Dutch supermarkets on Tuesday became the latest European shops to remove frozen meals from their shelves amid fears they may contain horsemeat disguised as beef. "PLUS supermarkets have withdrawn frozen lasagne of the Primafrost brand from shelves as a precaution," spokeswoman Debbie Huisman told AFP. She said the withdrawn products were not dangerous but could contain horsemeat without it being marked on the packaging. Boni supermarkets have withdrawn the same product, said Roel Vincken, spokesman for the Dutch Food and Goods Authority (NVWA).

France and Britain called Monday for the "criminals" who disguised horsemeat as beef to be tracked down, as Romania angrily denied it was to blame for the frozen food scandal spreading across Europe. Britain's food minister Owen Paterson said an "extensive" criminal conspiracy could be behind the scandal and said he believed warnings had been sent out to 16 different countries that might be affected.

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta said "no irregularities" had been committed by companies in the country despite allegations that two abattoirs had duped European food companies by selling horsemeat as beef. "We have made verifications...There exists no violation of European rules and standards" by the two abattoirs, Ponta told a news conference. "The verifications made are not confirming any wrong labelling" of the meat by the two Romanian abattoirs, the Agriculture minister Daniel Constantin stressed.

Six major French retailers have withdrawn foods provided by producers Findus and Comigel over fears they may contain horsemeat, the FCD retail association said on Sunday. Retailers Auchan, Casino, Carrefour, Cora, Monoprix and Picard have pulled the prepared products, including pasta dishes with meat sauce, shepherd's pie and moussaka, from their shelves, the association said in a statement. It said the withdrawal was the result of a "labelling non-compliance in regards to the nature of the meat" in the products.