Examine individual changes

'[[Image:Basashi.jpg|thumb|Raw, sliced horse meat, known as "Basashi" as served in [[Japan]]]] '''Horse meat''' (or '''horsemeat''') is the culinary name for meat cut from a [[horse]]. It is a major meat in only a few countries, notably in [[Central Asia]], but it forms a significant part of the culinary traditions of many others, from [[Europe]] to [[South America]] to [[Asia]]. The top eight countries consume about 4.7 million horses a year. For the majority of mankind's early existence, wild horses were hunted as a source of protein.<ref>{{Citation |title=Documenting Domestication |author=Melinda A. Zeder |publisher=University of California Pres |year=2006 |isbn=0-520-24638-1 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=EaVTxjrbIFQC |pages=257, 258, 265 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=The Horse, the Wheel and Language |author=David W. Anthony |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2008 |pages=199, 220 |isbn=0-691-05887-3 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=rOG5VcYxhiEC }}</ref> It is slightly sweet, tender and low in fat.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vianderichelieu.com/produits-cheval.php |title="Characteristics of the meat", Viande Richelieu, Inc. Covers Nutrients, Age, The sex of the animal, Race, Color, Tenderness, Taste, and Meat cuts |publisher=Vianderichelieu.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> However, because of the role horses have played as companions and as workers, and concerns about the [[ethics]] of the [[horse slaughter]] process, it is a [[taboo food]] in [[Horse meat#Horse meat in various countries|some]] cultures. These historical associations, as well as ritual and [[Horse worship|religion]], led to the development of the aversion to the consumption of horse meat. The horse is now given [[Domestication of the horse|pet status]] by many in some parts of the [[Western world]], particularly in the [[United States|U.S.A.]], [[United Kingdom]] and [[Ireland]], which further solidifies the taboo on eating its meat. ==History== In the late Paleolithic ([[Magdalenian|Magdalenian Era]]), [[wild horse]]s formed an important source of food. In many parts of Europe, the consumption of horse meat continued throughout the Middle Ages until modern times, despite a Papal ban of horse meat in 732.<ref>{{cite book|author=Richard Pillsbury|title=No foreign food: the American diet in time and place|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=8te03bzHJkUC|year=1998|publisher=Westview Press|isbn=978-0-8133-2739-6|pages=[http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=8te03bzHJkUC&pg=PA14 14]}}</ref> Horse meat was also eaten as part of [[Germanic paganism|Germanic pagan]] religious ceremonies in [[northern Europe]], particularly ceremonies associated with the worship of [[Odin]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2011}} Domesticated horses and cattle did not exist in the [[Americas]] until the [[Age of Discovery]], and the [[Conquistadors]] owed much of their success to their [[war horse]]s. The Europeans' horses became [[feral horse|feral]], and were hunted by the indigenous [[Pehuenche]] people of what is now [[Chile]] and [[Argentina]].<ref>{{Citation |url=http://universum.utalca.cl/contenido/index-01/torrejon.html |title=Geohistorical Variables in the Evolution of the Pehuenche Economic System During the Colonial Period |chapter=Exotic Livestock production and the Transition |author=Fernando Terrejón G. |language=Spanish |journal=Universum Magazine |page=226 |volume=16 |year=2001 |publisher=University of Talca}} (Spanish title: ''El Ganado Exótico Y la Transición Prodictiva '', ''Variables Geohistóricas en la Evolución del Sistema Económicl Pehuenche Durante el periodo Colonio'').</ref> At first they hunted horses as they did other game, but later they began to raise them for meat and transport. The meat was, and still is, preserved by being [[dried meat|sun-dried]] in the high [[Andes]] into a product known as ''[[charqui]]''. [[France]] dates its taste for horse meat to [[French Revolution|the Revolution]]. With the fall of the aristocracy, its auxiliaries had to find new means of subsistence. Just as hairdressers and tailors set themselves up to serve commoners, the horses maintained by aristocracy as a sign of prestige ended up alleviating the hunger of lower classes.<ref name="Harris"/> It was during the Napoleonic campaigns when the surgeon-in-chief of [[Napoleon]]'s [[Grand Army]], [[Baron Dominique-Jean Larrey]], advised the starving troops to eat the meat of horses. At the [[siege of Alexandria]], the meat of young [[Arab horse]]s relieved an epidemic of [[scurvy]]. At the [[battle of Eylau]] in 1807, Larrey served horse as soup and ''[[bœuf à la mode]]''. At [[battle of Aspern-Essling|Aspern-Essling]] (1809), cut from the supply lines, the cavalry used the breastplates of fallen [[Cuirassier|cuirassiers]] as cooking pans and [[gunpowder]] as seasoning, and thus founded a tradition that carried on until at least the Waterloo campaign.<ref name="Musee">Larrey is quoted in French by Dr Béraud, ''[http://leslivresoublies.free.fr/leslivresoublies/Sciences_et_techniques_muse/cheval.html Études Hygiéniques de la chair de cheval comme aliment]'', ''[[Musée des Familles]]'' (1841-42).</ref><ref name="Parker">Larrey mentions in his memoirs how he fed the wounded after the (1809) with [[bouillon]] of horse meat seasoned with gunpowder. Parker, Harold T. (1983 reprint) ''Three Napoleonic Battles''. (2nd Ed). [[Duke University Press]]. ISBN 0-8223-0547-X. [http://books.google.com/books?id=qiyp-Mft2zEC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&ots=W7h9mMJcvK Page 83] (in [[Google Books]]). Quoting [[Dominique-Jean Larrey]], ''Mémoires de chirurgie militaire et campagnes'', III 281, Paris, Smith.</ref> [[Image:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B15171, Sowjetunion, Ausschlachten eines Pferdes.jpg|thumb|Hunger during World War II led to horses being eaten]] Horse meat gained widespread acceptance in [[French cuisine]] during the later years of the [[Second French Empire]]. The high cost of living in [[Paris]] prevented many working-class citizens from buying meat such as [[pork]] or [[beef]], so in 1866 the French government legalized the eating of horse meat and the first butcher's shop specializing in horse meat opened in eastern Paris, providing quality meat at lower prices.<ref>Kari Weil, [http://caliber.ucpress.net/doi/abs/10.1525/gfc.2007.7.2.44 "They Eat Horses, Don't They? Hippophagy and Frenchness"], ''Gastronomica'' Spring 2007, Vol. 7, No. 2, Pages 44-51 Posted online on May 22, 2007. {{doi|10.1525/gfc.2007.7.2.44}}</ref> During the [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)]], horse meat was eaten by anyone who could afford it, partly because of a shortage of fresh meat in the blockaded city, and also because horses were eating grain which was needed by the human populace. Many Parisians gained a taste for horse meat during the siege, and after the war ended, horse meat remained popular. Likewise, in other places and times of siege or starvation, horses are viewed as a food source of last resort. Despite the general [[Anglosphere|Anglophone]] taboo, horse and donkey meat was eaten in Britain, especially in [[Yorkshire]], until the 1930s,<ref>''Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa'' by [[Matthew Fort]]. 2005, p253. ISBN 0-00-721481-2</ref> and in times of post-war food shortage surged in popularity in the United States<ref>Charles Grutzner, [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E11FD385C107A93C7AB1782D85F428485F9&scp=4&sq=horse%20meat&st=cse Horse Meat Consumption By New Yorkers Is Rising; Newark Dealer Reports 60% of Customers Are From City--Weinstein Will Not Prohibit Sale of the Flesh Here] 25 Sept 1946</ref> and was considered for use in hospitals.<ref>James E. Powers, [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60B11FB385C107A93CBAB1782D85F428485F9&scp=10&sq=horse%20meat&st=cse NEAR-BY HOSPITALS DOWN TO MINIMUM OF MEAT SUPPLIES], The New York Times, 29 September 1946</ref> A 2007 ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine article about horse meat brought in from Canada to the United States characterized the meat as sweet, rich, superlean, oddly soft meat, and closer to beef than venison.<ref name=Time2007-02-08 /> ==Taboo== ===Attitude of various cultures=== Horse is commonly eaten in many countries in Europe and Asia.<ref>{{cite web|author=Cecilia Rodriguez |url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/ceciliarodriguez/2012/12/18/no-american-horse-steak-for-you-europeans/ |title=No American Horse Steak for You, Europeans |publisher=Forbes |date=2012-04-18 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/09/sports/drugs-injected-at-the-racetrack-put-europe-off-us-horse-meat.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.flyingfilly.com/horse_slaughter.htm |title= 2008 - It is Time to Tell the Truth ...about Horse Slaughter |publisher=flyingfilly.com |accessdate=2008-05-20 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20080418011736/http://www.flyingfilly.com/horse_slaughter.htm <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2008-04-18}} (See the list headed "Horsemeat—By Any Other Name")</ref> It is not a generally available food in some [[Anglosphere|English-speaking countries]] such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Ireland]], the [[United States|US]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Bordonaro |first=Lori |url=http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Horse-Meat-M-Wells-PS-1-MoMA-Long-Island-City-Queens-171445821.html |title=Horse Meat on Menu Raises Eyebrows |publisher=NBC New York |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> and [[English Canada]]. It is also taboo in [[Argentina]] <ref name="lanacion1">{{cite web|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1370512-carne-de-caballo-el-negocio-tabu-que-florece-en-la-argentina/ |title=Carne de caballo, el negocio tabú que florece en la Argentina|language=Spanish|work= La Nación |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> and [[Brazil]] and amongst the [[Romani people]]. Horse meat is not generally eaten in [[Spain]] (except in the north), although the country exports horses both "on the hoof and on the hook" (i.e., live animals and slaughtered meat) for the French and Italian market. Horse meat is consumed in some [[North America]]n and [[Latin America]]n countries, and is illegal in some countries. For example, the Food Standards Code of Australia and New Zealand definition of 'meat' does not include horse.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/F2012C00286/ |title=Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code 2.2.1 Meat and meat products |publisher=Comlaw.gov.au |date=2012-05-20 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> In [[Tonga]], horse meat is eaten nationally, and Tongan emigrees living in the United States, New Zealand and Australia have retained the taste for it, claiming Christian missionaries originally introduced it to them.<ref>Simoons, F.J., 1994, Eat not this Flesh, Food Avoidances from Pre-history to Present, University of Wisconsin Press.</ref> In the past, horse has been eaten by [[Persian people|Persians]], [[Turkic people|Turks]], some [[hanafi]] [[Egyptian people|Egyptians]], and [[Tatar people|Tatars]]; but it has never been eaten in the [[Maghreb]].<ref>Françoise Aubaile-Sallenave, "Meat among Mediterranean Muslims: Beliefs and Praxis", ''Estudios del Hombre'' '''19''':129 (2004)</ref> Horse meat is forbidden by [[Kashrut|Jewish dietary laws]] because horses do not have [[cloven hoof|cloven hooves]] and they are not [[ruminants]]. It has been suggested that this holds a practical purpose as horses were used as a means of transportation and did work, although this is doubtful due to the lack of the [[horse collar]] at the time of the formation of these laws.{{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} In the eighth century, Popes [[Pope Gregory III|Gregory III]] and [[Pope Zachary|Zachary]] instructed [[Saint Boniface]], missionary to the Germans, to forbid the eating of horse meat to those he converted, due to its association with [[Germanic pagan]] ceremonies.<ref>William Ian Miller, [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0026-2234(199108)89%3A8%3C2081%3AOOCHAW%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X "Of Outlaws, Christians, Horsemeat, and Writing: Uniform Laws and Saga Iceland"], ''Michigan Law Review'', Vol. 89, No. 8 (Aug., 1991), pp. 2081-2095 {{subscription|date=October 2010}}</ref><ref>Calvin W. Schwabe, ''Unmentionable Cuisine'', University Press of Virginia, ISBN 0-8139-1162-1</ref> The people of [[Iceland]] allegedly expressed reluctance to embrace [[Christianity]] for some time, largely over the issue of giving up horse meat.<ref name=IGHA-USDA>{{cite web |url=http://www.igha.org/USDA.html |title=U.S.D.A. Promotes Horse & Goat Meat |publisher=International Generic Horse Association |accessdate=2007-08-09}} (quoting a 1997 USDA report said to be no longer available online)</ref> In the end, the eating of horse meat was a concession granted in perpetuity when the [[pagan]] Norse [[Icelanders]] eventually [[Christianisation of Iceland#Adoption by arbitration|adopted Christianity]] ''en masse'' in the year 1000 (although, in fact, the Church reversed its position soon afterwards).{{Citation needed|date=February 2013}} Horse meat is now currently consumed in Iceland and many horses are raised for this purpose. The culturally close people of [[Sweden]] still have an ambivalent attitude to horse meat, said to stem from this time. [[Henry Mayhew]] describes the difference in the acceptability and use of the horse carcass in London and Paris in ''[[London Labour and the London Poor]]'' (1851).<ref>vol 2 p 7-9</ref> Horse meat was rejected by the British, but continued to be eaten in other European countries such as France and Germany, where [[knackers]] often sold horse carcasses despite the Papal ban. Even the hunting of wild horses for meat continued in the area of [[Westphalia]]. Londoners also suspected that horse meat was finding its way into sausages, and that [[offal]] sold as that of oxen was in fact equine. About 1,000 horses were slaughtered a week. In [[Russia]], while there is no taboo on eating horse meat per se, horse meat is generally considered by ethnic Russians to be a low-quality meat with poor taste, and it is rarely found in stores. However, it is popular among nomadic peoples of Eastern Russia such as [[Tatars]], [[Yakuts]] and [[Kazakhs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ofoods.ru/konina-vred-i-polza/|title=Конина: вред и польза|language=Russian}}</ref> ===Reasons for the taboo=== In 732 A.D., Pope Gregory III began a concerted effort to stop the ritual consumption of horse meat in pagan practice. In some countries, the effects of this prohibition by the [[Roman Catholicism|Roman Catholic Church]] have lingered and horse meat prejudices have progressed from [[taboos]], to avoidance, to abhorrence.<ref name=IGHA-USDA/> In other parts of the world, horse meat has the [[social stigma|stigma]] of being something poor people eat and is seen as a cheap substitute for other meats, such as [[pork]] and [[beef]]. According to the anthropologist [[Marvin Harris]],<ref name="Harris">{{Citation |last=Harris |first=Marvin |authorlink=Marvin Harris |title=Good to Eat: Riddles of Food and Culture |publisher=Waveland Pr Inc |year=1998 |isbn=1-57766-015-3 |url=http://books.google.com/?id=B1oGAAAACAAJ}}</ref> some cultures class horse meat as taboo because the horse converts grass into meat less efficiently than [[ruminant]]s. When breeding livestock for meat, a cow or a sheep will produce more meat than a horse if fed with the same amount of grass.{{Citation needed|date=September 2012}} There is also an element of sentimentality, as horses have long enjoyed a close relationship with many humans, on a similar level to household pets – this can be seen projected in such [[English language|Anglophone]] cultural icons such as ''[[Black Beauty]]'' and ''[[Mr Ed]]''. Compare with the [[anthropomorphism|anthropomorphic]] animals in ''[[Babe (film)|Babe]]'', ''[[Charlotte's Web]]'', and [[Freddy the Pig]]. The fourth season of the 1970s American sitcom [[All In The Family]] featured an episode named ''Edith's Conversion'', regarding [[Archie Bunker]]'s wife [[Edith Bunker|Edith]] being exposed to Catholicism by a neighbor, with a secondary plotline involving Gloria Stivic's preparation of horse meat for dinner, initially without telling her parents. [[Totem]]istic taboo is also a possible reason for refusal to eat horse meat as an everyday food, but did not necessarily preclude ritual slaughter and consumption. [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] sources state that the goddess [[Epona]] was widely worshipped in [[Gaul]] and southern Britain. Epona, a triple aspect goddess, was the protectress of the horse and horse keepers, and horses were sacrificed to her;<ref>Powell, T. G. E., 1958, The Celts, Thames and Hudson, London</ref> she was paralleled by the [[Irish mythology|Irish]] [[Macha]] and [[Welsh mythology|Welsh]] [[Rhiannon]]. In ''[[The White Goddess]]'', Robert Graves argued that the taboo among Britons and their descendants was due to worship of Epona, and even earlier rites.<ref>Graves, Robert, ''The White Goddess'', Faber and Faber, London, 1961, p 384</ref> The [[Uffington White Horse]] is probable evidence of ancient horse worship. The ancient Indian [[Kshatriya]]s engaged in horse sacrifice (Ashwamedh Yaghya) as recorded in the [[Vedas]] and [[Ramayana]]; but within context of the ritual sacrificial is not being 'killed' but instead being smothered to death.<ref name="Campbell 1962">Campbell, Joseph, ''Oriental Mythology: The Masks of God'', Arkana, 1962, pp190-197 ISBN 0-14-019442-8</ref> In 1913, the Finnic [[Mari people]] of the [[Volga]] region were observed to practice a horse sacrifice.<ref name="Campbell 1962"/> In ancient [[Scandinavia]], the horse was very important, as a living, [[working animal|working creature]], as a sign of the [[social status|owner's status]], and symbolically within the old [[Norse religion]]. Horses were slaughtered as a [[sacrifice]] to the gods and the meat was eaten by the people taking part in the religious feasts.<ref>{{Citation |title=Medieval Scandinavia: an encyclopedia |author1=Phillip Pulsiano |author2=Kirsten Wolf |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-8240-4787-0|page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=d–XiZO8V4qUC&pg=PA523 523] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=d-XiZO8V4qUC |postscript=. }}</ref> When the Nordic countries were Christianized, eating horse meat was regarded as a sign of paganism and prohibited. A slight skepticism against eating horse meat is still common as a reminder of this in these countries even today.<ref>{{Citation |title=Old Norse Religion in Long Term Perspectives: Origins, Changes and Interactions, an International Conference in Lund, Sweden, June 3–7, 2004 |author1=Anders Andrén |author2=Kristina Jennbert |author3=Catharina Raudvere |publisher=Nordic Academic Press |year=2006 |isbn=978-91-89116-81-8 |page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC&pg=PA131 131] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=gjq6rvoIRpAC |postscript=. }}</ref> ==Production== In most countries where horses are slaughtered for food, they are processed in a similar fashion to cattle, i.e., in large-scale factory [[slaughter house]]s (abattoirs) where they are [[stunning|stunned]] with a [[captive bolt gun]] and [[exsanguination|bled to death]]. In countries with a less industrialized food production system, horses and other animals are slaughtered individually outdoors as needed, in the village where they will be consumed, or near to it.<ref>C.J. Chivers, [http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/26/international/asia/26horse.html?hp&ex=1135659600&en=ebc2553086dd95e4&ei=5094&partner=homepage A Sure Thing for Kazakhs: Horses Will Provide] The New York Times</ref> In 2005, the eight principal horse-meat-producing countries produced over 700,000 tonnes of this product. :{|class="wikitable sortable" |+Major Horse meat Production Countries, {{nowrap|2005<ref name=production2005>{{Citation |url=http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.com/html/pdf/consequences.pdf |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20110707143541/http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.com/html/pdf/consequences.pdf |archivedate=2011-07-07 |format=PDF|title=THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF A BAN ON THE HUMANE SLAUGHTER (PROCESSING) OF HORSES IN THE UNITED STATES |publisher=[http://www.animalwelfarecouncil.org/ The Animal Welfare Council, Inc.], citing FAO-UN Horticultural Database |date=May 15, 2006 |page=10 |accessdate=2008-11-06}}</ref>{{Update after|2010|11|29}}}} ! Country !! Animals !! Production in metric tons |- | China || 1,700,000 || 204,000 |- | Mexico || 626,000 || 78,876 |- | Kazakhstan || 340,000 || 55,100 |- | Mongolia || 310,000 || 38,000 |- | Argentina || 255,000 || 55,600 |- | Italy || 213,000 || 48,000 |- | Brazil || 162,000 || 21,200 |- | Kyrgyzstan || 150,000 || 25,000 |- class="sortbottom" | '''Worldwide<br />Totals''' || 4,727,829 || 720,168 |} In 2005, the 5 biggest horse meat-''consuming'' countries were China (421,000 tonnes), Mexico, Russia, Italy, and Kazakhstan (54,000 tonnes).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afac.ab.ca/reports/08horsereport.pdf |archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20120319202824/http://www.afac.ab.ca/reports/08horsereport.pdf |archivedate=2012-03-19 |title=The Alberta Horse Welfare Report, 2008 |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> In 2010, Mexico produced 140,000 tonnes, China - 126,000 tonnes, Kazakhstan - 114,000 tonnes. As horses are relatively poor converters of grass and grain to meat compared to cattle,<ref name=Harris /> they are not usually bred or raised specifically for their meat. Instead, horses are slaughtered when their monetary value as [[equitation|riding]] or [[draft animal|work animals]] is low, but their owners can still make money selling them for horse meat, as for example in the routine export of the [[south England|southern English]] ponies from the [[New Forest pony|New Forest]], [[Exmoor pony|Exmoor]], and [[Dartmoor pony|Dartmoor]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/south/series2/new_forest_ponies_commoners_breed_improvements.shtml |title=BBC Inside Out - New Forest Ponies |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2003-02-24 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref name=countrysideonline237>{{cite web|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20061007150933/http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/plugins/content/content.php?content.237|archivedate=2006-10-07|publisher=BBC Inside Out|title=NFU Countryside Online: Passports for Ponies|url=http://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/plugins/content/content.php?content.237|accessdate=2006-10-07}}</ref> [[British law]] requires the use of "[[animal passport|equine passports]]" even for semi-[[wild horse]]s to enable [[traceability]] (also known as "provenance"), so most slaughtering is done in the UK before the meat is exported,<ref name=countrysideonline237 /> meaning that the animals travel "on the hook, not on the hoof" (as carcasses rather than live). Ex-racehorses, riding horses, and other horses sold at auction may also enter the [[food chain]]; sometimes these animals have been stolen or purchased under false pretenses.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.netposse.com/stolenmissing/storyladyslaughter.htm |title=Slaughter of Lady |publisher=Netposse.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Even famous horses may end up in the [[slaughterhouse]]; the 1986 [[Kentucky Derby]] winner and 1987 [[Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year]] winner, [[Ferdinand (horse)|Ferdinand]], is believed to have been slaughtered in Japan, probably for [[pet food]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://horsesdaily.com/news/racing/2003/07-21-derbywinner-ferdinand.html |title=Death of a Derby Winner |publisher=Horsesdaily.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> There is a misconception that horses are commonly slaughtered for pet food, however. In many countries, like the United States, horse meat was outlawed in pet food in the 1970s. American horse meat is considered a delicacy in Europe and Japan, and its cost is in line with veal,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.haras-nationaux.fr/portail/uploads/tx_vm19docsbase/DIP_ECO_03_HORSEMEAT_01.pdf |title=Horsemeat in France - (June 2006), Librairie des Haras nationaux |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> so it would be prohibitively expensive in many countries for pet food. The British newspaper ''[[The Daily Mail]]'' reports that every year, 100,000 live horses are transported into and around the [[European Union]] for human consumption, mainly to Italy but also to France and Belgium.<ref name=DailyMailHorses>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=455953&in_page_id=1770 |title=The English horses being sent to France to be eaten |author=Tom Rawstone |date=19 May 2007 |publisher=Daily Mail |accessdate=2007-10-04}}</ref> Meat from horses that veterinarians have [[Animal euthanasia|put down]] with a lethal injection is not suitable for human consumption, as the toxin remains in the meat; the carcasses of such animals are sometimes [[cremation|cremated]] (most other means of disposal are problematic, due to the toxin).{{citation needed|date=March 2010}} Remains of euthanized animals can be [[Rendering (food processing)|rendered]], which maintains the value of the skin, bones, fats, etc., for such purposes as fish food. This is commonly done for lab specimens (e.g., pigs) euthanized by injection. The amount of drug (e.g. a barbiturate) is insignificant after rendering.{{citation needed|date=March 2010}} Carcasses of horses treated with some drugs are considered edible in some jurisdictions. For example, according to Canadian regulation, [[hyaluronic acid|hyaluron]], used in treatment of articular disorders in horses, in HY-50 preparation should not be administered to animals to be slaughtered for horse meat.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20110607112840/http://www.drugs.com/vet/hy-50-can.html HY-50 for veterinary use] (archived from [http://www.drugs.com/vet/hy-50-can.html the original] on 2011-10-06).</ref> In Europe, however, the same preparation is not considered to have any such effect, and edibility of the horse meat is not affected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.genitrix.co.uk/2008ProductsHorses-HY502.php |title=Genitrix HY-50 Vet brochure |publisher=Genitrix.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> ==Opposition to production== {{Main|Horse slaughter}} The killing of horses for human consumption is widely opposed in countries such as [[USA]] and [[UK|Britain]]<ref>and Australia¤ [Victorian Advocates for Animals & Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses protests] [http://www.bbc.co.uk/1xtra/tx/weekinpictures/180507.shtml?select=03 Week in pictures - Who wants to eat horsemeat?]</ref>{{failed verification|date=January 2013}} where horses are generally considered to be companion and sporting animals only.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2002/09/04/Columns/Americans_squeamish_o.shtml |title=Americans squeamish over horse meat|work=St. Petersburg Times|date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Almost all equine medications and treatments are labeled 'not for horses intended for human consumption.' In the European Union, horses intended for slaughter cannot be treated with many medications commonly used for U.S. horses. For horses going to slaughter, there is no period of withdrawal between the time it leaves home and the time it is butchered. French actress and [[animal rights]] activist [[Brigitte Bardot]] has spent years crusading against the eating of horse meat. However, the opposition is far from unanimous; a 2007 readers' poll in the [[London]] magazine ''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' showed that 82% of respondents supported chef [[Gordon Ramsay]]'s decision to serve horse meat in his restaurants.<ref>''[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]'' 30 May–5 June 2007</ref> ==Nutritional value== {|class="wikitable sortable" |+Selected nutrients per 100&nbsp;g (3.5&nbsp;oz)<ref name="horsemeat">{{cite web|url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/lamb-veal-and-game-products/4639/2|title=Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Game meat, horse, raw|accessdate=8 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="stripsteak">{{cite web|url=http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/beef-products/10525/2|title=Nutrition Facts and Analysis for Beef, grass-fed, strip steaks, lean only, raw|accessdate=8 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="kqed">{{cite web|url=http://science.kqed.org/quest/2011/01/07/how-nutritious-is-horse-the-other-red-meat/|title=How Nutritious Is Horse? The Other Red Meat | KQED QUEST|last=Pino|first=Darya|date=7 January 2011|accessdate=8 February 2013}}</ref> |- !Food source ! Calories || Protein !! Fat !! Iron !! Sodium !! Cholesterol |- |Game meat, horse, raw | 133 || 21&nbsp;g || 5&nbsp;g || 3.8&nbsp;mg || 53&nbsp;mg || 52&nbsp;mg |- |Beef, strip steak, raw | 117 || 23&nbsp;g || 3&nbsp;g || 1.9&nbsp;mg || 55&nbsp;mg || 55&nbsp;mg |} <!-- Edited 2009-12-25. prior content: Horse meat contains 25% less fat, nearly 20% less sodium, double the iron and less cholesterol than high quality beef cuts, and when compared to ground beef 25% less fat, 30% less cholesterol and 27% less sodium.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}}<!-- See the following: http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/horse-meat-cooked-roasted/ http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/chuck-roast-beef/ http://www.calories-nutrition.buddyslim.com/flat-steak-very-lean-3oz/ though it's not clear to me that the serving sizes here are comparable [[WP:RS]] status might be questioned http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/chance88.html Says "Nutritionally, horse meat has around 40 percent fewer calories than the leanest beef, while supplying 50 percent more protein and as much as 30 percent more iron; and horse is considered an excellent health-conscious deep-frying alternative, especially for delicately-flavored foods that are easily overpowered by heavier oils.", but how a?out WP:RS?; a;so, does Don Chance, the purported author, have any relevant credentials? http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ie50130a016 %protein: Kid=38.8, Rabbit=28.1, Horse=28.6, Seal=30.0 %fat: Kid=11.5, Rabbit=20.1, Horse=4.1, Seal=3.1 Seemingly good source; too bad it doesn't compare with Beef http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Horse,+Meat,+Raw/271 (88 cal from fat per 100 grams) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Chicken+Broiler+Thigh+Meat+Water+Chill+Raw/28373 http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Chicken+Roasting+Light+Meat+Raw/27583 Browsing, I see http://www.fitbit.com/foods/categories/Beef/3 Which leads to http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Brisket+Whole+Raw+Slf/5641 (67 cal from fat per oz) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Chuck+Arm+Pot+Roast+Raw+Slo/385 (17 cal from fat per oz) http://www.fitbit.com/foods/Beef+Chuck+Blade+Roast+Raw+Slo+top+Blade+/828 (15 cal from fat per oz) etc. {{convert|1|oz|g}} says that one oz is 28 grams fitbit.com is a pay-subscribe site of unknown WP:RS status The info in this section is unsupported, unverifiable, and likely incorrect. --> ==Preparation== [[File:Paardenrookvlees.JPG|thumb|Smoked and salted horse meat on bread]] Horse meat has a slightly sweet taste reminiscent of a combination of beef and [[venison]]. Meat from younger horses tends to be lighter in color while older horses produce richer color and flavor, as with most [[mammals]]. Horse meat can be used to replace beef, pork, mutton, venison and any other meat in virtually any recipe, although the cooking time is shorter than that of beef or pork. Horse meat is usually very lean and tender. Jurisdictions which allow for the slaughter of horses for food rarely have age restrictions, so many are quite old. However, unlike many other types of meat, horse meat becomes more tender as the animal advances in age. Those preparing [[sandwich]]es or cold meals with horse meat usually use it smoked and salted. Horse meat forms an ingredient in several traditional recipes of [[salami]] and [[lasagne]]. ==Horse meat in various countries== In 2009, a British agriculture industry website reported the following horse meat production levels in various countries: {|class="wikitable" |+{{nowrap|Horse meat production levels}}<br />as of 2009<ref name=farminguk2009-01-17>{{cite web|url=http://www.farminguk.com/news/Argentina-Horse-Meat-world-production-figures._10249.html |title=Argentina-Horse Meat world production figures, Farming UK, January 17, 2009. Retrieved March 4, 2011 |publisher=Farminguk.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> |- !Country !! Tons per year |- |Mexico || 78,000 |- |Argentina || 57,000 |- |Kazakhstan || 55,000 |- |Mongolia || 38,000 |- |Kyrgyzstan || 25,000 |- |Australia || 24,000 |- |Brazil || 21,000 |- |Canada || 18,000 |- |Poland || 18,000 |- |Italy || 16,000* |- |Romania || 14,000 |- |Chile || 10,000 |- |France || 7,500 |- |Uruguay || 8,000 |- |Senegal || 9,500 |- |Colombia || 6,000 |- |Spain || 5,000* |} :<small>* Including donkeys.</small> ===Asia-Pacific=== ====Australia==== Australians do not generally eat horse meat, although they have a horse slaughter industry that exports to Japan, Europe, and Russia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sagowarrior.com/anip/ |title=Exporting red meat to Russia: Understanding the context |publisher=Sagowarrior.com |date= 7 October 2010|accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Horse meat exports peaked at 9,327 tons 1986, declining to 3,000 tons in 2003. The two abattoirs in Australia licensed to export horse meat are Belgian-owned. They are at Peterborough in South Australia (Metro Velda Pty Ltd) and Caboolture abattoir in Queensland (Meramist Pty Ltd).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.optimail.com.au/berrime/slaughter.htm |title=Horse slaughter and horsemeat: the facts |publisher=Optimail.com.au |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> A British agriculture industry website reported that Australian horse meat production levels had risen to 24,000 tons by 2009.<ref name=farminguk2009-01-17 /> On 30 June 2010, the Western Australian Agriculture Minister [[Terry Redman]] granted final approval to [[Western Australia]] butcher Vince Garreffa to sell horse meat for human consumption. Nedlands restaurateur Pierre Ichallalene announced plans to do a taster on [[Bastille Day]] and to put horse meat dishes on the menu if there's a good reaction. Mr. Redman said that the Government would "consider extending approvals should the public appetite for horse demand it".<ref name=thewest7492421>{{cite web|url=http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/latest/7492421/butcher-gives-horse-meat-a-run/ |title=Butcher gives horse meat a run |publisher=Au.news.yahoo.com |date=2010-07-01 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Mr. Garreffa is the owner of Mondo Di Carne, a major wholesale meat supplier which supplies many cafes restaurants & hotels in Western Australia.<ref>[http://www.mondo.net.au/data/retail.html Welcome to the Mondo's Family]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.mondo.net.au/data/wholesale.html Mondo Wholesale Meat Supplies]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> He commented that there is no domestic market for horse meat, but there is a successful export market, which he believes Western Australia should have a share of.<ref name=thewest7492421 /> For a short time an online petition had been created to stop the sale of horse meat for human consumption in Western Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.change.org/petitions/view/stop_the_sale_of_horse_meat_for_human_consumption_in_western_australia |title=Stop the sale of horse meat for human consumption in Western Australia |publisher=Change.org |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> This decision caused outrage amongst some groups, limited reaction from many and ethusiasm from others. Several local newspaper forums indicated that the general public were not greatly biased either way, in fact many voiced their openness for alternate meats. {{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} Horse meat consumption has continued as a niche market in Australia, with further potential for growth as gourmet interests develop.{{Citation needed|date=December 2012}} ====China==== {{See also|Chinese cuisine}} Although it is generally acceptable to Chinese people, outside of specific areas such as [[Guilin]] in [[Guangxi]] or in [[Yunnan|Yunnan province]], horse meat is not particularly popular due to its low availability and rumors that horse meat tastes bad or it is bad for health, even [[poison]]ous {{Citation needed|date=February 2013}}. In ''[[Compendium of Materia Medica]]'', a [[pharmaceutical]] text published in 1596, [[Li Shizhen]] wrote "To relieve toxin caused by eating horse meat, one can drink [[carrot juice]] and eat [[almond]]." Today, in southern China, there are locally famous dishes such as Horse Meat [[Rice noodles|Rice Noodles]] (马肉米粉; Pinyin: mǎ ròu mǐ fěn) in Guilin. In the northwest, [[Kazakhs|Kazakh people]] eat horse meat (see [[Horse meat#Kazakhstan|below]]). ====Kazakhstan==== {{See also|Kazakh cuisine}}In [[Kazakhstan]] horse meat is a large part of the diet, due mainly to the nomadic roots of the population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodbycountry.com/Kazakhstan-to-South-Africa/Kazakhstan.html |title="Food in Kazakhstan". '&#39;Food in Every Country'&#39; |publisher=Foodbycountry.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Some of the dishes include sausages called ''kazy'' and ''shuzhuk'' made from the meat using the guts as the sausage skin, ''zhaya'' made from hip meat which is smoked and boiled, ''zhal'' made from neck fat which is smoked and boiled, ''karta'' made from a section of the rectum which is smoked and boiled, and ''sur-yet'' which is kept as dried meat.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20080610023546/http://www.zheruik.kz/rus/traditions/meet1.php Horse meat dishes in Kazakhstan]. Retrieved 13 January 2009. (archived from [http://www.zheruik.kz/rus/traditions/meet1.php the original] on 2008-06-10)</ref> ====Indonesia==== {{See also|Indonesian cuisine}} In [[Indonesia]], one type of [[satay]] (chunks of grilled meat served with spicy sauce) known as Horse Satay ([[Javanese language|Javanese]]:''sate jaran'', [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]:''sate kuda'') is made from horse meat. This delicacy from [[Yogyakarta]] is served with sliced fresh [[shallot]] (small red onion), pepper, and sweet soy sauce.<ref> {{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Lesehan Jaran - Jogja | work = | publisher = | date = April 2, 2007 | url = http://ngincip.blogspot.com/2007/04/lesehan-jaran-jogja.html | doi = | accessdate = }} </ref> ====Japan==== {{See also|Japanese cuisine}} [[File:Horse-meat.jpg|thumb|''Basashi'' from [[Kumamoto, Kumamoto|Kumamoto]]]] In [[Japanese cuisine]], raw horse meat is called {{Nihongo|''sakura''|桜}} or {{Nihongo|''sakuraniku''|桜肉}} (''sakura'' means [[cherry blossom]], ''niku'' means meat) because of its pink color. It can be served raw as [[sashimi]] in thin slices dipped in soy sauce, often with ginger and onions added.<ref>''[[Metropolis (free magazine)|Metropolis]]'', "Straight From the Horse's Mouth", #903, 15 July 2011, pp. 12-13.</ref> In this case, it is called {{Nihongo|''basashi''|馬刺し}}. ''Basashi'' is popular in some regions of Japan and is often served at ''[[izakaya]]'' bars. Fat, typically from the neck, is also found as ''basashi'', though it is white, not pink. Horse meat is also sometimes found on menus for ''[[yakiniku]]'' (a type of barbecue), where it is called {{Nihongo|''baniku''|馬肉||literally "horse meat"}} or {{Nihongo|''bagushi''|馬串||"skewered horse"}}; thin slices of raw horse meat are sometimes served wrapped in a [[perilla|shiso leaf]]. [[Kumamoto prefecture|Kumamoto]], [[Nagano Prefecture|Nagano]] and [[Ōita Prefecture|Ōita]] are famous for ''basashi'', and it is common in the [[Tohoku region]] as well. Some types of canned "corned meat" in Japan include horse as one of the ingredients.<ref>[http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar/notific_otros_miembros/jpn163_t.pdf Brief Overview of the Draft Revision of Quality Labeling Standard for Canned and Bottled Livestock Products], Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (from [http://www.puntofocal.gov.ar/ PuntoFocal Argentina]).</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moit.gov.il/NR/rdonlyres/AFFC01EB-9F99-4C1D-AA7F-6F52C1DD6155/0/Not0116JPN163.doc |title=NOTIFICATION, World Trade Organization, 16 January 2006 |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> There is also a dessert made from horse meat called ''basashi'' ice cream.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/1214clay1214.html |title=When it comes to eating horse, most say nay |author=Clay Thompson |date=14 December 2006 |publisher=The Arizona republic |accessdate=2007-11-15}}</ref> The company that makes it is known for its unusual ice cream flavors, many of which have limited popularity. ====Mongolia==== {{See also|Mongolian cuisine}} [[Mongolia]], a nation famous for its nomadic pastures and equestrian skills, also includes horse meat on the menu. Mongolians also make a horse milk wine, called airag. Salted horse meat sausages called ''kazy'' are produced as a regional delicacy by the Kazakhs in [[Bayan-Ölgii]] aimag.<ref>{{Citation |title=Mongolia |author=Michael Kohn, |publisher=Lonely Planet |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-74104-578-9 |page=[http://books.google.com/books?id=7JVGCF–MPB0C&pg=PA43 43] |url=http://books.google.com/?id=7JVGCF-MPB0C |postscript=. }}</ref> In modern times, Mongols prefer beef and mutton, though during the extremely cold Mongolian winter, many people prefer horse meat due to its low cholesterol. It is kept non-frozen and traditionally people think horse meat helps warm them up.<ref>[http://www.khaliuntravel.com/what-to-eat-in-mongolia What to Eat in Mongolia]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}, khaliuntravel.com</ref> Other Asian nations import processed horse meat from Mongolia.<ref>[http://www.eng.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/eng/news/default.aspx?cat_id=619&news_id=3032 Tasting Mongolian horse meat at Seventeen Saloon]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}, hochiminhcity.gov.vn</ref><ref>[http://www.canada-mongolia-connection.com/meat-production-in-mongolia.html Meat Production in Mongolia], canada-mongolia-connection.com</ref> ====South Korea==== In South Korea, raw horse meat, usually around the neck part, is consumed. It is usually seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil. Horse meat is a popular delicacy on [[Jeju-do|Jeju island]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1058 |title=Full horse course an unforgettable experience |publisher=Jejuweekly.com |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>[http://www.koreana.or.kr/months/news_view.asp?b_idx=1373&lang=en&page_type=list Exploring Jeju’s Savory Delicacies], [http://www.koreana.or.kr/ koreana.or.kr]</ref> It is poooooooooooooo ====Tonga==== {{unreferenced section|date=February 2011}} In [[Tonga]], horsemeat or "lo'i ho'osi" is much more than a just a delicacy; the consumption of horsemeat is generally only reserved for special occasions. These special occasions may include the death of an important family member or community member or as a form of celebration during the birthday of an important family member or perhaps the visitation of someone important like the King of Tonga. In Tonga, a horse is one of the most valuable animals a family can own because of its use as a beast of burden. Therefore the slaughter of one's horse for the purpose of consumption becomes a moment of immense homage to the person or event the horse was slain for. Despite a [[diaspora]] into Western countries like [[Australia]], [[USA]] and [[New Zealand]] where consumption of horsemeat is generally tabooed, Tongans still practice the consumption of horse meat perhaps even more so because it is more readily available and more affordable. ===Europe=== In 2013, horse meat and traces of horse DNA were found in some food products where horse was not labelled as an ingredient, sparking the [[2013 meat adulteration scandal]] across Europe. ====Austria==== {{See also|Austrian cuisine}}[[Image:Pferdeleberkäse Ad.jpg|thumb|left|Fast food shop selling horse ''Leberkäse'' (''Pferdeleberkäse'') in [[Vienna]]]] Horse ''[[Leberkäse]]'' is available and quite popular at various hot dog stands. Dumplings can also be prepared with horse meat, spinach or Tyrolean ''Graukäse'' (a sour milk cheese). They are occasionally eaten on their own, in a soup, or as a side-dish. ====Belgium==== {{See also|Belgian cuisine}} In Belgium horse meat (''paardenvlees'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and ''viande chevaline'' in French) is popular in a number of preparations. Lean, smoked and sliced horse meat fillet (''paardenrookvlees'' or ''paardengerookt''; ''filet chevalin'' in French) is served as a [[cold cut]] with sandwiches or as part of a cold salad. Horse steaks can be found in most butchers and are used in a variety of preparations. The city of [[Vilvoorde]] has a few restaurants specialising in dishes prepared with horse meat. Horse-sausage is a well-known local specialty in [[Lokeren]] with European recognition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flanderstoday.eu/content/i-could-eat-horse |title=I could eat a horse |publisher=Flanders Today |date=2009-11-18 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Smoked or dried horse/pork meat sausage, similar to [[salami]] (called ''boulogne'') is sold in a square shape to be distinguished from pork and/or beef sausages.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22202870 |title=Species diversity and metabolic impact of the... [Food Microbiol. 2012&#93; - PubMed - NCBI |publisher=Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov |date=2013-01-30 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/22202870/reload=0;jsessionid=sZQlne0VWZg678qlKnai.34 |title=Species diversity and metabolic impact of the microbiota are low in spontaneously acidified... - Abstract - Europe PubMed Central |publisher=Europepmc.org |date=2012-04-01 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> ====France==== [[File:Jielbeaumadier contrefilet de cheval 2010.jpg|thumb|right|Contrefilet of horse meat, in France.]] [[File:Chevaline Pezenas.jpg|thumb|280|A butcher shop specializing in horse meat in Pezenas, Languedoc, France.]] {{See also|French cuisine}}In France, specialized butcher shops (''boucheries chevalines'') sell horse meat, as ordinary butcher shops have been for a long time forbidden to deal in it. However, since the 1990s, it can be found in supermarket butcher shops and others. Horse meat was famously eaten in large amounts during the 1870 [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)|Siege of Paris]], when it was even included in [[haute cuisine]] menus. ====Germany==== {{See also|German cuisine}} In [[Germany]], horse meat is used for ''[[Sauerbraten]]'', a strongly marinated type of sweet-sour braised meat dish, at least according to the traditional [[Rhineland|Rhenish]] recipe. Other traditional horse meat dishes include the [[Swabia]]n ''Pferderostbraten'' and [[Bavaria]]n ''Rosswurst'' (horse sausage). However, as many people are hesitant to eat horse meat, Sauerbraten and other horse meat dishes are often made with beef instead. Horse meat is not commonly found in German supermarkets, but sold mainly by specialized ''Pferdemetzgereien'' (horse butcheries), of which there are about 100 in the country, i.e. one for circa 800,000 inhabitants. Horse meat is also occasionally used for steaks, roasts and goulash in all parts of Germany, since it is believed to be healthier than beef and pork while being cheaper than venison. In particular, cat and dog breeders and owners value horse meat as a lean and healthy pet food. ====Hungary==== {{See also|Hungarian cuisine}} In [[Hungary]], horse meat is only used in salami and sausages, usually mixed with [[pork]]. These products are sold in most supermarkets and many butcher shops and are not particularly popular. ====Iceland==== {{See also|Cuisine of Iceland}} In [[Iceland]], it is both eaten minced and as steak, also used in [[stew]]s and [[fondue]], prized for its strong flavor. It has a particular role in the culture and history of the island. It has been said that the people of Iceland were reluctant to embrace Christianity for some time largely over the issue of giving up horse meat after Pope Gregory III banned horse meat consumption in 732 AD. Horse meat consumption was banned when the pagan Norse [[Icelanders]] eventually [[Christianisation of Iceland#Adoption by arbitration|adopted Christianity]] in the year 1000,. The island eventually lifted the ban because of the starvation it caused. ====Italy==== [[Image:macelleria equina venezia.jpg|thumb|right|[[Venice|Venetian]] horse meat [[butcher]]]]{{See also|Italian cuisine}} Horse meat is especially popular in [[Lombardia]], [[Veneto]], [[Friuli-Venezia Giulia]], [[Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol]], [[Parma]], [[Apulia]] and the Islands of [[Sardinia]] and [[Sicily]] Horse meat is used in a variety of recipes: as a stew called ''pastissada'' (typical of [[Verona]]), served as steaks, as [[carpaccio]], or made into [[bresaola]] . Thin strips of horse meat called ''sfilacci'' are popular . Horse fat is used in recipes such as ''[[b:Cookbook:Pezzetti di Cavallo|pezzetti di cavallo]]''. Horse meat sausages and salamis are traditional in various places . In Sardinia ''sa petza 'e cuaddu'' or ''sa petha (d)e caddu'' ([[campidanese]] and [[logudorese]] for horse meat) is one of the most renowned meats and sometimes is sold in typical kiosks with bread - also in the town of [[Sassari]] there's a long tradition of eating horse steaks (''carri di cabaddu'' in the local dialect). Chefs and consumers tend to prize its uniqueness by serving it as rare as possible. [[Donkey]] is also cooked, for example as a stew called ''stracotto d'asino'' and as meat for sausages e.g. ''mortadella d'asino'' . The [[Province of Parma#Cuisine|cuisine of Parma]] features a horsemeat [[tartare]] called ''pesto di cavallo'', as well as various cooked dishes.<ref>[http://blog.seattlepi.com/eatingweird/2009/07/03/heigh-ho-silver/ Heigh Ho, Silver] Eating Weird: Exploring Strange and Unusual Food in Seattle</ref><ref>[http://dolcideleddaintavola.blogspot.com/2011/03/pesto-di-cavallo.html Pesto di Cavallo] deledda's kitchen (in Italian)</ref> In [[Veneto]] the consumption of horse meat is dating back at least till the period 1000-500 B.C., when the [[Adriatic Veneti]] settled in the region inhabited by the [[Euganei]]. They were a people migrating from [[Asia Minor]] through the [[Balkans]]; also known and appreciated for being excellent horse breeders. They bred horses for any purpose: towing and transportation, farm work, military uses and human nutrition too. Through the centuries they were esteemed suppliers of horses for the cavalry and carriage of the [[Roman legion]]s and the white Venetic horses became famous among Greeks and Romans as one of the best breeds for [[circus]] racing<ref>An early History of Horsemanship by Augusto Azzaroli. Brill 1985. p 135-138</ref>. Horse meat consumption is a deep rooted tradition in [[Venetian cuisine]] and almost a pride in various regional locations. This tradition has developed several specialties and recipes. Horse meat is widely on sale in butcheries, hypermarkets, supermakets and minimarkets throughout the region, at higher prices than other kinds of meat, as it 's regarded as the most valued in absolute: a sort of formula one, more priced and esteemed than beef or pork. Some ultra-specialised butcheries offer only selected cuts of equine meat (horse, donkey and mule). In the Province of [[Padua]] horse meat is a key element of the local cuisine; particularly in the area that extends south-east from the city, historically called [[Saccisica]]. Specialties based on horse meat constitute the main courses and best attractions of some typical restaurants in the zone. They are also offered among other regional delicacies at the food stands of many local festivals, related to civil and religious anniversaries. Most notable is the "Festa del Cavallo": a festival that is held annually in the small town of [[Legnaro]], totally dedicated to horses, included their consumption for food. Some traditional dishes are: *''Sfilacci di cavallo'': tiny frayings of horse meat, dried and seasoned; to be consumed raw, with some olive oil or lemon juice. *''Straéca'': horse steak, variously cooked and dressed on the grill, pan or hot-plate. *''Bistecca di puledro''. colt steak, similar to straéca, but generally softer. *''Spezzatino di cavallo''. small chunks of horse meat, stewed with tomato sauce, onion, parsley and other herbs. Usually consumed with [[polenta]]. *''Prosciutto di cavallo'': horse [[ham]], served in very thin slices. *''Salame di cavallo'': various kinds of [[salami]], variously produced or seasoned, sometimes made of pure equine meat, sometimes mixed with others (bovine or swine). *''[[Bigoli]] al sugo di cavallo'': a typical format of fresh pasta, similar to thick rough spaghetti, dressed with sauce like [[Bolognese sauce|bolognese]], but made with minced horse meat. In Southern Italy, horse meat is common eaten everywhere - especially in the region of [[Apulia]], where it is considered a delicacy.<ref>{{cite book|author=Fabio Parasecoli|title=Food culture in Italy|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=uWlCT5Hs8YwC|year=2004|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=978-0-313-32726-1|page=[http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=uWlCT5Hs8YwC&pg=PA86 86]}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author1=Paula Hardy|author2=Abigail Hole|author3=Olivia Pozzan|title=Puglia & Basilicata|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=e8OEt_xn0nkC|year=2008|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74179-089-4|page=[http://books.google.com.ph/books?id=e8OEt_xn0nkC&pg=PA42 42]}}</ref> It is often a vital part of the ''ragù barese'' in [[Bari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theitaliantaste.com/italian-cooking/carne/cavallo/ricette-recipe/cav001_apulia_brasciole.php|title=Brasciole or meat rolls filled with pecorino and fat : Authentic Italian recipe of Apulia|publisher=[http://theitaliantaste.com/ theitaliantaste.com]}}</ref> According to British food writer [[Matthew Fort]], "The taste for donkey and horse goes back to the days when these animals were part of everyday agricultural life. In the frugal, unsentimental manner of agricultural communities, all the animals were looked on as a source of protein. Waste was not an option."<ref>Eating Up Italy: Voyages on a Vespa by [[Matthew Fort]]. 2005, p253-254. ISBN 0-00-721481-2</ref> ====Luxembourg==== Horse meat is commonly found on menus in Luxembourg.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} ====Malta==== {{See also|Maltese cuisine}} In [[Malta]], stallion meat ({{lang-mt|Laħam taż-żiemel}}) is usually fried or baked in a white wine sauce. A few horse meat shops still exist and it is still served in some restaurants.<ref>{{Citation |title=Malta & Gozo |author=Carolyn Bain |year=2004 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=174059178X |url=http://books.google.com/?id=lqHLlLsgi1IC&pg=PA56&lpg=PA56&dq=%22horse+meat%22+malta |accessdate=2007-09-14 |page=56 |quote=Did you know? Many of the village restaurants specialising in rabbit also feature horse meat on their menu.}}</ref> ====Netherlands==== {{See also|Dutch cuisine}} [[Image:Horse meat in package.JPG|thumb|Horse meat from the Netherlands]]In the [[Netherlands]], smoked horse meat (''paardenrookvlees'') is sold as sliced meat and eaten on bread. There are also beef-based variants. Horse meat is also used in sausages (''paardenworst'' and [[frikandel]]<ref>Brabants Dagblad "[http://www.brabantsdagblad.nl/regios/brabant/4534973/Deurnese-vinding-de-frikandel.ece Deurnese vinding de frikandel]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}", 19 februari 2009</ref>), fried fast food snacks and ready-to-eat soups.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.streekproduct.be/producten/detail.phtml?id=18&start=54& |title=Lokerse paardenworsten |publisher=Streekproduct.be |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.nieuwsblad.be/Article/Detail.aspx?articleID=111hv83f |title=Erkende Lokerse paardenworst wil Europees |publisher=Nieuwsblad.be |date=2007-09-28 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> ====Norway==== {{See also|Norwegian cuisine}} In Norway, horse meat is commonly used in cured meats, such as vossakorv and svartpølse, and less commonly as steak, hestebiff. In pre-Christian Norway, horse was seen as an expensive animal. To eat a horse was to show that you had great wealth, and to sacrifice a horse to the gods was seen as the greatest gift you could give. When Norwegians adopted Christianity, horse-eating became taboo as it was a religious act for pagans, and thus it was considered a sign of heresy.<ref>{{Citation|last=Jochens|first=Jenny |title=Women in Old Norse Society|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3h-lkgBWercC|year=1998|publisher=Cornell University Press|isbn=978-0-8014-8520-6|pages=[http://books.google.com/books?id=3h–lkgBWercC&pg=PA87 87–88]}}</ref> ====Poland==== {{See also|Polish cuisine}} Horse meat is used in production of ''[[kabanos]]'', but it has recently been declining in popularity. Live, old horses are often being exported to Italy to be slaughtered. This practice also garners controversy. Horses in Poland are treated mostly as companions and the majority of society is against the live export to Italy.{{Citation needed|date=June 2012}} ====Serbia==== {{See also|Serbian cuisine}} Horse meat is generally available in [[Serbia]], though mostly shunned in traditional cuisine. It is, however, often recommended by General Practitioners to persons who suffer from [[anemia]]. It is available to buy at three green markets in [[Belgrade]], a market in [[Niš]], and in several cities in ethnically mixed [[Vojvodina]], where [[Hungarians|Hungarian]] and previously [[Germans|German]] traditions brought the usage. ====Slovenia==== {{See also|Slovenian cuisine}} Horse meat is generally available in [[Slovenia]], and is highly popular in the traditional cuisine, especially in the central region of [[Carniola]] and in the [[Kras]] region. Colt steak (''žrebičkov zrezek'') is available in some restaurants and there is a popular fast-food restaurant in [[Ljubljana]] called Hot-Horse that serves hamburgers made of horse meat.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.ljubljana-life.com/eat/restaurants_details/96-Hot_Horse |title=Hot Horse |publisher=ljubljana-life.com |accessdate=2007-12-03}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.sloveniatimes.com/en/inside.cp2?uid=9233471E-2FB7-2359-C795-B29EDCF6A4A2&linkid=news&cid=762059D5-F84D-020A-FBA5-2AD66B5F38CB |title=Taste Ljubljana—Capital Ideas |date=14 December 2006 |author=Dan Ryan |accessdate=2007-12-03|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20080210033450/http://www.sloveniatimes.com/en/inside.cp2?uid=9233471E-2FB7-2359-C795-B29EDCF6A4A2&linkid=news&cid=762059D5-F84D-020A-FBA5-2AD66B5F38CB|archivedate=2008-02-10}}</ref> ====Sweden==== {{See also|Swedish cuisine}} Smoked/cured horse meat is widely available as a [[cold cut]] under the name ''hamburgerkött'' (hamburger meat). It tends to be very thinly sliced and fairly salty, slightly reminiscent of deli-style ham. ''Gustafskorv'', a smoked sausage made from horse meat, is also quite popular, especially in the province of Dalarna, where it's made. It is similar to [[salami]] or [[metworst]] and is used as an alternative to them on sandwiches. It is also possible to order horse beef from some well-stocked grocery stores. ====Switzerland==== {{See also|Swiss cuisine}} The ordinance on foodstuffs of animal origin in [[Switzerland]] explicitly list [[equine]]s as an animal species allowed for the production of food.<ref>[[Federal Department of Home Affairs (Switzerland)|FDHA]] Ordinance of 23 November 2005 on food of animal origin, [http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/817_022_108/a2.html Art.2].</ref> Horse steak is quite common, especially in the French-speaking west, but also more and more in the German-speaking part. A speciality known as ''mostbröckli'' is made with beef or horse meat. Horse meat is also used for a great range of sausages in the German-speaking north of Switzerland. Like in northern Italy, in the Italian-speaking South, local "salametti" (sausages) are sometimes made with horse meat. Horse meat may also be used in [[Fondue#Fondue Bourguignonne|Fondue Bourguignonne]]. ====United Kingdom==== {{See also2|[[British cuisine]]|[[2013 meat adulteration scandal]]}} In the United Kingdom, the slaughter, preparation and consumption of horses for food is not against the law, although in practice it has been out of fashion since the 1930s and it is not generally available. It was eaten when other meats were scarce, such as during times of war<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/foodprogramme_20040425.shtml |title=BBC Radio 4 - Factual - Food Programme - 11 April 2004 |publisher=Bbc.co.uk |date=2004-04-11 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/25/a7269825.shtml |title=WW2 People's War - Horsemeat, A Wedding Treat |publisher=BBC |date=2005-11-25 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> (as was [[whale meat]], never popular and now also taboo). The sale of meat labelled as horse meat in supermarkets and butchers is minimal, and most of the properly described horse meat consumed in the UK is imported from Europe, predominantly the [[South of France]], where it is more widely available.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/05/06/nramsay06.xml |title=We Should Eat Horse Meat|work=[[Daily Telegraph]] |date= |accessdate= }}</ref> Horse meat may be eaten without the knowledge of the consumer, due to accidental or [[fraud]]ulent introduction of horse meat into human food. A 2003 [[Food Standards Agency]] (FSA) investigation revealed that [[salami]] and similar products such as [[chorizo]] and [[pastrami]] sometimes contain horse meat without it being listed,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2963554.stm |title=Horse meat found in salami |publisher=BBC News |date=June 4, 2003 |accessdate= }}</ref> although listing is legally required.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tna.europarchive.org/20100910172942/http://www.food.gov.uk/foodlabelling/ull/ |title=[ARCHIVED CONTENT&#93; Food Standards Agency - Labelling rules |publisher=Tna.europarchive.org |date= |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> ====Ukraine==== In Ukraine, especially in Crimea and other southern steppe regions, horse meat is consumed in the form of sausages called Mahan and Sudzhuk. These particular sausages are traditional food of the [[Crimean Tatars|Crimean Tatar]] population. ===North America=== ====Canada==== {{See also|Canadian cuisine}} There is a thriving horse meat business in [[Quebec]]; the meat is available in most supermarket chains. Horse meat is also for sale at the other end of the country, in [[Granville Island]] Market in [[downtown Vancouver]] where, according to a [[Time magazine|''Time'' magazine]] reviewer who smuggled it into the United States, it turned out to be a "sweet, rich, superlean, oddly soft meat, closer to beef than venison".<ref name=Time2007-02-08>{{cite news|last=Stein |first=Joel |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1587279,00.html |title=Horse — It's What's for Dinner|publisher=Time.com |date=2007-02-08 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref> Horse meat is also available in high end [[Toronto]] butchers and supermarkets. Aside from the heritage of French cuisine at one end of the country and the adventurous [[foodie]]s of Vancouver at the other, however, the majority of [[Canada]] shares the horse meat taboo with the rest of the [[Anglosphere]]. This mentality is especially evident in [[Alberta]], where strong [[horse racing]] and breeding industries and cultures have existed since the province's founding, although large numbers of horses are slaughtered for meat in Fort MacLeod, and certain butchers in Calgary do sell it. ====United States==== {{See also|Horse slaughter#Underlying issue}} Horse meat is rarely eaten in the United States. Horse meat holds a taboo in American culture which is very similar to the one found in the United Kingdom (previously described), except that it is rarely even imported. Restriction of human consumption of horse meat in the U.S. has generally involved legislation at the state and local levels. In 1915, for example, the [[New York City]] Board of Health amended the sanitary code, making it legal to sell horse meat.<ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F03EFD61239E333A25751C2A9649D946496D6CF ALLOW HORSE MEAT FOR FOOD IN CITY] The New York Times, 22 December 1915</ref> During [[World War II]], due to the low supply and high price of beef, [[New Jersey]] legalized its sale, but at war's end, the state again prohibited the sale of horse meat. In 1951, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine reported from Portland, OR: "Horsemeat, hitherto eaten as a stunt or only as a last resort, was becoming an important item on Portland tables. Now there were three times as many horse butchers, selling three times as much meat." Noting that "people who used to pretend it was for the dog now came right out and said it was going on the table," and providing tips for cooking pot roast of horse and equine fillets. A similar situation unfolded in 1973, when inflation raised the cost of traditional meats. ''Time'' reported that "Carlson's, a butcher shop in Westbrook, CT that recently converted to horse meat exclusively, now sells about 6,000 pounds of the stuff a day." The shop produced a 28-page guide called "Carlson's Horsemeat Cook Book" with recipes for chili con carne, German meatballs, beery horsemeat, and more.<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/05/opinion/05weil.html |title=We Eat Horses, Don't We? |author=Christa Weil |date=March 5, 2007 |publisher=The New York Times |accessdate=2008-09-05}}</ref> [[Harvard University]]'s Faculty Club had horse meat on the menu for over one hundred years, until 1985.<ref>{{cite web|author=|url=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB112812616763357437.html |title=The Pros and Cons of Eating Horses |publisher=Online.wsj.com |date=2005-10-01 |accessdate=2013-02-15}}</ref><ref>[http://www.hfc.harvard.edu/about_history.html About the Club : History, The Harvard Faculty Club]{{dead link|date=February 2013}}</ref> [[California Proposition 6 (1998)]] was passed by state voters, outlawing the possession, transfer, reception or holding any horse, pony, burro or mule by a person who is aware that it will be used for human consumption, and making the slaughter of horses sale of horsemeat for human consumption a [[misdemeanor]] offense.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://vote98.sos.ca.gov/VoterGuide/Propositions/6.htm | title=Criminal Law. Prohibition on Slaughter of Horses and Sale of Horsemeat for Human Consumption. Initiative Statute. | publisher=California Secretary of State | year=1998 | accessdate=September 12, 2012}}</ref> Until 2007, a few horse meat slaughterhouses still existed in the United States, selling meat to zoos to feed their carnivores, and exporting it for human consumption, but the last one, Cavel International in [[Dekalb, Illinois]], was closed by court order in 2007.<ref>{{cite court |litigants=BELTEX CORPORATION; DALLAS CROWN, INC., v. TIM CURRY, District Attorney Tarrant County |vol= |reporter= |opinion=05-11499 |pinpoint= |court5th Cir |date=19 January 2007 |url= http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions%5Cpub%5C05/05-11499-CV0.wpd.pdf |format=PDF}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070629/horse-slaughter/ |title=Last US Horse Slaughterhouse to Close |author=Tara Burghart |date=29 June 2007 |publisher=The Huffington Post |accessdate=2007-07-16}}</ref> The closure reportedly caused a surplus of horses in Illinois.<ref>WIFR (Illinois), [http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/17031041.html "Cavel International Shutdown Causes Abundance of Horses"], March 26, 2008</ref> On November 18, 2011, the ban on the slaughter of horses for meat was lifted as part of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2012.<ref> {{cite web | title = Horse: Coming soon to a meat case near you? | url = http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2011/11/30/horse-coming-soon-to-a-meat-case-near-you/ | accessdate = 2011-12-01 | publisher = CNN }} </ref> ====Mexico==== As of 2005, Mexico was the second largest producer of horse meat in the world.<ref name=production2005 />{{Update after|2010|11}} It is used there both for human consumption and animal food.{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}} ===South America=== ====Chile==== {{See also|Chilean cuisine}} In [[Chile]], it is used in ''[[charqui]]''. Also in [[Chile]], horse meat became the main source of nutrition for the nomadic indigenous tribes, which promptly switched from a [[guanaco]]-based economy to a horse-based one after the horses brought by the Spaniards bred naturally and became feral. This applied specially to the [[Pampa]] and [[Mapuche]] nations, who became fierce horseman warriors. Similar to the [[Tatars]], they ate raw horse meat and milked their animals. ====Colombia==== In [[Colombia]], it is used and nowadays is not taboo. ====Argentina==== [[Argentina]] is a producer and exporter of horse meat, but it is not used in local consumption and is considered taboo.<ref name="lanacion1"/> ==See also== *[[Blood of the Beasts]] (''Le Sang des bêtes''), a 1949 [[documentary film]] *[[List of meat animals]] *[[Repugnant market]] ===People=== * [[Carl C. Rasmussen#Positions|Carl C. Rasmussen]], Los Angeles City Council member in the 1940s, revealed during a City Council discussion in the midst of World War II meat rationing over whether to adopt an ordinance requiring that charcoal be added to all horse meat offered for sale in the city, that he had served "dinner filets" made of horse meat to his guests and "they said they were delicious." He added: "I gave one of the steaks to the Mayor [Bowron], but he said his wife was out of town and he had to feed it to the dog."<ref>"Councilman Discloses He Served Horse-Meat Dinner," Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1944, page 1</ref> ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== {{Commons category}} *{{cite web |url=http://www.igha.org/USDA.html |title=U.S.D.A. Promotes Horse & Goat Meat |publisher=International Generic Horse Association |accessdate=2007-08-09}} (quoting a 1997 USDA report said to be no longer available online) *[http://www.viande-chevaline.fr/ La Viande Chevaline], a web site made by the French Horse Meat Industry structure, called ''Interbev Equins'' (French) * [http://asiaobscura.com/2011/09/on-horse-meat-sashimi.html On eating horse meat sashimi] AsiaObscura.com {{meat}} {{Cuisine}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Horse Meat}} [[Category:Austrian cuisine]] [[Category:Central Asian cuisine]] [[Category:Chilean cuisine]] [[Category:Chinese cuisine]] [[Category:French cuisine]] [[Category:German cuisine]] [[Category:Germanic paganism]] [[Category:Horse products]] [[Category:Hungarian cuisine]] [[Category:Japanese cuisine]] [[Category:Meat]] [[Category:Mexican cuisine]]'