Mr Rhodes said the FSA had a presence in every abattoir in the UK and tested 90, 000 products a year, for bacteria such as listeria and salmonella.

BBC: What is the Food Standards Agency?

By Sunday 10 February, the Romanian government was examining the possibility that horsemeat found in beef products in Britain and France had come from an abattoir in its jurisdiction.

BBC: Ulster Farmers' Union: Anger over horsemeat scandal

The Polish abattoir linked to beef found in Newry that contained horsemeat, has said it does not process equine products in its factories.

BBC: Polish firm says it 'does not process horse meat'