Work is under way to ensure Scottish-based manufacturers of processed meat products have the necessary measures in place to prevent contamination following the horsemeat scandal.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson said the Food Standards Agency in Scotland has made arrangements for local authorities to carry out a series of food standards inspections on top of "stringent" controls already in place.

The minister said: "The initial focus will be on manufacturers of processed meat products and this work is already under way.

"It is the responsibility of the food industry to produce safe food that is accurately labelled and does not mislead consumers.

"Scotland already has a stringent set of regulatory controls in place to underpin food safety and confidence but we are determined not to be seen as in any way complacent. That's why we are speaking with the FSA on a daily basis to ensure we are fully engaged with this situation as it evolves."

Bosses from leading supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons attended a meeting at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in London yesterday.

Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said action was "essential" to prevent any damage to the reputation of Scotland's food industry.

Mr Lochhead said: "It is completely unacceptable that consumers are being misled about what is contained in the food that they buy. While no manufacturers based in Scotland are currently affected, this is an extremely serious issue which is creating a great deal of alarm among consumers."