Saudis warned of burger mixed with horse meat

Saudi authorities have told health departments through the Gulf Kingdom to ban the import and use of burger meat manufactured by two key Irish companies on the grounds they are mixed with horse meat.

The Ministry of Health issued the warning against Silvercrest and Red Meat Levy in a letter sent to health authorities in different regions in the world’s largest oil exporter.

“You are asked not to allow the use and import of burger meat from those two companies in Ireland after the Saudi Foreign Ministry found out that the manufacturers are practicing fraud by mixing beef with horse meat,” said the letter sent by Muneera al Osaimi, Health Ministry assistant undersecretary for medical services.

According to the Saudi Arabic language daily, the letter stressed that all burger restaurants in Saudi Arabia must use locally-produced meat to ensure beef mixed with horse meat will not find its way into the Kingdom.

Early this year, British newspapers confirmed that some burger companies were selling burgers containing horse meat despite earlier denials by most of them.”

“Burger King has admitted that it has been selling burgers and Whoppers containing horsemeat despite two weeks of denials,” the Daily Mail said in January.

It said the fast food chain, which has more than 500 outlets in the UK, had earlier given a series of “absolute assurances” that its products were not involved.

“However, new tests have revealed these guarantees were incorrect in a revelation that threatens to destroy the trust of customers.”

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