The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has confirmed it was acting on concerns about the meat trader at the centre of the horse DNA scandal as early as October.

The owner of McAdams Foods, the Monaghan company at the centre of the horsemeat controversy, has said he sourced products from Poland after clients requested lower-cost material.

The Irish beef trader named as the supplier of horsemeat by ABP Food Group has said he is confident of being fully exonerated when investigations are complete.