What is going on?

[Addie]

It seems that a lot of European companies are finding horse meat ground into premade meatballs. Ikea has found some and are only stopping them from being sold in their Sweden stores. I wans't even aware that Ikea sold food.

Most of the Balkan countries have been testing their meat and sure enough, there is horse meat. The problem seems to be based in that area. But the problem seems to be throughout all of Europe. Italy, France, Norway, etc.

You used to be able to buy horse meat in this country in the frozen food section. It was clearly labeled and folks bought it to feed to their dogs. A big seller to kennel businesses and greyhound racing folks. But I haven't seen it for quite a long time. I am not sure if the FDA stopped allowing it to be sold in this country.

 

[lyndalou]

Ikea sells food? Maybe in Europe, but not here, as far as I kknow.

 

[Addie]

Ikea sells food? Maybe in Europe, but not here, as far as I kknow.

Neither did I. But they stated that they would not stop selling their meatballs globally. Something for our international members to think about.


Horse meat found in Ikea's Swedish meatballs | World News | Comcast

 

[DaveSoMD]

It has been a while since I have been to one, but the Ikea here had a cafe/restaurant in the store where you could get something to eat. One of the menu items was, strangely enough, Swedish Meatballs.

 

[CWS4322]

We have a large IKEA store in Ottawa. It has a small food section. I have always bought Swedish anchovies (spratts) there, as well as Cloudberry vinegar (Hjortronvinaeger), Cloudberry sauce, Elderberry concentrate, and lingonberry concentrate. They used to carry a lingonberry-chilpolte salsa that I absolutely loved. Hence the reason I started making cranberry salsa (when IKEA stopped carrying this). Oh, and Anna's Gingersnaps.

 

[LPBeier]

Here in Canada at least, IKEA has been known for their Swedish meatballs. Their cafeterias have them on the menus...at one time I think that was their only entree but now they have salmon and many others. Not great quality but reasonable and something is always on special. I think you can even buy the meatballs frozen, but I am not positive on that one. They serve them with a lingonberry sauce which is delicious!

IKEA Food | Restaurant - IKEA

As for the horse meat, that is awful.

 

[Addie]

Here in Canada at least, IKEA has been known for their Swedish meatballs. Their cafeterias have them on the menus...at one time I think that was their only entree but now they have salmon and many others. Not great quality but reasonable and something is always on special. I think you can even buy the meatballs frozen, but I am not positive on that one. They serve them with a lingonberry sauce which is delicious!

IKEA Food | Restaurant - IKEA

As for the horse meat, that is awful.

Does this article make you think twice about buying them?

 

[CWS4322]

Yes, the IKEA here does carry the frozen meatballs. I have never bought them because I make them using my grandma's recipe.

 

[Gravy Queen]

Yes Ikea sells food, I love a trip to the food shop . Plus they have a restaurant which of course sells the meatballs and you can buy them frozen .

The horsemeat scandal is all over the place here. Of course, horse meat isn't harmful they eat it in France but its the issue of it not being declared and being sold as pork or beef which is worrying.

 

[GLC]

You can buy the sauce. The meagtballs themselves seem to have gone missing.

Google Translate Ikea Grocery page


I recall in the 50's being able to buy horse meat in pet stores. We bought horse joints to use a crab bait. But Congress effectively ended horse meat slaughter in the U.S. by refusing to pay for horse meat inspectors.

I'm less bothered about a bit of horsey in my burger than I am about what someone who's willing to add some horse would do with rotten beef and whatever else they should be throwing out. Which is why I mostly say neigh to ground meats.

 

[LPBeier]

Does this article make you think twice about buying them?

To be honest, I had them years ago and wasn't that thrilled with them so I haven't ordered them since. We have tried other entrees and they were passable. If we do eat at IKEA it is usually a hot dog from their little cafe/shop.

I do love the lingonberry sauce though and have bought it a few times to eat with our own meatballs and other things.

 

[Addie]

The problem seems to be that the source is from several purveyors of meat in different countries. They check the meatballs one day and they are fine. Check them again a week later and they find the horse meat in them.

 

[CWS4322]

Horsemeat is quite common in Quebec. The rest of Canada, however, shares the view that horses have been companion animals and do not consume horsemeat as readily as those in Quebec.

 

[Addie]

Yes Ikea sells food, I love a trip to the food shop . Plus they have a restaurant which of course sells the meatballs and you can buy them frozen .

The horsemeat scandal is all over the place here. Of course, horse meat isn't harmful they eat it in France but its the issue of it not being declared and being sold as pork or beef which is worrying.

We know that cows, lambs, etc are slaughtered for their meat. But are the horses ones that are old and sick? I doubt they are raised for the same purpose as beef and other meats we put on our table.

When the U.S. sold horse meat, it was from the wild Mustangs that were rounded up in the herd control program. They ones that weren't sold were slaughtered and sold as animal food.

 

[CWS4322]

To be honest, I had them years ago and wasn't that thrilled with them so I haven't ordered them since. We have tried other entrees and they were passable. If we do eat at IKEA it is usually a hot dog from their little cafe/shop.

I do love the lingonberry sauce though and have bought it a few times to eat with our own meatballs and other things.

When I make roast beef or venison, I make the gravy using the pan drippings (fat removed), add sour cream, a bit of red wine, grated gjetost cheese, and lingonberry sauce. If I have them, I will sometimes add crushed Anna's ginger cookies. Hmmm....I have a couple of venison roasts in the freezer...

 

[GotGarlic]

We know that cows, lambs, etc are slaughtered for their meat. But are the horses ones that are old and sick? I doubt they are raised for the same purpose as beef and other meats we put on our table.

According to the article you linked to, the authorities are testing quite a few products to see if they contain horse meat and if so, what percentage the product is horse meat. If it was less than 1 percent, it could just be that horse meat was processed in the same facility. In France, they do eat it regularly.

Also, it wasn't just meatballs that contained horse meat. The products included meat-filled pasta, lasagna, meat pies, etc. The problem isn't safety but accurate labeling.

 

[Addie]

According to the article you linked to, the authorities are testing quite a few products to see if they contain horse meat and if so, what percentage the product is horse meat. If it was less than 1 percent, it could just be that horse meat was processed in the same facility. In France, they do eat it regularly.

Also, it wasn't just meatballs that contained horse meat. The products included meat-filled pasta, lasagna, meat pies, etc. The problem isn't safety but accurate labeling.

This is true. That is the reason I grind my own meat. The meat grinders are not cleaned between every time they are used during the work day. Taking them apart is a major job. Someone asks for beef to be ground, then the next pork. There may be some beef still inside the meat grinder. So now the pork customer has a little beef in their product. And for a person from India who does not eat beef, this can be a problem. And the same goes for the next customer who cannot eat pork.

The meat grinding machine are (or supposed to be) cleaned and sterlized at the end of each shift. At least in this state, that is how the the food law is written. It doesn't state how long a shift is. Only when the present workers are changed for new ones. The same goes for any machinery that handles dairy products.

 

[Cerise]

It seems that a lot of European companies are finding horse meat ground into premade meatballs. Ikea has found some and are only stopping them from being sold in their Sweden stores. I wans't even aware that Ikea sold food.

Most of the Balkan countries have been testing their meat and sure enough, there is horse meat. The problem seems to be based in that area. But the problem seems to be throughout all of Europe. Italy, France, Norway, etc.

You used to be able to buy horse meat in this country in the frozen food section. It was clearly labeled and folks bought it to feed to their dogs. A big seller to kennel businesses and greyhound racing folks. But I haven't seen it for quite a long time. I am not sure if the FDA stopped allowing it to be sold in this country.

Do you have a link or source re same? Here, in th USA, Ikea sells food, frozen meatballs etc. It has been quite awhile since I've been to an Ikea. I don't go back, as I can't find my way out of their maze. I don't go there for their food.

 

[GotGarlic]

Do you have a link or source re same? Here, in th USA, Ikea sells food, frozen meatballs etc. It has been quite awhile since I've been to an Ikea. I don't go back, as I can't find my way out of their maze. I don't go there for their food.

Here are a couple:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/26/b...raws-meatballs-after-horse-meat-is-found.html

http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/feb/08/how-horsemeat-scandal-unfolded-timeline

 

[GotGarlic]

This is true. That is the reason I grind my own meat. The meat grinders are not cleaned between every time they are used during the work day. Taking them apart is a major job. Someone asks for beef to be ground, then the next pork. There may be some beef still inside the meat grinder. So now the pork customer has a little beef in their product.

Just to be clear, we're talking about a food-processing plant, not a retail market.