Greene King has denied claims that it serves substandard steaks, as portrayed in ITV’s first episode of Undercover Mum.

Last night’s TV programme featured a presenter sending steak samples purchased at the pub chain’s Hungry Horse outlets for analysis, which revealed DNA from a species of cattle called zebu, bred in Africa and Brazil.

Hungry Horse’s marketing director, Adam Collett, said: “We are known for our fantastic quality beef from high-quality stock and utterly deny any claims that our steaks are sub-standard.

“We insist on rigorous standards from our butchers who provide us with great beef from recognised, traceable herds. Most of our beef for rump steaks is British-reared, but our suppliers also buy from recognised, reputable farmers from abroad.

“Famous European and zebu breeds of cattle have been cross-bred for centuries to produce high-quality beef that is indistinguishable from other cross-breeds reared in the UK or anywhere else in the world. The only difference is that the cattle are well adapted for living and grazing in their particular environment.”

Earlier this year, the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) decided to exclude zebu genes from its quality standard.