Horse meat scandal panel set up

Feb 28 2013

An expert group has been set up by the Scottish Government to consider what can be learned from the recent horse meat scandal.

The group was established as a consultation is launched on the responsibilities and functions of a new independent food safety body, public health minister Michael Matheson said.

He made the announcement as he updated Holyrood on progress made into uncovering the extent of the horse meat scandal in Scotland.

Local authorities were asked to withhold use of all frozen beef products pending further investigation after a frozen burger supplied to Cumbernauld High School in North Lanarkshire was found to contain horse DNA last week.

Mr Matheson told MSPs that by the end of the day all but one inspection of premises manufacturing meat products would be completed, with no evidence to date of horse meat food fraud discovered.

A group led by former chief vet Professor Jim Scudamore will consider any lessons learned from the scandal before the establishment of the food safety body, Mr Matheson said.

The group will include representatives from consumer protection, the meat industry, food retail and enforcement. It has been asked to recommend improvements in the food safety regime that can be made quickly, and will report before summer recess.

"We have the opportunity to learn from the present situation. The expert group I have announced will identify any lessons we have learned from this horse meat scandal so that we can improve the food safety and standards regime in the future," Mr Matheson said.

A 12-week consultation on the new safety body has been launched.

The body, announced in June last year, will cover food safety and standards, nutrition, labelling and meat inspection following the UK Government's decision to reduce the scope of the UK-wide Food Standards Agency.