Almost half of Scotland’s meat processing plants have been tested in the wake of the horsemeat scandal.
It emerged inspectors have visited 47% of the country’s sites and so far found all to be clear of any contamination shortly after Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced two expert groups were to look into the issue North of the border.
One will advise on any changes required to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Scotland ahead of the creation of the new standalone food standards body in Scotland.
Another group will be created to take forward the Scottish food industry’s work on traceability. Quality Meat Scotland will be asked to look into extending the Scotch label into the processing sector.
Mr Lochhead said: “I continue to speak regularly to key stakeholders to ensure that Scotland, and in particular our premium Scotch Beef brand, does not suffer unnecessary collateral damage.”
He also claimed Scottish meat sales have increased since the start of the scandal because of its reputation for quality, with sales at some butchers up by more than a fifth and processing firms reporting increased orders.
Meanwhile, tests for horsemeat in processed meat products are being expanded.
The survey has been widened to ensure a bigger range of products are sampled and will now include beef-based foods sold pre-packed or loose, such as caf sandwiches.
A total of 514 products will now be tested for traces of horsemeat, the FSA said.
A further phase of testing is to follow. The third phase will see a further 150 samples taken and checked for horse DNA. These include products marketed or labelled as containing beef as a major ingredient.