Neigh: There's no horse meat in Aussie burgers

UK SUPERMARKETS are in damage control mode after horse meat was found in beef burgers. But given Australia is home to two export-registered abattoirs that process horse meat for the European market, are we also at risk?

mince patty

UK SUPERMARKETS are in damage control mode after horse meat was found in beef burgers. But given Australia is home to two export-registered abattoirs that process horse meat for the European market, are we also at risk?

Ten million burgers have been taken off shop shelves in the UK this week after it was revealed the beef products from three companies contained horse DNA.

Most had only small traces, but one brand sold by Tesco, the country's biggest supermarket chain, contained 29 per cent horse.

Check out the horse meat calculator

Tesco were quick to say sorry, taking out full-page newspaper ads which read: "We and our supplier have let you down and we apologise".

But are Australia’s beef patties at risk?

The short answer is no, thank goodness.

Richelle Pellegrini from the NSW Food Authority, told news.com.au that it is unlikely the horse meat found in the UK patties came from Australia.

"The UKFSA are still trying to ascertain where the meat came from, but it is more likely to have been derived from domestic European supplies," she said.

Ms Pellegrini also confirmed that the NSWFA conduct random species testing on meats sold at butchers in Australia, and have not found any traces of horse meat - but they have had one incident involving pork and chicken.

"98 meat samples were submitted in the 2012 calendar year for speciation. One sample indicated beef sausages contained pork and chicken, and the butcher was fined $1540.

"Horse meat in NSW is predominantly processed for pet meat. Laws are in place that require all meats processed through knackeries to be stained with a bright blue dye and are prevented from entering the food supply chain. The Authority conducts routine inspections at these premises to assess compliance with staining requirements."

But if horse meat can turn up in beef patties, what are some other suspect foods you might want to watch out for?

Calamari: Radio show This American Life ran an investigation a week ago about claims that imitation calamari is made from pigs' rectum. They ran a series of blind tests and spoke to Mark Wheeler from the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. While he denied there was any truth to the accusations, he did offer up the information that pig intestines (otherwise known as pork chitterlings) are edible, have a "pungent odour" when boiled and are of a texture similar to calamari.

Sticky Rice: Love your Mexican food? Ever wondered how the rice gets so sticky? It's not always because they've left it too long in water. A chemical known as dimethylpolysiloxane, which is non flammable, clear and also happens to be found in glue, has been detected in the sticky rice of various takeaway joints in America.

Sausages: They taste so good but they’re oh so bad for you. According to PETA some sausages can be broken down into 32-42% pork, 25% fat and salt, and the rest is processed leftovers from all parts of a pig including its blood, guts, organs and head.

Frankfurts: Arguably worse than sausages, frankfurts or hot dogs can be made up of pork trimmings, chicken carcasses, water, powdered preservatives and red food colouring according to a Daily Mail investigation.

Gelatine: You'll find gelatine in some lollies, cakes, ice cream and yoghurt, and PETA reports that it's formed by "boiling skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones (from cows and pigs) in water."