Beef products withdrawn from two Stroud schools amid horse meat fears (From Stroud News and Journal)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting SNJ NEWS to 80360, or email
us
Beef products withdrawn from two Stroud schools amid horse meat fears
8:00am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News
By Hayley Mortimer, Reporter
Beef products have been withdrawn from Stroud High School amid horse meat fears
BEEF products have been withdrawn from two secondary schools in Stroud after horse DNA was found in a batch of frozen meals.
Catering firm Sodexo, which supplies Stroud High School and Marling School, has withdrawn all its frozen beef products as a precaution after
traces of horse meat were found in some of its lines.
Headteachers have written to parents expressing their disappointment at the situation - however Sodexo has stressed that neither school received products from the batch which tested positive.
Stroud High headteacher Tim Withers said: "I am very disappointed and I am sure parents are too.
"It is not compromising the health of our pupils but it is important that we know what our students are being fed.
"The issue throws up a lot of questions about the UK's food supply chain but I feel that Sodexo is investigating thoroughly."
Mr Withers said the school, which has used Sodexo for at least six years, would continue to work with the firm.
"It would be harsh for us to move away from the contract but I am sure the governors will want to look at it," he added.
Marling headteacher Dr Stuart Wilson added: "The school is disappointed but we have faith in Sodexo to monitor the situation appropriately.
"This is an international issue affecting many suppliers and I don't think this will trigger any action against Sodexo."
A Sodexo spokesman said that despite repeated guarantees from its suppliers, sampling identified equine DNA in three of its frozen beef products.
She said the company wanted to reassure parents that the affected products did not reach Stroud - or anywhere in Gloucestershire - and that the meals were removed as a precaution following the announcement last Friday, February 22.
A statement from the company said: "This situation is totally unacceptable.
"We felt the only appropriate response was to withdraw all frozen beef products and we have launched our own investigation to understand how this regrettable situation arose."
