it had been reassured by both its suppliers 3663 and Brakes that it has not received any contaminated products.

It said: "Following recent press reports regarding a uniquely produced Brakes Lasagne product supplied to just one pub operator, we have been assured by Brakes that a full product recall is underway and that this product has not been supplied to any Punch outlets.

"Our catering team have developed strong links with both Brakes and 3663 and have been assured that both companies are working directly with the food standards agencies and are putting all their required products through the rigorous testing demanded by the FSA.

"We have also issued advice to our Partners via our Punch Buying Club website, advising them to be confident about the meat and meat products they buy, to buy fresh British meat whenever possible, preferably local and from a trusted source.”

In a statement Stonegate Pub Company, the managed pub operator,  said: “The quality and standard of our food is paramount. When concerns first arose about the integrity of the products coming from certain suppliers, we immediately contacted our own suppliers and received assurances from each that our products were not affected.

"As more concerns arose with other suppliers, Stonegate took the decision to carry out its own tests on its products as suggested by the FSA and we have also commissioned independent audits on all of our meat suppliers for further reassurance."

A spokesman for London-based premium bar operator Novus Leisure added: "In common with all food operators we are extremely concerned over this food fraud and as such immediately tasked our suppliers to carry out in depth tests and reassure us that our customers have nothing to fear from eating at any of our venues.

"We can confirm that to date there is no evidence of anything other than the highest quality ingredients in any of our food. Novus prides itself on offering top quality, nutritious food, cooked fresh and with full traceability. As responsible operators we shall continue to work closely with all suppliers to ensure this situation continues."

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