EUROPE'S horsemeat scandal is spreading and threatening cross-border tensions, as France says Romanian butchers and Dutch and Cypriot traders were part of a supply chain that resulted in horsemeat disguised as beef being sold in frozen lasagna around the continent.
Horsemeat has been eaten by many cultures for centuries and was often eaten in Australia, particularly during hard times - the only complaint being that it is usually tough.
The Japanese eat raw horsemeat sashimi, but several of the northern European countries are finding the fact that they may have eaten horsemeat unawares a little hard to 'digest'.
No-one has reported health risks from the mislabelled meat, but it has unsettled consumers across Europe.
Accusations are flying. In France, the foreign minister called it "disgusting" and consumer safety authorities increased inspections of the country's meat business, from slaughterhouses to supermarkets.
Romania's president is scrambling to salvage his country's reputation. A Swedish manufacturer is suing a French supplier central to the affair.
The motivation for passing off horsemeat as beef appeared to be financial, and authorities are concentrating on pursuing anyone guilty of fraud in the affair, said France's Junior Minister for Consumer Goods, Benoit French Benoit Hamon.
The complex supply chain for the suspicious meat crossed Europe's map.
An initial investigation by French safety authorities determined that French company Poujol bought frozen meat from a Cypriot trader, Hamon's office said in a statement.
That trader had received it from a Dutch food trader, and that Dutch company had received the meat from two Romanian slaughterhouses.
The statement didn't name the Romanian, Cypriot or Dutch companies.
Poujol then supplied a Luxembourg factory, Hamon's statement said. The Luxembourg factory is owned by French group Comigel. The lasagne was ultimately sold under the Sweden-based Findus brand.
French supermarkets announced that they had recalled a raft of pre-prepared meals, including lasagne, moussaka and cannelloni suspected of containing undeclared horsemeat.
The French ministers for agriculture, the food industry and consumer protection were holding an emergency meeting Monday with meat producers.
While horsemeat is largely taboo in Britain and some other countries, in France it is sold in specialty butcher shops and prized by some connoisseurs. But French authorities are worried about producers misleading the public. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius called on Sunday night on BFM television for "tough punishments" for what he described as "abominable" fraud.
An affair that started earlier this year with worries about horsemeat in burgers in Ireland and Britain has spread into a Europe-wide scandal.
The EU commissioner for agriculture is meeting on Monday with Romania's foreign minister about the latest horsemeat worries. Romanian President Traian Basescu said on Sunday that his country could face potential export restrictions and lose credibility "for many years" if the Romanian butchers turn out to be the root of the problem. "I hope that this won't happen," Mr Basescu said. Romania's agricultural ministry has begun an investigation.
The Netherlands Foods and Wares Authority said the Dutch had not started investigating but they were ready to if necessary.
Meanwhile, a Swedish manufacturer is suing a French supplier over a horsemeat scandal in Romania and French supermarkets recalled a raft of pre-prepared meals, including lasagna, moussaka and cannelloni.
