UK upmarket retailer Waitrose has recalled its British beef meatballs after the product were found to potentially contain traces of pork.
The retailer said today (13 February) two batches of its Essential 16 British Meatballs produced last summer may contain pork. The products have a best-before date of June 2013 and August 2013.
Waitrose said tests results on the product had been "contradictory" but added it had taken the "precautionary action" of removing the product from sale and putting up customer information notices in all its branches.
A spokesperson for Waitrose said the products were made for the chain by ABP Freshlink, which has been lined up for closure by parent ABP Food Group.
ABP was the company originally at the centre of the horse meat scandal. Retailers including Tesco, The Co-operative Group and Aldi delisted ABP's Irish meat supplier Silvercrest Foods after its burgers were found to contain traces of horse DNA.
She added: "It was entirely appropriate to test beef products in line with FSA guidance.
"We have absolute confidence in the source of our beef. All of our beef is British and comes from our own group of farms through our own supplier and abattoir."
