Speculation was growing this week that the Federation of Synagogues could be on the verge of launching a new kosher meat range.

For many years, the Federation has co-operated over the supervision of kosher meat with the United Synagogue and Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregation as a partner in the London Board for Shechita.

A few weeks ago, the London Board rejected a proposal from the Federation to start a mehadrin meat range - mehadrin indicating a stricter level of supervision than is standard.

But a Federation source confirmed this week that it had been "approached by an independent kosher meat supplier to provide them with a licence".

He added that the Federation believed further comment would be "inappropriate at this stage".