New South Wales Food Authority denies horse meat in Australian food

The New South Wales (NSW) Food Authority has formally rejected claims that horse meat has entered the human food supply in Australia. The denial follows an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) investigation that cited confidential NSW Food Authority documents obtained by Greens MP Abigail Boyd, which alleged that horse meat, along with rodent hair and metal shavings, had been found in products sold as beef or lamb.

NSW officials stated that random surveillance testing has not detected horse meat in any food for human consumption and described the ABC report as misleading. The authority highlighted that the state has no licensed slaughterhouses for processing horse meat for people, and that recent enforcement actions targeted illegal knackeries producing horse meat solely for animal feed, including a fine of AUD 12,000 in a Wagga Wagga case. The dispute centers on food‑safety transparency rather than an actual public health incident.