Approximately 8% of meat tested in Scotland last year was found to contain the DNA of animals not listed on the labelling, following tests carried out by Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

In total, FSS carried out 631 tests last year and found 48 of them to be contaminated with meat of an animal that was not listed in the product description.

This news follows on from the recent release of figures gathered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which found that one fifth of meat samples tested from the rest of the UK contained DNA from animals not listed on the label.

A freedom of information request by the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme to FSS revealed various cases of contamination occurring across Scotland.

Cases of contamination included a restaurant in Dundee, which described a product as cooked lamb containing just beef, while barbecue pork spare ribs tested from a producer in Falkirk were found to be chicken.

Processed foods such as Indian-style lamb dishes, kebabs and sausages were among the dishes at fault, as well as various pizza toppings which were labelled as ham but were found to be chicken or turkey.

Food Standards Scotland urge anyone working within the food industry who has any knowledge or information about food fraud to report it on the confidential Scottish Food Crime Hotline on 0800 0287926 or by using the online from Food Standards Scotland’s website.