Supermarket giant Tesco has apologised to its customers after its value range beef-burgers were found to be 'contaminated' with meat from other animals. The contamination was discovered in tests carried out by The Irish Food Safety Authority (FSAI).

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The FSAI found pig DNA in 85 percent of the beef-burgers it tested and horse in 37 percent of burgers. The beef-burgers were produced by two plants in Ireland and one in the UK (the Dalepak Hambleton plant in north Yorkshire). Burgers from the plants were also on sale in Lidl, Aldi and Iceland.

Although horse DNA was found "at very low levels" in 90 percent of burgers examined, FSAI said that in one sample from Tesco horse meat accounted for 29 percent of the burger.

The agency, which released its findings today, was investigating claims made of a number of meat products late last year. An FSAI spokesperson said the discovery "raises concerns in relation to the traceability of meat ingredients and products entering the food chain."

All implicated retailers have stated that they are removing all implicated batches from sale today. Commenting on the discovery of horse DNA in two lines of burgers sold by Tesco in the UK as well as Ireland, Group Technical Director Tim Smith said, "We are working… to urgently understand how this has happened and how to ensure it does not happen again. The presence of illegal meat in our products is extremely serious.  Our customers have the right to expect that food they buy is produced to the highest standards."

Professor Alan Reilly, Chief Executive of FSAI said "The products we have identified as containing horse DNA and/or pig DNA do not pose any food safety risk and consumers should not be worried.  Consumers who have purchased any of the implicated products can return them to their retailer." Although Professor Reilly said that the discoveries do not necessarily constitute a health risk, he acknowledged that they "do raise some concerns".

The professor continued, "Whilst, there is a plausible explanation for the presence of pig DNA in these products due to the fact that meat from different animals is processed in the same meat plants, there is no clear explanation at this time for the presence of horse DNA in products emanating from meat plants that do not use horsemeat in their production process.  In Ireland, it is not in our culture to eat horsemeat and therefore, we do not expect to find it in a burger.  Likewise, for some religious groups or people who abstain from eating pig meat, the presence of traces of pig DNA is unacceptable."

FSAI investigators also discovered that 21 out of a total 31 beef ready meals (including cottage pie, beef curry pie, lasagne) examined contained pig DNA.