National Beef screw up on Japan front
24 April 2008Japan has suspended beef imports from a National Beef Packing Co plant following the inclusion of one carton which contained a portion of vertebral column, a specified risk material prohibited by Japanese protocols.
USDA Press Secretary Keith Williams confirmed that one out of 700 cartons shipped by the Brawley, California, plant was not intended to be shipped to Japan. Williams added: 'The United States and the Government of Japan have notified the California company that it will not be allowed to ship again to Japan until we have determined how the single carton was included in this larger shipment.' According to meatingplace.com, a Japanese official was quoted in media reports as saying: 'It is the first SRM case since the resumption of US beef imports in July, 2006.'
