Tests have shown nearly half of the samples of meat taken from Leicester businesses contained other types of meat which were not labelled.
Leicester City Council has revealed the results of a nine-month investigation launched after the discovery of pork in lamb burgers, labelled as halal, which were supplied to a city primary school.
The probe also followed last year’s national food scandal where undeclared horsemeat was found in various food products.
The council took 105 meat samples from small city shops, butchers, wholesalers and food manufacturers and results showed 44 contained meat other than that declared at levels the authority described as “gross contamination.”
Among the products which failed the tests were samples of lamb curry found to contain only beef or turkey, and samples of lamb mince from butchers’ shops made with undeclared beef or chicken.
Testing, also found samples of beef sausages and burgers that contained undeclared chicken, lamb spring rolls and lamb samosas with undeclared chicken and beef, and chicken samosas that contained only lamb meat and lamb samosas that contained only chicken meat.
The tests, conducted by Public Analyst Scientific Services Ltd, found no undeclared pork or horsemeat in any of the 105 samples.
The council says the failures showed widespread contraventions of food labelling law, but have raised no food safety concerns.
Among the failed tests were 12 out of 20 samples of doner meat which were wrongly described by the seller.
The council has declined to name any of the businesses at fault.
A council spokesman said: “The supply chain is often a long one, and it won’t be clear just from the testing of the end product where fault for adulterated sample lies.
“To therefore name the businesses where we collected samples might cause them genuine damage in circumstances where they might have been just as shocked, and just as ready, to take their own remedial action.
“Our focus instead is on offering good quality advice so as to avoid repetition.”
Assistant city mayor for neighbourhood services councillor Sarah Russell said: “While these test results reflect the findings of similar exercises in other parts of the UK, they will still be disappointing news for consumers.
“While it is important to emphasise that the tests found no safety concerns, people should have confidence that the food they are buying is what it is described as.
“What we’ve found is a widespread confusion about the importance of accurate labelling by sellers and manufacturers.
“Fortunately, our officers have been able to advise businesses on relatively simple steps they can take to put this right and how to help ensure that the food they buy in is what it is described as.
“This action was always intended to support local businesses, and offer them access to testing which would normally only be available to larger chains.”
The council is to share its findings with the Food Standards Agency, and is calling for a campaign to ensure all food businesses, have a better understanding of labelling regulations.
Ten of the samples contained at least one type of undeclared meat at levels considered ‘diminutive’, or between one and five per cent.
Eighteen samples returned results showing that undeclared meat was a major ingredient, accounting for levels of between 60 and 100 per cent of the product
The rest of the failed samples returned results showing the presence of at least one type of undeclared meat at minor (five per cent 30 per cent) or medium (30 per cent 60 per cent) levels.
One sample returned no DNA result as the meat ingredient had been so heavily processed it was considered ‘denatured’.
The council says the doner meat samples failed due to the way establishments had described the product.
The city council has issued 15 warnings and made 10 referrals to local authorities where failed meat products were was manufactured outside of Leicester.
Two businesses have ceased trading since the samples were taken.
Further investigation into five cases where the contamination appears to have occurred further up the supply chain is also now underway.
A city council investigation into halal lamb burgers reported to contain pork DNA, which were removed from 19 city primary schools in April 2013, is now in its final stages.
The council is now seeking expert legal advice on whether further action should be taken against the manufacturer Doncaster-based Paragon Quality Foods
Paragon claimed independent tests it commissioned revealed the burger did not contain any pork at all.
The company had itself considered taking legal action but is believed not to have proceeded with this.