Japan halts beef imports from California plant
Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:07am EDT
TOKYO, April 23 (Reuters) - Japan has suspended imports from a California plant of National Beef Packing Co after it found a box including a beef part it bans due to the risk of mad cow disease, a Ministry of Agriculture official said on Wednesday.
It was the first such case since Japan last lifted a ban against U.S. beef in July 2006 on strict conditions. Japan first suspended beef imports from the United States in December 2003.
The suspension against the plant in Brawley city started on Tuesday, when the importer, Itochu Corp (8001.T: Quote, Profile, Research), and meat packers reported that a box of borne-in short loin was mixed into 700 boxes registered as short plate in U.S. documents.
The boxes were imported to Japan in August, 2007.
An investigation by municipal governments showed on Wednesday that the box, not in the U.S. documents, included vertebral column, a type of specific risk materials (SRM) which are banned, and that no particular problem was found in the other boxes.
Separately, the U.S. embassy told the Japanese authorities on Wednesday that the destination of the box was not Japan and that further investigation was taking place.
"It is the first SRM case since the resumption of U.S. beef imports in July, 2006," the ministry official said.
"Import suspension from the plant will stay on hold until further clarification is made from the United States," he said.
The Japanese authorities would make sure that importers and users check cargoes carefully when stored in warehouses and in the rest of the distribution chain.
In addition, Japan would for the time being increase the number of samples to check in beef imports from U.S. meatpacking plants which are now labelled as compliant, the ministry official said.
For a cargo of 700 boxes, for example, the number of boxes to check would increase to 80 boxes from 13 previously, he said.
(Reporting by Risa Maeda; editing by Chris Johnson)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUST32211220080423
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUST32211220080423?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0
Kansas Firm Recalls Cattle Heads That Contain Prohibited Materials
Recall Release CLASS II RECALL
FSIS-RC-012-2008 HEALTH RISK: LOW
Congressional and Public Affairs
(202) 720-9113
Amanda Eamich
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2008 - Elkhorn Valley Packing LLC, a Harper, Kan., establishment, is voluntarily recalling approximately 406,000 pounds of frozen cattle heads with tonsils not completely removed, which is not compliant with regulations that require the removal of tonsils from cattle of all ages, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today.
Tonsils are considered a specified risk material (SRM) and must be removed from cattle of all ages in accordance with FSIS regulations. SRMs are tissues that are known to contain the infective agent in cattle infected with BSE, as well as materials that are closely associated with these potentially infective tissues. Therefore, FSIS prohibits SRMs from use as human food to minimize potential human exposure to the BSE agent.
The products subject to recall include: [View Label | Larger Image (PDF)]
Various weight bulk boxes of "BEEF WHOLE HEADS, KEEP REFRIGERATED." Each shipping package bears the establishment numbers "EST. 19549A" inside the USDA mark of inspection, as well as a package code of "91700" or "93700."
The company is recalling all products packed before March 28, 2008, with the package code "91700" or "93700." These products were sent to distributors and wholesalers nationwide.
The problem was discovered at a State-inspected processing establishment that received some of the recalled products and verified that there had been incomplete removal of the tonsils. FSIS has received no reports of illness at this time.
Media and consumers with questions about the recall should contact company President Mike Grant at (620) 896-2300.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Recall_012_2008_Release/index.asp
SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM FROM DOWNER CATTLE
http://downercattle.blogspot.com/
AMI wants non-ambulatory cattle out of the food supply
(4/23/2008)
Tuesday the American Meat Institute, along with the National Meat Association and the National Milk Producers Federation, filed a Citizen Petition with the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service requesting that the agency amend the rules so that nonambulatory, disabled cattle are not permitted into the meat supply in any circumstance. Specifically, the petition requests that 9 CFR 309.3 be amended to eliminate the provision that authorizes a public health veterinarian to allow, in limited circumstances, cattle that become non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection to enter the food supply.
Consistent with this request, AMI and NMA pledged to encourage companies to engage in a voluntary moratorium regarding the slaughter and processing of such non-ambulatory cattle until FSIS has promulgated a final rule affecting the requested change. The petition references the benefits and efficiencies that can be gleaned from eliminating the need to have a public health veterinarian come out to reexamine an animal that becomes non-ambulatory after passing ante-mortem inspection. The requested change also will benefit U.S trade negotiators as they attempt to reopen beef markets that have been closed for far too long.
"It makes good sense that the provision that allows non-ambulatory cattle to be reinspected for slaughter be rescinded," said AMI President and CEO J. Patrick Boyle. "Allowing the current rule to remain in force could ultimately undermine the confidence of U.S. consumers and foreign customers, in markets that are proving difficult to reopen in the first place," he added.
http://www.feedstuffs.com/
TSS