Europeans are finding horse meat in their meals, but the University of Florida's College of Agriculture and Life Science said this is not a problem for Floridians.
Larry Eubanks, coordinator of research for UF's Meat Processing Center, said finding horse meat in America is unheard of. Horse meat may taste the same as beef, and even have less fat, but Eubanks explained that horses are seen as pets in America and are not used for meat production.
ELISA Technologies is a full analytical testing lab that offers testing services for species identification in meat. The administrative director, Natalie Roskoff, supported Eubank's claim.
"It could be a safety concern. With horse meat, you don't know what you're getting," Roskoff said. "Is it race horses that have been shot with steroids? Horses aren't really raised for their meat; that's the concern."
Eubanks said killing horses to use their meat is illegal in the United States, attributing a lack of opposition for the ban, and when horses have to be put down in North Central Florida, they are never used for meat.
"We have such a good inspection system that you would really have to be a good cheat to get the horse meat in," Eubanks said.
Jay McQuade wrote this story online.