Food Safety
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Safety
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • White Papers
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
    • Contamination Control
    • Food Types
    • Management
    • Process Control
    • Regulatory
    • Sanitation
    • Supply Chain
    • Testing and Analysis
  • PODCAST
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Food Safety Five Newsreel
    • eBooks
    • FSM Distinguished Service Award
    • Interactive Product Spotlights
    • Videos
  • BUYER'S GUIDE
  • MORE
    • ENEWSLETTER >
      • Archive Issues
      • Subscribe to eNews
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
  • WEBINARS
  • FOOD SAFETY SUMMIT
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issues
    • Editorial Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
News

Three Face Jail in Netherlands for Links to Horsemeat Scandal

February 1, 2019

Source: Food Safety News

Three people are facing jail in the Netherlands for their roles in the horsemeat scandal of 2013.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service (OM) imposed fines up to €150,000 ($172,000) against three companies and their executives for meat fraud.

OM set a fine of €150,000 ($172,000) against the now-bankrupt Van Hattem Vlees BV slaughterhouse and a prison sentence of 3 years against the manager. Now that the prosecutor has recommended a sanction to the court, the defense counsel will speak and then the defendant.

Meat trading firm Meatmaster BV and cold store company Grolleman Vrieshuis Exploitatie Maatschappij BCV were fined €75,000 ($86,000). Owners of these companies face a prison sentence of 18 months—of which 6 months is conditionally—with a probation period of 2 years.

The horsemeat scandal came to light in early 2013 when equine meat was detected in beef products across Europe. The motive was thought to be financial with horsemeat being cheaper than beef.

Due to forgery, about 400,000 kilos of meat could not be traced back to the source which posed potential health risks and severely undermined consumer confidence, according to the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority’s intelligence and investigation services (NVWA-IOD) unit.

The investigation by the NVWA-IOD started after complaints from England and Ireland. In January 2013 horsemeat was found in beef products from Van Hattem Vlees BV, based in Dodewaard, a town in the Netherlands. Labels stated the products only contained beef. Products were also blocked in France as they contained horsemeat while the label said it was beef.

It found “insufficient” traceability records at Van Hattem Vlees, making it no longer possible to trace where the slaughtered meat came from or went. Authorities said it was also “doubtful” that all the supplied meat was safe to eat.

OM officials said Meatmaster and Vrieshuis Grolleman “facilitated” the fraud and forgery of documents by not intervening. The companies accepted what the client asked and executed it without checking it was correct.

French trial
Meanwhile, four people are on trial in Paris, France in relation to the horsemeat scandal.

Jacques Poujol and Patrice Monguillon are two former staff of Spanghero, a meat processing company. Johannes Fasen, boss of Draap Trading, and Hendricus (or Hans) Windmeijer are two Dutch meat traders.

The former Spanghero employees are accused of fraud charges. Horsemeat labeled as beef was sold to Tavola, a subsidiary of Comigel, which sold frozen meals to companies across Europe.

The trial is expected to continue until mid-February. If convicted, the men face up to 10 years in jail and a €1 million ($1.15 million) fine.

More on the 2013 horsemeat scandal:
PODCAST Ep. 40: Chris Elliott: Food Crime--A Global Challenge


Author(s): Food Safety News

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • people holding baby chicks

    Serovar Differences Matter: Utility of Deep Serotyping in Broiler Production and Processing

    This article discusses the significance of Salmonella in...
    Contamination Control
    By: Nikki Shariat Ph.D.
  • woman washing hands

    Building a Culture of Hygiene in the Food Processing Plant

    Everyone entering a food processing facility needs to...
    Management
    By: Richard F. Stier, M.S.
  • graphical representation of earth over dirt

    Climate Change and Emerging Risks to Food Safety: Building Climate Resilience

    This article examines the multifaceted threats to food...
    International
    By: Maria Cristina Tirado Ph.D., D.V.M. and Shamini Albert Raj M.A.
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine Subscription
  • Subscribe to eNewsletter
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Website Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Food Safety Magazine audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Food Safety Magazine or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • mold
    Sponsored byIFC

    Tackling Mold Remediation in Food Processing Plants

  • a worker in a food processing plant
    Sponsored byLPS® DETEX®

    How a Beverage Facility Improved Food Safety and Compliance with Detectable Packaging Solutions

  • Two men standing in a produce storage facility having a discussion.
    Sponsored byOrkin Commercial

    Staying Compliant With FSMA

Popular Stories

carton of dozen brown eggs

Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Eggs Ends With One Dead, 38 Hospitalized

close-up shot of nickel metal

New EU Maximum Levels for Nickel Now Apply to Dozens of Foods

blue iced donuts next to pie of sugar with blue written in it

FDA Authorizes Use of Fourth ‘Natural’ Food Dye, Gardenia Blue

Events

July 22, 2025

Beyond the Binder: Digital Management of Food Safety

Live: July 22, 2025 at 3:00 pm EDT: During this webinar, attendees will learn best practices for the use of digital food safety management systems across industry and regulatory agencies.

August 7, 2025

Achieve Active Managerial Control of Major Risk Factors Using a Food Safety Management System

Live: August 7, 2025 at 2:00 pm EDT: From this webinar, attendees will learn about changes to the FDA Food Code, which now includes a requirement for FSMS. 

May 11, 2026

The Food Safety Summit

Stay informed on the latest food safety trends, innovations, emerging challenges, and expert analysis. Leave the Summit with actionable insights ready to drive measurable improvements in your organization. Do not miss this opportunity to learn from experts about contamination control, food safety culture, regulations, sanitation, supply chain traceability, and so much more.

View All

Products

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

Global Food Safety Microbial Interventions and Molecular Advancements

See More Products
Environmental Monitoring Excellence eBook

Related Articles

  • Scotland to Beef Up Food Safety Regs in Response to Horsemeat Scandal

    See More
  • Fallout from UK Horsemeat Scandal Prompts Meat Trader to Sue ABP

    See More
  • Salmonella Outbreak in Tennessee Jail Linked to Tyson Comminuted Chicken

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • 1118396308.jpg

    High Throughput Analysis for Food Safety

  • 9781138070912.jpg

    Trends in Food Safety and Protection

  • 1119053595.jpg

    Food Safety for the 21st Century: Managing HACCP and Food Safety throughout the Global Supply Chain, 2E

See More Products

Related Directories

  • PLM TrustLink

    PLM TrustLink® is a comprehensive software platform for tracking & tracing food throughout the supply chain. From origin to destination, PLM TrustLink® utilizes unique product markers to provide transparency, traceability, and trust of key date elements through critical tracking events. The PLM TrustLink® solution delivers real-time actionable data to improve operational efficiency, food safety and regulatory compliance for customers.
  • Recall InfoLink Inc.

    Recall InfoLink is a subscription software that makes recall process management easier and more effective. The cloud platform enables companies across the supply chain to easily distribute recall information, track progress in real time, generate reports for compliance needs, and complete modernized mock recall exercises.
×

Never miss the latest news and trends driving the food safety industry

eNewsletter | Website | eMagazine

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing