TESTS are being carried out this week to see if Scottish schools and hospitals could be affected by the horse meat scandal.

The Food Standards Agency in Scotland said it was working with public institutions in its inquiries.

It came as Tesco said tests had shown one of its Spaghetti Bolognese ready meals had been contaminated, with some of the products tested found to be 60% horse.There were also reports donkey meat may be entering the food chain, while a charity said it was investigating reports of about 60,000 missing horses on either side of the Irish border.

Scottish Government ministers have met officials from the food watchdog and the industry to discuss the crisis.

Charles Milne, director of the Food Standards Agency in Scotland, said: "While there is no evidence to suggest there is a risk to public health, the FSA has ensured businesses supplying public institutions with meat products are included in actions under way in Scotland."

Inspections are being carried out in all approved meat processing facilities in Scotland.

Michael Matheson, the Scottish Public Health Minister, said: "Food businesses supplying processed beef products to public sector premises, including schools, prisons and hospitals, are already involved in an inspection and testing regime led by the Food Standards Agency."

Tesco's frozen Everyday Value Spaghetti Bolognese was the latest product found to be contaminated with horse DNA. Some of the products were almost two-thirds horse meat.

Tesco said the meal had been made by Comigel, the French company that made the Findus lasagnes found to contain up to 100% horsemeat last week. Tesco has dropped the firm.

Tim Smith, of Tesco, said tests proved clear for phenylbutazone, known as bute, the horse drug banned from entering the food chain.