Italy finds 20 percent of beef samples contain horse meat

ROME (Reuters) – Tests on beef products in Italy have found that one in five contain more than 1 percent horse meat, the Italian Health Ministry said on Monday. Italy launched an inspection of the sector in response to the scandal of horse meat in products labeled as beef that has spread across Europe since January, prompting product withdrawals and worrying consumers. Italian police inspected 454 samples of products advertised as beef without any mention of horse meat, and found that 93 tested positive for horse meat traces above 1 percent, which should have been declared, the ministry said. …