Now there’s horsemeat in Ikea’s wiener sausages

FURNITURE giant Ikea is withdrawing wiener sausages in the UK after tests found “indications” of horsemeat, just days after it withdrew a batch of its traditional meatballs.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th Feb 2013, 16:49 BST
The Czech veterinary authority detected horsemeat in meatballs imported to the country by Ikea.The Czech veterinary authority detected horsemeat in meatballs imported to the country by Ikea.
The Czech veterinary authority detected horsemeat in meatballs imported to the country by Ikea.

The Swedish company said it was removing the sausages from sale in Britain, France, Spain, Ireland and Portugal after tests confirmed “a few indications of horse meat”.

An Ikea spokeswoman said: “Based on some hundred test results that we have received so far, there are a few indications of horse meat. Together with the Swedish supplier in question we have decided to withdraw from sales also the wiener sausages ... from that supplier.”

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The move comes two days after it withdrew Swedish meatballs from stores across Europe and a handful of countries in Asia and the Caribbean after horse meat was discovered by Czech authorities.

But it said the move affected just one batch as a precaution pending further tests, and meatballs would still be available to buy in its stores.

A spokesman said on Monday: “Ikea is committed to serving and selling high quality food that is safe, healthy and produced with care for the environment and the people who produce it.

“We do not tolerate any other ingredients than the ones stipulated in our recipes or specifications, secured through set standards, certifications and product analysis by accredited laboratories.”

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The meatballs were labelled as beef and pork and were in 1kg (2.2lb) frozen packs sent to the Czech Republic for sale in Ikea stores there.

The Czech Republic’s state veterinary administration found traces of horse meat as part of its testing programme.

A total of 760kg (1,675lb) of the meatballs were stopped from reaching the shelves.

The spokesman said the move did not affect the supply of meatballs to Ikea restaurants in the UK.

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Company spokeswoman Ylva Magnusson said she would not know whether the wieners, which are supposed to be made of ground pork and beef, had also tested positive for horse meat until the test results arrived, adding “but I know that at least some of the meatballs have shown traces of DNA from horse”.

A spokesman for Ikea in the UK said the sales stop for the sausages was “an extra precautionary measure” as they came from the same supplier of the meatballs in Sweden.