Dutch say suspect meat likely eaten, too late to recall

OSS, Netherlands (Reuters) - The Netherlands said on Thursday it was probably too late to recover most of 50,000 tonnes of beef recalled over concerns it may contain horsemeat because much of it probably has been eaten in the past two years.

The meat, sold as beef but suspected of containing horsemeat, was shipped to 380 companies in the Netherlands and at least three other European Union member states between January 2011-January 2013, the Dutch food safety authority said.