Asda has recalled fresh sauce manufactured by private-label giant Greencore after finding horse DNA in the line - the first product outside the frozen aisle to become embroiled in the contamination scandal.
Greencore has confirmed it supplied the 350g Chosen By You Beef Bolognese Sauce that Asda has withdrawn from sale.
The Ireland-based group said Asda had found "traces of equine DNA in a screening test". Greencore said it was waiting for the results of further tests to see how much horse DNA was in the sauce.
The product contained meat supplied by ABP Food Group, the Irish processor that is one of the companies at the centre of the scandal, which has taken in producers and retailers across Europe.
Greencore said the meat came from ABP's Nenagh plant in County Tipperary in Ireland. Last month, frozen beef burgers made at three other ABP factories in Ireland and the UK were found to contain horse DNA.
Greencore said it was working "closely" with ABP "to determine the full facts as we await the results of further tests".
Asda, the UK arm of Wal-Mart Stores, has withdrawn three more Greencore products that do not contain horse DNA "as a precautionary measure", the food producer said - a 600g beef broth soup, a 400g chilli con carne soup and 500g meat feast pasta sauce.
"Greencore is committed to maintaining the highest standards of food safety and food traceability, and is therefore extremely concerned that the quality of one of its products may have been compromised in this way. The company is participating in full with the intensive industry testing programme to examine the full supply chain in order to restore consumer confidence," the company said.
Asda had not returned a request for comment at the time of writing.
Last week, UK manufacturers and retailers agreed to embark on industry-wide tests to see what beef products contained horse DNA. The first results from those tests are due today (15 February).
