July 17, 2007

Russia bans meat imports from 78 companies worldwide

Russia has banned imports of meat and meat products from 78 companies around the world, for failing to comply with Russian food safety standards.

The move follows a 6-month monitoring exercise by the Russian food-safety authority Rosselkhoznadzor in which it tested products entering the country.

Almost half of the companies, or 35 of the exporting companies are based in the EU, 19 were in Brazil, nine in the United States, three in China and two each in Argentina.

The food-safety authority said the companies had failed on their controls of pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, E .coli and Staphylococci or the meat was contaminated with heavy metals such as mercury.