Horse meat tainted with dangerous levels of potentially deadly staphylococcus bacteria has been reported in Brazilian meat companies that processed it in many countries, Brazil’s agriculture minister said.
Milanio Mendonca told reporters Thursday that the animal had been mixed into beef shipped for consumption in Mexico, the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, Italy, Venezuela, Spain, Australia, Norway, Sweden, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, and Latvia.
It was discovered because some companies, only carrying the wrong labels, were returning to Brazil with positive test results for staphylococcus bacteria.
“Cases are being detected in other states,” said Mr. Mendonca, who added that most of the tainted meat had been exported since the end of last year.
“We stopped shipments in Mexico, Germany, Poland, Spain, the Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal, Hungary, France, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, Honduras, Paraguay, Peru, Peru, Dominica, Grenada, St Lucia, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, and Dominica.”
Production has been interrupted at all 13 plants, and some have been closed, Mr. Mendonca said. The sites will be carefully inspected to ensure that “recovered” samples are no longer contaminated with the bacteria.
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