Earlier this week, Czech authorities discovered traces of horsemeat in meatballs delivered to IKEA stores throughout Europe. IKEA Denmark claimed that the five Danish warehouses receive their meatballs elsewhere and thus weren't affected. Nevertheless, the Danish stores pulled the dish from their menus in order to make its customers feel secure.
In the statement, IKEA Denmark said that it would send its meatballs for an analysis, the results of which have now confirmed the presence of horsemeat.
It is unclear, however, if the horsemeat-balls were sold or consumed in the Danish IKEA stores.
According to IKEA, only a few traces of horsemeat have been found out of several tests. The company says it is taking precautions to ensure it does not happen again.
“We take this situation very seriously. It is extremely important that our customers can trust the declarations on the food we sell and serve,” Tina Würgau Lindharth, spokeswoman of IKEA Denmark told public broadcaster DR.
IKEA has also stopped selling hot dogs in some European countries, but continues to sell them in Denmark, saying that the hot dogs sold in Danish stores have been tested and show no traces of horsemeat. For any customers just dying to eat an IKEA meatball, they are still being sold in Norway.
