Horse Meat Scandal

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euphoriabuzz
euphoriabuzz Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It seems as more and more products become analysed that here in the UK and Europe we have all been unwittingly eating horse meat in products that state 100% beef. Findus foods being today,s latest on the list. It sure makes either making everything from scratch or becoming vegetarian seem appealing. What is really getting me though is that I have actively fed that to my children not knowing what consequences there may be. I know horse meat is eaten in other Countries but if it's not suposed to be there how do you know what the horses died of, were they infected or full of drugs etc? It seems the Irish butchers involved can't say as they imported the beef/horse from elsewhere. If we are to be eating horse meat- shouldn't we have the choice? How long before they discover donkey or dog DNA? What have we been fed?!!!!!
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Replies

  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    If you don't eat things like sausages or other overly processed meat you should be safe. You'd be able to tell the difference with say a steak for example.
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    That's the problem.... not know it was there.

    Loads of countries eat horse steak and it's quite pricey! But the fact is, if horse was getting in to these things, somewhere along the line people have been adding things that shouldn't be there. Which means regulations are being broken and you don't really have a clue WHAT is in any processed foods. The news mentioned that any of the findus lasagnia's should be taken back as it can contain a something that is banned in the UK because of the horse meat in them.

    Scary stuff, definitely encourages cook from scratch!
  • jst1986
    jst1986 Posts: 204 Member
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    In all seriousness I dont think I'd necessarily mind eating horse, the annoying bit is just not being told!

    It's no surprise though, these frozen value ready meals cost so little that the production costs are cut so so much just so they can still be sold for a profit.
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    In all seriousness I dont think I'd necessarily mind eating horse, the annoying bit is just not being told!

    Yep, this is the bit I think is the major problem. Obviously the food industries are not following the tight regulations that are there so makes you wonder about all the other processed foods!
  • GemaG
    GemaG Posts: 142
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    I am so glad to be vegetarian
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    I would be more worried about the other crap they are allowed to put in your food. At least horse is actually meat.
  • Oh_Cat
    Oh_Cat Posts: 59 Member
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    Findus Foods: Just Say Neigh...
  • embireland1
    embireland1 Posts: 1
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    horse meat can contain an anti-inflammatory drug called bute, which cannot enter the food chain for human food consumption as it can cause sickle cell anemia basically bone marrow and blood disorders
  • LifeJacketWaterJogger
    LifeJacketWaterJogger Posts: 231
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    I know right, I read they are faking all our foods. I says buy whole chickens and fresh fish from fish markets, it says they are even faking our fish filets. scary!:noway:
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    I am so glad to be vegetarian

    So you should be!! :) I am not veggie but I cook everything from scratch and always have!! And I am so glad!! We even make our own burgers in our house!! Thank goodness!!
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    In all seriousness I dont think I'd necessarily mind eating horse, the annoying bit is just not being told!

    It's no surprise though, these frozen value ready meals cost so little that the production costs are cut so so much just so they can still be sold for a profit.

    Indeed, I wouldn't mind eating horse meat. But if I buy a beef burger or a chicken something, I bought it because I wanted it to be that. Also, I understand there's less tracing with horses so you don't know if it's properly farmed horse or dead racing horse filled with steroids. There's also concern that the horses were treated with some kind of painkiller that causes cancer in humans. Now, if it said "Findus Cancer-causing Horse Meat Lasagne" I wouldn't object.

    As to how cheap they can go, well, clearly, the cheapest price was above whatever they were charging and they should have stayed at that price level and not tried to force prices down by sourcing it from a supplier who was doing it and willfully putting horse in the lasagne.

    On the bright side, it's 99% horse which is quite a high level of meat!
  • aaleigha1
    aaleigha1 Posts: 408 Member
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    I am so glad I am a vegetarian
    DH is not
    but I do cook all our food from scratch

    we used to eat ready meals but gave that up about 5 years ago
  • icemaiden17_uk
    icemaiden17_uk Posts: 463 Member
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    horse meat can contain an anti-inflammatory drug called bute, which cannot enter the food chain for human food consumption as it can cause sickle cell anemia basically bone marrow and blood disorders

    Been around horses all my life and didn't realise this! An interesting horsey titbit! :) Especially as Bute is very commonly used!
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    horse meat can contain an anti-inflammatory drug called bute, which cannot enter the food chain for human food consumption as it can cause sickle cell anemia basically bone marrow and blood disorders

    Yep this is what I heard. Although they say it's extremely unlikely that it will cause harm, it shouldn't be there!
  • goron59
    goron59 Posts: 890 Member
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    If you eat cheap packaged/processed food, then just assume it's going to be crap.

    The big difference these days is that the food standards agencies can (and do) do dna testing and other more thorough testing and news travels instantly.
  • CnocNaCu
    CnocNaCu Posts: 536 Member
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    I am not vegetarian and won't be but I never buy processed meat ; I buy other processed foods only on rare occasions. I make pizza from scratch and cook food from frresh ingredients. Of course I am aware of the fact that I am very lucky to be able to do that. When my childrren were young I couldn't afford not to buy cheap food and here is the point why I am so angry about this scandal:
    Those who cannot afford to buy at the (very expensive) butcher are the ones who get fed this mixture of beef, horse and whatsoever-is-in-there. If the meat wasn't declared as horse: where did it come from and was it vet-checked????? Pig meet in beef burgers is as disgusting.... If your religion wants you to eat halal (no pig) then you need to rely on what's said on the package. I'd even call it a case of personal injury if you eat something that's not declared.
    But I think all this is just the tip of the ice berg. I found out that the organic eggs I used to buy didn't even come from a free range farm:mad: There is a lot of money to be made with organic food and with processed food and as long as we buy it nothing will change.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I personally think it's blown out of proportion. Yes, when buying a beef product you don't want to get a horse product, but as far as health is concerned, you aren't going to get sick over it.

    Who said it's socially unacceptable to eat horse?
    The government health officials? Based on their appearance, most of them are overweight and don't exercise as much as they should.

    The media? Why do we even care what they think?

    Honestly, who cares? I'm a full-time student and I would much rather pay for some better quality frozen chicken than the cheapest Asda Smart Price and pre-packed meal bs they sell these days. How hard is it to put chicken in the oven, rice on the stove and veggies in the microwave?

    The only downside is that the employees at these places aren't doing their job properly, and let's face it, we shouldn't be surprised at this revelation.
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    Simply don't eat processed foods and you don't have to worry about this nonsense. I've always cooked from scratch, as it's what my mum did, and what I learned to do growing up. It's really not difficult and it is so much healthier and tastier than any frozen, boxed, canned or otherwise pre-prepared food you buy in the grocery store. Buy your meat from a butcher, or better yet, the farmer himself. Get to know the people who sell you food if you're truly concerned. But guess what--you're not gonna be able to buy top quality meat for ridiculously cheap prices.

    The other option is you can choose to be ok with not knowing exactly what is in your food. Not sure why the big freak out over horse meat--as it's been pointed out repeatedly, people all over Europe eat horse meat and have done so for ages. Nothing any more strange or wrong about that than eating cow or pig. And honestly, I'm pretty sure there are worse ingredients in your processed, 10 for £1 "hamburgers" and "lasagna" than a bit of horse meat. Cow ringpieces and eyeballs, etc. and those ingredients are NOT banned in the UK. :sick:

    I'm pretty sure the horse in your Findus lasagna or Tesco frozen "hamburger" patties died from being slaughtered in an abbatoir. They didn't find Black Beauty dead by the side of the road or something! And what makes you think the horses were in any worse condition than the cows in your processed foods? Do you really think the cows you eat in those cheap foods are so well taken care of? None of this makes any sense.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
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    I agree that if I buy something that purports to be all beef, I would be a tad miffed to find it was a horsey!
    But with the exception of some chicken grill/bake things a la Birds eye - I tend to cook stuff from scratch.

    What I am worried about, is whether or not the convenient 250g packs of lean beef steak mince are what they say they are - at the moment the concern is all about processed foods, but I wonder... how long before something goes awry with fresh meat and not just the processed stuff.

    I like my Sunday minced beef and potato hotpot... :-(
  • Lupercalia
    Lupercalia Posts: 1,857 Member
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    horse meat can contain an anti-inflammatory drug called bute, which cannot enter the food chain for human food consumption as it can cause sickle cell anemia basically bone marrow and blood disorders

    Can you please give me some sort of citation for this? I'm googling and can't find anything.

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