Horse dope found in Asda budget corned beef

[dutchman]

Asda is recalling all corned beef from its budget range after traces of the veterinary drug phenylbutazone were found in some batches.

The Food Standards Agency said "very low levels" had been detected in the Asda Smart Price Corned Beef product.

The painkilling medicine often used on horses is commonly known as "bute".

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it was the first time bute had been found in a meat product in the UK since the horsemeat scandal started.

'Product withdrawn'

Animals treated with bute are not allowed to enter the food chain because the drug could pose a risk to human health.

However, the risk is very low even if people have eaten contaminated horsemeat.

The Asda product was tested as part of an industry-wide programme and found to be positive for horse DNA above 1%.

It was then further tested and found to contain four parts per billion of bute.

Asda had already withdrawn the product on 8 March.

Customers who have bought the 340g tins with any date code have been urged not to eat the corned beef and to return it to the supermarket for a refund.