Horsemeat checks on Kent's school meals
Kent's school meal
providers are carrying out horsemeat checks
Tests are being carried out on Kent's school meals to see
if they have been contaminated with horsemeat.
The checks were launched among five catering firms
supplying food to the county's schools after the scandal
of tainted beef.
Kent County Council has asked five contractors that provide
meals for a third of its schools to verify that no horse meat has
been traced in their produce.
Kevin Shovelton, director of education, planning and
access, said: "KCC has a contract with five different catering
contractors to supply school meals to 230 schools.
"We have asked all five catering contractors to re-confirm that
their meat suppliers are compliant with the required traceability,
testing and hygiene processes to make sure the integrity of their
products is maintained.
"As most of the meat dishes on the menus are prepared on site,
some with meat from Kentish butchers, there are very few bought-in
processed meat dishes."
A Medway Council spokesman said individual schools in the Towns
are responsible for catering.
The Food Standards Agency has launched a sampling programme to
investigate how far products contaminated with horsemeat have been
distributed.
Tests for horse DNA are being carried out on processed beef
products - including those supplied to schools, hospitals and
care homes - before results are published on Friday.
The scandal has seen supermarket chains withdraw "beef"
products - some containing up to 100% horsemeat.
11/02/13
- Click here for more news from across the county...