France police detained 21 people as part of an investigation regarding allegations that horse meat that is used for research in the lab is sold for consumption.
Horse meat was mentioned are used for medical research in pharmaceutical companies, Sanofi, but later sold.
Under the laws of France, animals used for medical research could not be sold for food. Police say this case happened because the documentation from veterinarian faked.
The month of February and then, click the scandal spilled over horse meat in Europe, with the discovery of horse meat in millions of boxes of food and mentioned the beef.
Sanofi told the newspaper Le Parisien, Monday, that horse meat is used to make antibodies to rabies and tetanus among others.
The company says it sells about 200 horses in the last three years for the Faculty of veterinary medicine, individuals as well as professionals.
Benoit Hamon, France's Consumer Affairs Minister, told RTL radio that the issue is related to food safety.
"There are horses that are supposed to be injected to death and not sold in the butcher shop," said Hamon.
Hamon said what is happening now is very different from the scandal last February he put it as a fraud.
"Horse meat (in the case of February) it should not be consumed, and this problem is still under investigation," he added.
