UK food supplier who sold Bulgarian salami in a Dratford convenience store has been fined GBP 5,000 after it turned out that the product contained nearly 50% horse meat.

This is the first case of its kind in the UK since a horse meat scandal broke in January 2013.

In September 2013, Expo Foods supplied Bulgarian salami known as Lukanka Chumerna, which contained 45.8% horse meat, Thisislocallondon.co.uk reports.

Bulgarian meat producer Aktual has been “highly recommended” to Expo Foods by Bulgarian supermarket owners, the online edition informs in an article.

Expo Foods began ordering meat from Aktual in 2010 and in September 2013 purchased 20kg of the Lukanka Chumerna sausage, which was supposed to contain only veal, pork, vegetable fibres and herbs.

Under UK law the supplier is liable for prosecution if it the product is defective.

Expo Foods had contacted all customers who have purchased the Lukanka Chumerna so it could be withdrawn from shelves immediately after being notified of the test results in November last year.

Expo managing director Ozgur Yilmaz pleaded guilty to one charge of selling food not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser, and was fined GBP 5,000, imposed costs of GBP 2,500 and ordered a GBP 120 victim surcharge be paid.

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