A SPOKESMAN for the city council said: "In January this year we were carrying out a routine test which pre-dated the horse meat scandal, checking that products labelled soya-free were indeed soya-free. The presence of horse meat in a sample from Miss T's Patties of Palin Street was discovered as part of the test.
"Its presence in no way reflects on Miss T's Patties, who had bought the meat from a reputable supplier in good faith and whose arrangements we have no concerns with. Her suppliers also acted responsibly as soon as they became aware of the situation and issued a recall for batches of raw meat they have supplied. The suppliers have since carried out additional action to ensure the traceability of their meat is sound.
"In the case of Miss T's Patties which is a small operator, the meat had already been sold as a ready-to-eat food with a short shelf life and so there was no further action to be taken."
He added: "In light of the horse meat scandal, we took steps to check the meat supply chain for council-run catering at schools, care homes, and meals-at-home service and also for manufacturers and hospitals.
"We are confident all beef is supplied by an approved food business and is fully traceable and, following inspection of premises, we are satisfied that all procedures are in accordance with Food Standards Agency guidelines."