News

Background - The standards and integrity of Birds Eye products are our highest priority. We place the needs and safety of our consumers at the heart of everything we do. All of our meat sourcing and production standards meet and exceed all EU legal requirements and we regularly conduct tests of our products as part of our rigorous quality control processes. We are also committed to labelling our products in a truthful and consumer friendly way so that you can rely on the information declared on our food packs.
Testing
Have you tested all beef products containing beef for presence of equine DNA?
Birds Eye has completed testing on all of its UK and Irish beef products, including our beef burgers, ready meals and pies, with a detection limit of 1% as outlined by the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency. We are pleased to confirm that Birds Eye Beef Products contain no equine DNA and are as labelled on the back of pack.
Have you tested your beef products for presence of porcine DNA?
In line with FSA guidance, Birds Eye has primarily focused on equine DNA testing.  Birds Eye has initiated further testing on all of its UK and Irish Beef products, including our beef burgers, ready meals and pies with a detection limit of 1% as outlined by the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency.
Porcine DNA has been found in our Steak & Kidney pies as the kidney we use is a pig’s kidney.  This is clearly labelled on back of pack. 
We are pleased to confirm that  all completed results  so far received i.e. Steak and Minced Beef Onion pie products and all beef ready meals, contain  no porcine DNA.   We are awaiting results for our beef burgers and will inform you in due course.
What testing method have you used?
The testing method used is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for equine DNA and porcine DNA.
Which accredited laboratory has completed the DNA testing?
The testing has been completed by Reading Scientific Services Limited on behalf of Birds Eye.
How will you provide copies of the results to us?
Birds Eye will submit all results to the FSA for publication. We will not publish results to customers on an individual basis.
What testing will Birds Eye implement ongoing?
Birds Eye conducts ongoing authenticity and DNA testing in relation to its fish products to ensure they are correctly labelled. We will widen this to include its Beef, lamb, pork and chicken in the coming weeks.
Is Birds Eye testing its other non beef products?
Birds Eye conducts ongoing authenticity and DNA testing in relation to its fish products to ensure they are correctly labelled. We will complete testing of its limited lamb and pork range in the coming weeks.
Testing Results
Do any of your beef products contain horsemeat DNA?
We are pleased to confirm the test results confirm that there is no evidence to suggest there is any issue with any of our UK and Ireland products.
We can confirm that we do not source any products from suppliers affected by this issue and our products have been cleared for sale by the regulatory authorities.
Do any of your beef products contain porcine DNA?
Porcine has been found in our Steak & Kidney Pies as the kidney we use is a pig’s kidney. This is clearly labelled on back of pack labelling. 
We are pleased to confirm that all other completed results so far received i.e. Steak and Minced Beef Onion pie products and all Beef ready meals, contain no porcine DNA. We are awaiting results for our beef burgers and will inform you in due course.
We can also confirm that we do not source any products from suppliers affected by this issue and our products have been cleared for sale by the regulatory authorities.
Traceability
Have you carried out a full traceability audit of your UK & Ireland suppliers?
Birds Eye has completed a traceability audit of its UK and Ireland Supplier base.
What is the origin of your beef?
None of our products are sourced from supplies affected by this issue.
Do your suppliers have links to Romanian or Polish abbatoirs?
Our audit has not found any links with any of the abattoirs implicated so far.
Do your suppliers have links to affectred UK & Ireland abbatoirs?
Our audit has not found any links with any of the abattoirs implicated so far.
Will you provide us with a list of your approved list suppliers?
As you will understand Birds Eye supplier base and beef sources must remain confidential.
Do you use Comigel?
We can confirm that we do not source meat or products from Comigel.
Do you use Silvercrest?
We can confirm that we do not source meat or products from Silvercrest.
Do you use Rangeland foods?
We can confirm that we do not source meat or products from Rangeland foods.
Do you use Farmbox Meats?
We can confirm that we do not source meat or products from Farmbox Meats.
Do you use Peter Boddy Meats?
We can confirm that we do not source meat or products from Peter Boddy Meats.
Are any of your products sourced from the affected factories?
We do not source meat or products from any of the affected suppliers.
Have you or your suppliers ever used the affected suppliers?
We can confirm in the last 5 years we have not used Comigel, Silvercrest, Rangeland foods, Farmbox Meats or Peter Boddy Meats.
Birds Eye Processes
Will DNA testing become a permanent part of your quality control processes?
Birds Eye conducts ongoing authenticity and DNA testing in relation to its fish products to ensure they are correctly labelled. We will be extending to other areas and will also comply with EU requirements on DNA testing.
What certification do your manufacturing sites hold?
All Birds Eye Sites and Factories meet the BRC Higher Level (LWFT) and IFS which meets the Global Food Safety Initiative.
What are the processes/controls in place for receiving raw materials into the production facility?
At Birds Eye we operate and adhere to very strict  operational guidelines for the receiving of raw materials, using a limited number of meat suppliers to whom we have in the main longstanding relationships with.
Detailed below is an outline of the process/controls we place.
We have a limited base of approved meat suppliers which is programmed into out stock system.
Meat is ordered by our procurement function from the approved list.
On receipt at our depot paperwork is required to ‘book’ the material into our stock management system. This must match the order placed.
There is a safeguard in our systems such that if the code of the factory from which the meat originated does not match the approved list in our system the intake is ‘blocked’ from use.
On receipt all intakes undergo visual inspection.
A sampling regime exists to perform more detailed checks on new suppliers and at random on long term suppliers or if an elevated risk is perceived.
Intakes remain ‘blocked’ until all scheduled tests are completed and fall within acceptable parameters. This is automatic via an IT interface