Northamptonshire County Council has removed beef products from the menu of 17 Northamptonshire schools.
The authority was advised by its supplier on Friday afternoon that traces of horsemeat had been identified in one of 10 tests undertaken nationally on a frozen minced beef product.
Although the tests were not on a sample of beef supplied to Northamptonshire, as a precautionary measure the council has removed all beef products from the menu of those schools.
It has also removed beef products from its staff canteens which use the same supplier.
Councillor Andrew Grant, cabinet member for children, learning and skills, said: “Our supplier advised us on Friday afternoon that traces of horsemeat had been detected in one of 10 beef mince samples tested nationally.
“We understand these tests relate to a later supply of beef mince following an earlier written assurance by our supplier that all beef products had been fully tested and were cleared.
“As a precaution, we have removed beef products from the menus of these 17 schools.
“We will keep the situation under review and provide further advice during the week. Until further notice we are instructing Nourish catering staff in those schools and in our staff canteens not to serve beef products.”
Beef including beef mince in the remaining 199 primary schools using the Nourish service has been confirmed as clear from any contamination of horsemeat through full authenticity checks.
The council oversees the production of 14,000 school meals each day in primary and secondary schools and supplies approximately 65 per cent of the county’s schools with school meals.
Schools which have purchased beef mince from the supplier which has detected traces of horsemeat are:
Moulton Science College
Magdalen College School
Campion School
Prince William School
The Elizabeth Woodville School - north site and south site
Danetre Secondary School
Kingsley School, Kettering
Wren Spinney Community Special School
Northgate School
Billing Brook Special School
The Gateway School
The Good Shepherd Catholic Primary School
Denfield Park Primary School
Schools which haven’t purchased beef mince but use the same supplier are;
Rushden Community College
Thomas Becket School
St Luke’s Primary School
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