(Credit: Pixabay)

Both the Manchester Evening News and the Daily Star reported that a mouse had been found inside a packet of protein powder. But, the story was proven false.

Now, both UK newspapers have unpublished their stories and apologized to the protein powder company, Myprotein.

Myprotein quickly rebutted the original mouse claim, labeling it “fake news.” In a statement on its website, the company called it “malicious” and vowed to sue anyone who published the story. “Due to the severity of the accusation, and the pride we take in our quality & safety processes, we are compelled to set the record straight, and stand against ‘fake news’ & ‘false claims,'” Myprotein said.

Myprotein noted that it tested the protein powder packet in question and attached the pathology report from EcoLab, which determined when the mouse died. That information indicated that the mouse died after the protein powder left Myprotein’s production facility.

iMediaEthics has written to Myprotein to ask if either the Daily Star or Manchester Evening News contacted the company for comment before publication and if it is awaiting any other apologies from news outlets regarding the mouse claim.

iMediaEthics has contacted both the Star and Manchester Evening News to ask if their apologies resolve the matter.

The May 19 apology from the Daily Star reads:

“On 13 April 2017 we published an article containing a claim by a user of Myprotein’s protein shake powder that he had found a dead mouse in a packet of it, the implication being that the mouse had found its way into the powder during the production process, and that he believed his health had been put at risk.

“We have been advised that Independent investigations have concluded that the mouse could not have entered the powder during the production process and this is consistent with the statement issued by Myprotein on their Facebook and Twitter pages on 14 April 2017.”

The May 19 apology from the Manchester Evening News states:

“On 11 April 2017 we published a claim by a user of Myprotein’s protein shake powder that he had found a dead mouse in a packet of it, with the implication being that the mouse had found its way into the powder during the production process, and that he believed his health had been put at risk.

“Independent investigations have proven that the mouse could not have entered the powder during the production process and this is consistent with the statement issued by Myprotein on their Facebook and Twitter pages on 14 April 2017.

“We accept that the allegations about Myprotein are untrue and we apologise to them.”

This isn’t the first mouse-related apology this month. The UK Express apologized to BBC Radio 2 host James Kelly May 8 after reporting that he killed a mouse by stomping on it.