Beef Products Removed From Schools

12 March 2013, 12:40 | Updated: 12 March 2013, 12:48

Northamptonshire County Council has removed beef products from the menu of 17 Northamptonshire schools.

The council was advised by its supplier on Friday afternoon that traces of horsemeat had been identified in one of ten tests undertaken nationally on a frozen minced beef product.  

Although the tests were not on a sample of beef supplied to Northamptonshire, as a precautionary measure the council has removed all beef products from the menu of those schools. The council has also removed beef products from its staff canteens which use the same supplier.

Councillor Andrew Grant, cabinet member for children, learning and skills, said:  “Our supplier advised us on Friday afternoon that traces of horsemeat had been detected in one of 10 beef mince samples tested nationally.

“We understand these tests relate to a later supply of beef mince following an earlier written assurance by our supplier that all beef products had been fully tested and were cleared.

“As a precaution, we have removed beef products from the menus of these 17 schools.

“We will keep the situation under review and provide further advice during the week. Until further notice we are instructing Nourish catering staff in those schools and in our staff canteens not to serve beef products.”

Beef including beef mince in the remaining 199 primary schools using the Nourish service has been confirmed as clear from any contamination of horsemeat through full authenticity checks.

The council oversees the production of 14,000 school meals each day in primary and secondary schools through our Nourish catering service and supplies approximately 65 per cent of the county’s schools with school meals.

Schools which have purchased beef mince from this supplier are as follows:

•          Moulton Science College
•          Magdalen College School
•          Campion School
•          Prince William School
•          The Elizabeth Woodville School - north site and south site
•          Danetre Secondary School
•          Kingsley School, Kettering
•          Wren Spinney Community Special School
•          Northgate School
•          Billing Brook Special School
•          The Gateway School
•          The Good Shepherd Catholic  Primary School
•          Denfield Park Primary School
 
Schools which have not purchased beef mince but use the same supplier are as follows:

•          Rushden Community College
•          Thomas Becket School
•          St Luke’s Primary School