The Department of Agriculture ordered the tests on products from Silvercrest Foods in Co Monaghan - to quantify the percentage of horse DNA present.

Silvercrest Foods is the processing plant at the centre of the horse meat controversy - last week, the Food Safety Authority found that one of its burgers contained 29% horse DNA.

Samples taken from the plant last week were sent to Germany - to quantify the percentage of horse DNA present - and the results of those tests will be released, once the Department verifies the findings.

Earlier this week, fast food chain Burger King announced it is replacing Silvercrest Foods as its supplier - in a move described by the Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney as "not surprising".

Silvercrest suspended operations at its Ballybay facility last week in light of the controversy.