Beef/Horse meat & DNA testing non-meat products?

[Rawns]

From what I've heard in the news, DNA testing is being carried out on most beef and products that contain meat. But what about the less-obvious beef products? Beef stock/beef stock cubes, or pre-made beef gravy? I presume they would use some form of beef extract in their creation making them viable to for cross-contamination? And what about beef flavored crisps? I would also assume that some form of been extract is used, and cant all be made up with artificial flavoring?

And what about pet food that contains beef? I know the main scare is not the meat itself but the potential drugs given to the horses. Is this harmful to dogs or cats? Is it more potent to them as they are 'smaller'?

[nephilim]

Beef (or any other meat flavoured crisps) use no meat products surprisingly, it is just a combination of chemical ingredients that have been combined to taste in that way.

[Rawns]

Beef (or any other meat flavoured crisps) use no meat products surprisingly, it is just a combination of chemical ingredients that have been combined to taste in that way.

I stand corrected!

[HaleStorm]

Its also the reason why Beef and Tomato pot noodles are suitable for Vegetarians @Rawns....beef with no meat! madness!!

[Danp]

What about products that have gelatin in?

[laserblazer]

it is just a combination of chemical ingredients that have been combined to taste in that way.

Or not, in a lot of cases

[sted]

Its also the reason why Beef and Tomato pot noodles are suitable for Vegetarians @Rawns....beef with no meat! madness!!

i think id rather eat the vegetarian than the pot noodle they arnt food

[Rawns]

Its also the reason why Beef and Tomato pot noodles are suitable for Vegetarians @Rawns....beef with no meat! madness!!

1ed55763_7d5896af_mother-god-meme.jpeg

That's incredible!

[elsiegee40]

On Radio 4, yesterday I think, they said that stock cubes and gravy that purport to actually contain beef are to be tested.

Beef flavoured crisps are "flavoured" and don't claim to usually contain any meat.

[AMLightfoot]

From what I've heard in the news, DNA testing is being carried out on most beef and products that contain meat. But what about the less-obvious beef products? Beef stock/beef stock cubes, or pre-made beef gravy? I presume they would use some form of beef extract in their creation making them viable to for cross-contamination? And what about beef flavored crisps? I would also assume that some form of been extract is used, and cant all be made up with artificial flavoring?

And what about pet food that contains beef? I know the main scare is not the meat itself but the potential drugs given to the horses. Is this harmful to dogs or cats? Is it more potent to them as they are 'smaller'?

Funny you should ask about Beef flavoured Crisps - one of our Vegetarian engineers was eating Beef flavoured Hula Hoops the other day and when we ribbed him gently about it he explained (and proved) that the label says 'Suitable for Vegetarians'. There is no beef in beef flavoured hula hoops...

That is not to say that all Beef flavoured products are the same, but I think if we actually looked we'd be surprised.

Since Stock is effectively boiled bones, organ meat and skin/hooves etc I should think they can (and should) be tested.

[andrew_91090]

Can I ask, is everyone here completely appalled by the whole horse meat scandal?

I mean hasn't it apparently been going on for nearly 14 years and no harm has come of it and it still tastes exactly the same.
If you ask me, I couldn't really care that much, I think the only benefit from this whole thing is that supermarkets are going to start using English based companies for meat now (although that may bump the prices up a bit)

P.S - This is isn't a question to cause arguments, just asking for opinions

[gmj]

My better half is vegan....loads of 'meat' flavored things out there (pot noddle style snacks, crisps etc) that are suitable for her. I still find it odd.

[localzuk]

The only issues I have with it are:

1. Drugs in the meat, as it hasn't been tracked properly.
2. Fraud - if people are paying for something, they should get it.
3. Animal welfare - this process involves a huge amount of cruelty in the countries these horses are coming from, things we outlaw here.

[AMLightfoot]

Can I ask, is everyone here completely appalled by the whole horse meat scandal?

I mean hasn't it apparently been going on for nearly 14 years and no harm has come of it and it still tastes exactly the same.
If you ask me, I couldn't really care that much, I think the only benefit from this whole thing is that supermarkets are going to start using English based companies for meat now (although that may bump the prices up a bit)

I'm glad I'm not the only one not gasping and covering my mouth in horror - I was beginning to think I was going to have to fake it. I'm certainly not appalled - I'm not even surprised if you want the truth. A little disappointed perhaps that quality control is so poor that this was not picked up earlier, but as I cook all my food from scratch using raw ingredients and rarely buy frozen ready meals with beef in I can't say it impacts greatly on my shopping choices. I think I'd be more concerned if we started seeing contamination of fresh meat like Mince and Steak. Even the idea of having unknowingly eaten Horse doesn't even bother me that much and I think if someone served a horse steak and offered me a try I'd probably try it out of curiosity. I am more concerned that quality controls are not employed earlier in the chain to prevent ingredients getting into our food that shouldn't be there - if the horses were bred and farmed for meat and adhered to strict controls re: age of meat and health of animal then I wouldn't care, but Horses are not farmed actively for the food chain so we cannot be sure that the horse meat in our food is not from an unhealthy source.

I agree completely that the best thing to come out of this scandal is the increase in british sources - that can only be good for the economy and I'm surprised that we don't source more food 'locally' so anything that ends up supporting the british farming industry can't be a bad thing.

[Meldrew]

I blame the supermarkets. They force lower and lower prices on suppliers, so they end up doing anything they can to say in business. At least now maybe butchers who sell proper meat may get more trade - they may be a little more expensive, but its worth every penny and helps the local economy.