November
The first beef burger samples are bought by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and delivered to the testing laboratory. First results are received by the authority at the end of the month.
December
Shocked at the findings that the meat in a Tesco burger produced by Silvercrest Foods contains 29.1 per cent horse meat, the authority buys further burger samples and has them tested. Portions of the original samples are sent to German laboratory Eurofins for confirmatory tests in late December.
Friday, December 21st
The authority also asks the Department of Agriculture to take samples of raw ingredients from Silvercrest Foods and Liffey Meats.
Friday, January 11th
Final results come back to the authority , confirming the 29 per cent finding, and show trace amounts of horse meat in other burgers.
Monday, January 14th
The authority tells Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney about its findings.
Tuesday January 15th
Mr Coveney tells the Cabinet. The Food Safety Authority issues a press release at 5pm.
Wednesday, January 16th
The “horse meat in burgers” story is highlighted by international media and across social media.
Thursday, January 17th
Follow-up tests find burgers produced in Silvercrest still contain horse meat.
Monday, January 21st
Follow-up tests show no presence of horse meat in burgers made by Liffey Meats and it is given the all-clear.
Saturday, January 26th
Tests find that a beef product from a Polish supplier was the most likely source of the horse meat.