Burger King admits to using horse meat

Burger King, an American global chain of hamburger fast-food restaurants, admitted to using horse meat in their products, according to the YouSignAnimals website. The company claims that it was due to an accidental contamination from a dubious supplier.

The issue seems to be largely confined to the chain's European operations. The meat was processed in the Silvercrest factory of ABF Foods Group, Burger King said in a statement.

"We have proven that this non-approved supplier from Poland is the source of the contamination going on at Silvercrest supplier," the company said.

The same company that sent horse meat to Burger King may also be a supplier to major outlets such as Tesco, Asda and Co-op.

A similar scandal broke in 2013, when a supplier in Ireland was found to be the cause of the problem.

While horsemeat is not harmful to humans, its unauthorized presence in what is presumed to be 100 percent beef raises serious questions about food security.