Men jailed for horsemeat conspiracy
This week The Guardian reports that Andronicos Sideras, 55, was sentenced to four and a half years, while his co-conspirator, 58-year-old Ulrik Nielsen, was jailed for three and a half years at Inner London crown court on Monday.
The judge, Owen Davies QC, said the plot to pass off 30 tonnes of horsemeat as beef is a big issue for the public to be concerned about, especially given that it was discovered by accident.
How many other people are getting away with it and how many people are eating horse, cat or dog, thinking that it is beef?
The scandal reveals a major breakdown in the traceability of the food supply chain and shows the potential for harmful ingredients to be included as well. Where did these horses come from? Sports horses could have entered the food supply chain, and with them the veterinary drug phenylbutazone which is banned in farmed animals.
The Food Standards Agency say the crime was discovered after an environmental health officer visited a meat manufacturer in Newry, Northern Ireland.
The meat industry would argue that the presence of undeclared meat is not a health issue. But it’s not unreasonable to want to know what or who is in your food!
It may only be a matter of time before dog, cat and perhaps even rat meat is found in a British meat pie. The obvious way to avoid being caught out is to not eat meat.
Read more about the horsemeat scandal here.
See our 10 Easy Ways to Cut Out Meat wallchart here.
About the author
Dr. Justine Butler
Justine joined Viva! in 2005 after graduating from Bristol University with a PhD in molecular biology. After working as a campaigner, then researcher and writer, she is now Viva!’s head of research and her work focuses on animals, the environment and health. Justine’s scientific training helps her research and write both in-depth scientific reports, such as White Lies and the Meat Report, as well as easy-to-read factsheets and myth-busting articles for consumer magazines and updates on the latest research. Justine also recently wrote the Vegan for the Planet guide for Viva!’s Vegan Now campaign.
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