UPDATE 3-France tops EU DNA tests for horsemeat in beef

* Horse DNA found in 1 in 8 beef products tested in France

* Results show 4.6 pct of tests positive across the EU

* Britain finds illegal drug residues in horsemeat

* EU experts say levels seen unlikely to pose health risk

By Charlie Dunmore

BRUSSELS, April 16 (Reuters) - France found more cases of illegal horsemeat in beef products than any other European Union country, results of official DNA tests ordered in the wake of the scandal showed, with more than 1 in every 8 samples testing positive.

Announcing the results on Tuesday, the European Commission said that for the EU as a whole, just less than 5 percent of all beef products tested had come back positive for horse DNA.

But the figures showed that of 353 tests carried out in France, 47 tested positive for horse DNA, giving a rate of more than 13 percent.

"In terms of image it's not good. It risks delaying our attempt to regain consumer confidence to get out of the crisis, because it is not over yet," Jean-Rene Buisson, chairman of the French food industry group ANIA, told Reuters.

Buisson said it would be important to know how much horsemeat was detected in each positive sample, as tiny traces could be the result of accidental contamination at processing plants rather than deliberate substitution. The Commission did not provide that information.

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UPDATE 3-France tops EU DNA tests for horsemeat in beef