Singapore. Ikea’s famous meatballs were off the menu Tuesday night as a “precautionary measure” by the furniture giant following a global horse meat scandal.
The company said in a statement on Tuesday that it is testing the Swedish dish for traces of horse meat, but added that it was unlikely to contain the meat because the meatballs sold at its two branches here are made only of beef and pork sourced from and produced in Australia.
Its halal meatballs are made of chicken from Brazil and beef from Australia, a spokesman added.
So far, Australia has not been identified as one of the countries which produce horse meat-tainted “beef”. But Ikea Singapore has temporarily stopped selling meatballs pending the DNA test results.
By 5 p.m. Tuesday, meatballs were off the menu and the frozen ones removed from shelves at the branches in Tampines and Alexandra, after the staff were briefed.
When The Straits Times visited the Tampines outlet at 7:30 p.m., signs were put up near the store entrance, at the restaurant and at the Swedish food market to inform customers. The restaurant was still quite crowded.
The outlets normally sell 10 to 12 tones of meatballs a month.
Ikea’s signature dish is usually served with cream sauce, lingonberry jam and potatoes at its restaurants. It costs S$5.50 (US$4.4) for 10 pieces, $8 for 15 and $9.50 for 20.
Frozen meatballs are also typically sold at the store’s Swedish food markets in 1 kg packs.
On Monday, the Czech authorities said they found horse meat in Swedish-made meatballs which were to be sold at Ikea stores in the Czech Republic.
Ikea has since withdrawn frozen meatballs from its stores in more than 20 countries, mostly in Europe, as well as in Thailand and Hong Kong.
The food scandal started in Europe after tests by Ireland’s food safety watchdog revealed on Jan. 15 that horse meat was found in frozen beef burgers.
Sandra Keasberry, assistant advertising and public relations manager for Ikea Singapore, said: “None of our ingredients is produced by the affected suppliers.”
Ikea is testing the meatballs in a local independent laboratory. The results are expected to be released at the end of next week.
Some customers approved of the decision to stop meatball sales.
Beautician May Chong, 36, said in Mandarin that Ikea carrying out such tests made her feel safer.
But others like Nathaniel Sim thought it unnecessary. The 32-year-old safety officer said: “Stopping sales seems to suggest that, internally, they have doubts about whether the meatballs have horse meat.”
Assistant manager William Tay, 49, agreed: “They could just put up signs to explain the situation and reassure customers that the beef is not from the countries affected, without stopping sales.”
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said last Tuesday that horse meat is not mixed with any processed beef products here.
Since 1996, when mad cow disease swept through Europe, all European countries have been banned from exporting processed beef products to Singapore, said an AVA spokesman on Monday night.
But a few European countries can export boneless whole beef cuts to Singapore, only after meat establishments there are approved by the AVA.
Nevertheless, the AVA has stepped up checks on imports of other processed meat items.
About 40 percent of Singapore’s beef products are imported from Australia, 20 per cent from New Zealand, another 20 per cent from Brazil and less than 1 per cent from Europe.
Reprinted courtesy of The Straits Times
Ikea Singapore Pulls Meatballs Off Menu for Horsemeat Tests
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