A small consignment of tinned corned beef from Latvia is being investigated in the UK, after tests in Germany showed the product is 69% horsemeat.

The Food Standards Agency said on Thursday (28 February) that the product had been destined to go on sale in one shop in central London. “The FSA is working with the local authority to ensure the product is withdrawn,” a spokeswoman added. She added the FSA had not yet established if the product had actually gone on sale in the UK.

The product first raised alarm yesterday, when German officials said it was 69% horsemeat and contained just 25% beef. According to the product label, beef should account for 97.5% of the product’s content.

In Germany, the product was sold primarily in shops specialising in groceries from Eastern Europe.

According to the alert filed by Germany on the EU’s Rapid Alert system, the product was distributed to Germany, the UK,  Belgium and the Netherlands.