Italy's Health Ministry said on Wednesday that horsemeat has been found in more pre-packaged products labeled beef.

Horse DNA was uncovered in ragu pasta sauce of Lombardy-based Star group, which recalled the product from supermarket shelves around the country, the ministry said in a statement published on its website.

The discovery was the latest in a widening scandal that surfaced in mid-January when Irish food inspectors detected horsemeat in frozen beef burgers made by firms in Ireland and Britain.

The scandal has since spread across Europe, stoking consumer anger and government investigations, which led supermarket chains to remove millions of products from the shelves.

In February, world leading food giant Nestle withdrew its beef pasta products from sale in Italy after finding more than one percent horse DNA in Buitoni Beef Ravioli and Beef Tortellini.

Observers have stressed that horsemeat poses little or no health risk, but some carcasses have been discovered to be tainted with a painkiller which has been banned for human consumption.