BRUSSELS (REUTERS) - France found more cases of illegal horsemeat in beef products than any other European Union country, early results of DNA tests ordered in the wake of the scandal showed, with more than 1 in every 8 samples testing positive.

The European Commission is due to announce the final results of the tests later on Tuesday, but EU sources said a progress report from the bloc's executive dated April 9 showed that of 353 tests carried out in France, 47 tested positive for horse DNA.

The progress report only included complete data for 11 EU countries. Germany found horse DNA in 29 samples out of 867.

In Britain, 150 official tests carried out as part of the EU-funded programme returned no positive results for horsemeat.