Food chiefs to face Dáil probe over burger scare

TDs are to launch a probe into how the horsemeat scare was allowed to threaten Ireland’s lucrative beef industry as they haul food company chiefs before them.

The Oireachtas agriculture committee is to hear from ABP Food Group executives this week as part of investigations into how such widespread reputational damage was allowed to be done to the country’s food export image.

The beef-processing giant has been at the centre of the storm after it lost a €15m burger contract with Tesco because of its use of product from Poland. Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney will also appear before the committee on Thursday, along with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, to end confusion over where the contaminated produce came from. Despite Irish tests finding Poland to be the source of horse meat in Silvercrest burgers, Polish tests were negative. The situation is expected to be decided when final results are released today.