Horse meat in burgers is the least of my concern…it’s all the other sh1t they put into food…additives, preservatives, flavourings, colours and any amount of E’s.

It should only damage confidence in cheaply produced products. The quality of cuts of Irish beef, pork and chicken is fine. Just stop buying dirt cheap mystery meat and we’ll all be better for it.

I’d have to say mostly yes. The vast majority of food producers have a genuine commitment to producing a quality product.

But the meat industry is a different story. If we are talking a good local butcher who butchers his own meat (sadly a rarity), they yes. They care about food and about their customers, in fact most of them will happily bore you for hours if you want to talk about meat, meat quality and food generally.

If we are talking large meat processors? Don’t trust them now, never did. And not just in Ireland. The meat industry world wide is not about food at all, and the people who run it don’t really care about food or the consumer very much, if at all. It’s ALL about money – big, big, BIG money. And that means its ruthless, cut throat and corrupt. Always was and probably always will be.

I buy my chicken and minced meat from my local butcher and make my own burgers. I’m shopping and supporting local industry and I know what I’m eating and which farm my meat came from.

honestly i dont care about horse meat in burgers. nuts can be found in bars from time to time. they should label beef saying “Warning may contain traces of horse”

A lot of meat and food products we think of as Irish aren’t Irish at all. Go to any supermarket and check, for example, the prepacked sliced ham. Some well known brands will not have the bord bia logo because the ham is imported. Donegal catch says on the pack : produced in the UK.

It has been a long time since I was confident in any meat. I don’t think you can go wrong with chicken (home cooked). The only way to be sure is to buy it from a local family butcher. If they were caught adding anything that shouldn’t be there, they would be shut down. Mince meat is so handy. You can can make 5/6 different dinners with it. We make our own burgers with it. Havnt bought a processed burger for years.

Supermacs need to clarify if their burgers are 100% beef or 100% Irish…….there is a difference…..could be 100% Irish meat part of which could be Irish horse meat!!

imported products packaged in this country are by law allowed to be labeled irish! not alot of people know this

Don’t eat burgers but very disturbing they ve been tossing any filler from gods knows where , Irish people don’t wish to eat horse. As I’m sure dog , cat , rat, and even human is probably safe to eat too

Glad Its out in the open though

Yes I do have confidence in the production of Irish food, I have been to America and it’s good standards are shocking, I felt I’ll eating there, food is much better here, the beef industry is getting an awful hammering at the moment due to the binding material in burgers, I think now they will source in Ireland from now on and rectify the situation. Won’t stop me eating burgers at all

At least we are testing for stuff can you imagine what’s in meat products that come the so called under developed countries. Perhaps human DNA? So hats off to FSAI.

I think the middle class replies to this article/poll are a bit ignorant. The whole “Dont buy processed food/meat” type comments are all well and good coming from people have money to spend on corn fed free range goose livers… but if you’re budget was stretched way beyond breaking point every week you would be scoffing down the processed foods too and the bargain bin in Lidl would be your lobster tank. Seriously guys, this food is aimed at the poorest people and its not right that Tesco and Lidl or any other company look the other way when their suppliers offer them meat at a price less than dirt. They should be forced to sell their premium meats at a budget price until they have sorted the situation out.

I voted yes because I have worked for many years in food production and quality control and we had very high stringent measures and codes to follow.
However my yes vote was not counted. The pie chart above shows yes votes as zero.

Absolutely – regardless of the recent horse burger scandal! Our standards are very high!

Greed & corruption is behind this mess, sad to say, but its pervasive in Irish society,
bankers,priests,magdalene laundries, politicians, food producers …

How can anyone be aloud say it’s100% Irish beef when they use polish fillers.we need to have every single thing that’s used in the production of our food to be clearly labeled. Most beer makers use fish bladders or seaweed to make their beer clear and don’t have to add to list of ingredients. And Google where your friendly bacteria in yougat originally came from they tell you that on the list of ingredients. The food industry has way to mutch power!!

The FSAI should have started by DNA-testing all imports. Crazy that they took the approach that they did. Any degree of forethought would have concluded that bad findings would first damage Irish processors, regardless of whether they were directly aware of contaminants.

However we still don’t know if the equine DNA certainly did get imported or if we have a cute hoor in our own supply chain, repackaging goods on arrival.

whatever happened to all the pig DNA found in the majority of burger samples? Not a peep in the Irish press about that. Have they not found some scapegoat to blame that on yet? Some far away callous foreigner country who dared to lower the mighty stringent Irish food production standards?

It depends on what we mean by ‘food’. I don’t eat frozen meat discs. If I want mince I buy it from my local butcher. In the main, Irish food safety and quality is as high or higher than any country I have travelled in. We are becoming steadily more aware of our own amazing producers here: fish, meat, fruit & veg, cheese. The Irish restaurant trade is increasingly showing Irish chefs are up there with the world’s best. We have a lot to be proud of.

But at the same time there is a race to the bottom in terms of cheapness in some supermarkets, especially when it comes to anything with the words ‘nugget’ or ‘burger’ attached. As the old saying goes, Caveat Emptor: let the buyer beware. Let us hope that the gristle-pedlars involved in this beef scandal don’t threaten our reputation.

yes because of our level of expertise and traceability in pork production. The only place in the world with DNA traceable meat thanks to the Irish Farmers Association DNA certified pigmeat programme. Truly Irish Country Foods for example ensure 100% back to Irish pig farmers. So many of our major breakfast meat brands import their sausages, pudding, rashers etc from Denmark, Holland and Spain. Only this morning there is news from Denmark that 88% of Danish pigs have MRSA infection at slaughter, and yet major brands are imported Danish pork into Ireland passing it off as Irish.

Technology is a bit too spohisticated for some as tiny traces on a shared line can contaminate. GREED is always a culprit when making a fast buck by importing foreign product OR mis-labeiing meat to cheat is always a fear, Look at the Givernment slaries and pension plans while the most vulnerable are hurting. Horses, asses and greedy pigs are always mixed in with the decent politicians at the Public Trough. I think I missed an apostrohe plural after the hurses instead of a comma before the donkeys

We do have a very strong food production sector but we need to stop kidding ourselves thinking that its world class. An issue comes up like this every ten years, last time BSE.

Ah look, it’s only horse. It’s not like there was rat in the damned burgers.
Mr. Goodman??

Best rule of thumb is never buy processed food.

I think part of the problem isn’t really with eating horse meat but in the labeling. Labels that claim 100% beef are in fact not.

There was a time when Burger King used to advertise ’100% flame/char grilled beef’ and the burgers had a good grilled flavor. In recent years, that taste has changed. I don’t eat many fast food burgers, or anything else for that matter, but the last time I did, a few months ago, they tasted horrible. It certainly wasn’t 100% beef, flame grilled or otherwise. I got a very similar flavor off Supermacs. 16 years in Ireland and I’d never had a Supermacs burger. Never will again. The flavor of the meat tastes spoiled.

I’ve never bought the cheap and nasty burgers. Mostly because of all the fillers. And why buy that when I can buy my steak mince and make my own burgers in just a few minutes? At least I know what goes into them.

If you are buying processed meat that costs the same as dog food, you shouldn’t be surprised to find that you are eating poor quality food…

If you lot, the masses, had half a brain you’d realise that it was the checks and balances in our food production system that caught the problem. If anything this incident increases my confidence in Irish food production. Especially since those excellent checks and balances will now be improved.

The world would be a much less wasteful place if we could focus on logical outcomes instead of appeasing irrational people with PR.

Ah yeah. sure if we didn’t have beef burgers I’d probably eat horse burgers anyway

I trust irish beef but not the processed crap. Buy your meat from the butchers and ask where its from instead of crap being sold as irish but is from Poland.

dont buy processed meat chicken or fish .go for fresh everytime .and be carefull where you shop .

I voted YES because I know what the cheap rubbish looks like, does and is. Ireland produces GREAT fresh food. When I’m home the difference in the produce in the good Irish home grown supermarkets is WAY better then the UK. Cheep burger are Pink nasty slabs of mechanically recovered goo. BTW that “pink” colour is mostly colouring. They look cheap and awful. Always have, and now it transpires they are cheap for a reason….. this is not This just proves “You are what you eat”.
I voted YES because I know what the cheap rubbish looks like, does and is. Ireland produces GREAT fresh food. When I’m home the difference in the produce in the good Irish home grown supermarkets is WAY better then the UK. Cheep burgers are Pink nasty slabs of mechanically recovered goo. BTW that “pink” colour is mostly colouring. They look cheap and awful. Always have, and now it transpires they are cheap for a reason….. this is not breaking news. Its always been this way. These cheep slabs of “meat” are sold at a profit not a loss so exactly how do you think they keep the overheads down? By adding MORE quality product? By adding more highly trained staff to process the food YOU give to YOUR kids? The more processed a food is the more likely it is to be rubbish. If the Turkey Twizzler fast food generation learns this now they might dodge the diabetes and heart disease bullets later life will bring them and your tax Euros will be spent fixing. That’s why everyone should be able to afford decent fresh food from a decent and fair minimum wage. Economically it would make sense in the long run.
breaking news. Its always been this way. These cheep slabs of “meat” are sold at a profit not a loss so exactly how do you think they keep the overheads down? By adding MORE quality product? By adding more highly trained staff to process the food YOU give to YOUR kids? Teh more processed a food is teh more likely it is to be rubbish.

I never buy processed food, like ready made burgers, ready meals etc…so this doesn’t affect me, but I doubt very much this is limited to just one or two processing plants. I think it does undermine what Ireland is offering and is likely to affect other food products, even the high quality ‘horse free’ items!

Have to say no. We talk about having the best food in the world and we are rightly proud of the stringent conditions attached to our production. But the same traceability does not apply to all food sold here. Dioxins in pork, horsemeat in beef, (there have been many more around Europe) this will come up again and again and will continue to do long term damage to our industry for as long as we want the cheapest food.

Cheap burgers are cheap for a reason, why is everyone so shocked that they are shyte?

Yet another instance of how the poorest people take the hit as the big companies cream off the profits. It is an indictment of the disgrace of austerity politics when people have to consider putting cheap food on the table because they cannot afford to buy decent ingredients from proper food shops. Many people in the land are now on poverty incomes and relying on budget supermarket food to stave off hunger. We don’t know where in the EU (or elsewhere) it comes from, and cannot trust the suppliers to tell the truth.
Beggars can’t be choosers.

I have confidence in Irish food production. Not sure what it has to do with this story though as the stuff in the pic can barely be considered food, even without added horse!

Bord Bia is a disgrace! Should be dissolved!

It’s only a question of time before we have Foot and mouth in this country, anyone it seems can bring food into this country.

How this man was allowed to ever be involved in business after he cost the taxpayer so much in the past I don’t know. Between Seanie and himself they have cost the country more than all the drug dealers together. Will they be jailed??!!

Yes I do and I am sure proper controls will be excercised. All Eastern European countries are bent and should not be in the EEC – all they want are the hand-outs and then crap on us from a great height.

300 million people suffer from Diabetes Type 2, with Trans Fats in processed foods being the most likely suspect.
No testing for Trans Fats? I wonder why?

Again!
It’s a great problem for you guys?

I’ve stopped eating burgers.. I’d be frightened incase I got a dose of the trots.

This just proves “You are what you eat”.
I voted YES because I know what the cheap rubbish looks like, does and is. Ireland produces GREAT fresh food. When I’m home the difference in the produce in the good Irish home grown supermarkets is WAY better then the UK. Cheep burgers are Pink nasty slabs of mechanically recovered goo. BTW that “pink” colour is mostly colouring. They look cheap and awful. Always have, and now it transpires they are cheap for a reason….. this is not breaking news. Its always been this way. These cheep slabs of “meat” are sold at a profit not a loss so exactly how do you think they keep the overheads down? By adding MORE quality product? By adding more highly trained staff to process the food YOU give to YOUR kids? The more processed a food is the more likely it is to be rubbish. If the Turkey Twizzler fast food generation learns this now they might dodge the diabetes and heart disease bullets later life will bring them and your tax Euros will be spent fixing. That’s why everyone should be able to afford decent fresh food from a decent and fair minimum wage. Economically it would make sense in the long run.

A certain food producer in the past was found to have breached food production guidelines, once again a certain food produce is involved in dodgy food production standards. The last enquiry cost the state countless millions, because the state is scared sh****ss of confronting powerful flyballs in all industries including banking and food production. This entire episode of the Irish Nation Soap Farce is further proof of how timid and pathetic we are as a nation. Surprised. We will eat s**t if we are told to…take a look around. Look at Micheal Martins sincere face on TV next time he’s on and listen to how much he care about the poor Irish, then punch yourself in the head because he’s allowed air time at all.

Absolutely not ,I have friends who worked in chicken firms and they wouldn’t eat any fowl. The quality of food here is muck , anything that has monosodium is junk .If you want to eat real food go to eastern europe.

I am confident that without proper enforcement of regulations, it only takes one company to cut corners to affect an entire industry. Even the best business must also cut corners to compete on the open market once this race for profits begins. Someone knew what they were doing was wrong, they knew what tests would be carried out and what a devious mind could get away with. It makes me also wonder what big farmers are feeding cattle. Are Irish cattle still fed on a grass diet or with modern diet feeders what else is going into our food supply. Yet again these products won’t kill you but you still have a right to know what you are eating.

A few dodgy burgers and it sends people into fear .Irish food’s are the best in the world dont let the excessive media coverage put you off Irish food’s .Our agriculture and food production could be our salvation yet as food supplies dwindle all over the world.

Stop press!!….a border meat company have stringently denied that traces of Irish beef were present in a sample of their burgers…there will be an investigation immediately..

As there is nothing wrong with the so called horse burgers, just that we don’t eat horse meat as a rule, will they be sent to less fortunate Countries, or just canned for dog meat.?!!