DNA tests are to be used on food served by outlets using the Féile Bia logo which tells customers it sources quality assured food traceable from farm to fork.
The chief executive of Bord Bia, Mr Michael Duffy, made the announcement yesterday at the launch of a new outdoor plaque which will be awarded to com-panies taking part in the voluntary scheme.
The scheme came under intense scrutiny last year when it was alleged by the Irish Farmers Association that some companies using what is essentially a guaranteed Irish scheme, were using beef imported from Latin America.
It carried out a DNA-based survey which uncovered the use of non-Irish beef in a scheme which has proved to be highly successful for the restaurants, hotels, pubs and catering establishments taking part in it.
Mr Duffy said the move to use DNA random testing of 10 per cent of the outlets taking part was not linked to the criticisms of the policing of the scheme last year.
"The scheme is monitored independently by qualified auditors from the National Food Centre who check to ensure that there is a record of the origin of the meat they are serving," he said.
"We are increasing the funding for the programme by one-third and we are using the DNA sampling on a random 10 per cent of those using the logo to provide the fullest guarantees to customers," he said.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Mr Noel Treacy, said it was clear that consumers were looking for the fullest information possible on the source of the food they were eating. Over 1,290 members of the food service sector are signed up to the Féile Bia scheme.