VOA标准英语2013--Horse Meat Scandal Spreads Across Europe

 

Horse Meat Scandal Spreads Across Europe

The scandal started in Ireland and the United Kingdom in January, but has since spread all around the EU. DNA¹ checks on beef have found that some products, including hamburgers, contained as much as 30 percent horse meat. The list of tainted² products has since widened to include frozen lasagna, tortellini, and bolognese sauce.

Europol, the EU's police agency, is leading a Europe-wide fraud investigation³. So far, three men are under arrest in England and Wales. They are accused of disguising cheap horse meat as frozen beef. The arrests come as French authorities said meat wholesaler⁴ Spanghero re-labeled and sold horse meat from Romanian suppliers. The company denies wrongdoing. By Friday, supermarkets in Germany, Denmark, Hungary, and elsewhere had begun recalling suspect products.

In the German capital, Berlin, consumer safety experts say they are now checking all kinds of meat products.

"We haven't found anything yet in Germany or Berlin, but the research here just started, so I can't promise that we won't find anything later," said. Thomas Heilmann, from the Berlin Office of Consumer Protection

This lab in Berlin, and others around Germany, are also testing meat for phenylbutazone or bute, a pain medication given to horses and found in some samples tested in other EU countries.

Technician Andreas Hlinak says it is too soon to know how much horse meat exists in beef sold in Germany.

"We've received samples, including samples from veterinary agencies, and have begun our tests. We expect to have the results ready on the samples we received this week by the middle of next week," Hlinak said.

Hlinak says his lab employees are going into local supermarkets themselves to obtain samples.

Some food safety experts are blaming supermarkets for pushing down prices and squeezing wholesalers. Others think lax inspections⁵ are to blame. As for the supermarkets - they say they have been tricked too, and promise tougher inspections of their own going forward. 

1 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

2 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 wholesaler   

n.批发商

参考例句：

• We're the largest furniture wholesaler in Illinois. 我们是伊利诺伊州最大的家具批发商。 来自辞典例句
• These are used to create profiles for each wholesaler. 这是他日常的工作或通过与批发商的正式会谈。 来自互联网

5 inspections   

n.检查( inspection的名词复数 )；检验；视察；检阅

参考例句：

• Regular inspections are carried out at the prison. 经常有人来视察这座监狱。
• Government inspections ensure a high degree of uniformity in the standard of service. 政府检查确保了在服务标准方面的高度一致。 来自《简明英汉词典》