Japan to tighten checks on U.S. processed meat

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By The Associated Press

TOKYO — Japan will check all processed meats imported from the United States after a shipment was found last week with sausages containing beef in violation of regulations intended to contain mad cow disease, an official said Monday.

Last Friday, Japan suspended imports from Jobbers Meat Packing Co. after a 1,108-box shipment was found to include two types of sausages in 188 boxes that listed beef as an ingredient.

Japan bans the import of U.S. meat products such as sausage that contain processed beef under restrictions aimed at controlling the threat of mad cow disease, the common name for bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

Japan now plans to open and inspect all shipments of processed meat from the U.S., Agriculture Vice Minister Yoshio Kobayashi said.

Ministry officials have found that only one of the two types of problem sausage sent by the Los Angeles-based company actually contained beef, despite beef being listed on the labels of both types, Kyodo News agency reported.

Inspectors at airports and ports currently check about 30 percent of processed meat products imported by Japan, regardless of the nation of origin, Kyodo said.

Processed meats include sausages, ham and bacon.