In the latest addition to the list of companies affected by the European horse meat labeling scandal, Taco Bell UK announced it found horse meat in several batches of ground beef after voluntary self-testing. Taco Bell’s statement says the meat has been withdrawn from its restaurants, purchases of the meat have stopped and the Food Standards Agency has been contacted.

Life Technologies and IMEGEN introduced a Rapidfinder? Equine DNA test for use in Applied Biosystems Real-Time PCR Instruments. The detection limit is .01 percent (w/w) in fresh meat and includes a positive control consisting of .1 percent horse DNA. The test is available immediately in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.