Cancer alarm in fresh claims over horsemeat

Mary Creagh, the Wakefield MP and Shadow Environment Secretary, said she had evidence that “several” horses slaughtered in the UK last year tested positive for phenylbutazone – and “may have entered the food chain”.

Her claim comes just days after the separate revelation that burgers from a Northallerton processing plant sold by several major supermarkets contained horsemeat.

The Food Standards Agency admitted yesterday it found the drug in horsemeat on five occasions last year, but said none of the meat had remained in the UK.

“Where the meat had been exported to other countries, the relevant food safety authorities were informed,” the agency said.