Horse DNA found in 5 per cent of European beef

The European Commission says horse DNA has been found in up to 5 per cent of beef products randomly tested across Europe.

Inspectors have also found the banned anti-inflammatory horse drug known as "bute" in about 0.5 per cent of the samples.

The three-month program of checks was agreed by the 27 EU member states in February after horsemeat was found in a batch of Findus frozen lasagne.

DNA tests showed more than one in eight samples from France tested positive for illegal horsemeat.

French food industry figures have acknowledged the country will need to address a crisis of consumer confidence in the food chain.

In all, 5 per cent of approximately 4,000 samples across the EU tested positive for horse DNA.

European Union Commissioner for Health Tonio Borg says authorities must work to restore consumer confidence.

Source: ABC News, 17 April 2013