LONDON (January 24, 2013)--Burger King says it has stopped buying beef from an Irish supplier whose patties in Britain and Ireland were found to contain traces of horsemeat.

The fast food chain said in a statement that it has dropped Silvercrest Foods as a supplier for its U.K. and Ireland restaurants as a "voluntary and precautionary measure."

Last week Silvercrest shut down its production line and recalled 10 million burgers from supermarket shelves in Britain and Ireland after horse DNA was found in some beef products.

Products from another Irish firm and one in Britain also were contaminated.

Irish food officials said an ingredient imported from an unspecified European country was the likely culprit.

Officials said there is no risk to human health, but the episode has raised food security concerns.