October 12, 2009
Japan suspends beef imports from Tyson plant
Japan has suspended beef shipments from a Tyson plant located in Nebraska after finding prohibited cattle parts in the consignments, according to the agriculture ministry on Saturday (Oct 10).
Japanese quarantine inspectors found bovine spinal columns in one of 732 boxes sent by Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., which arrived in Japan last month, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said in a statement.
The box contained 16kg of chilled short loin with spinal bones.
Japan's ministry has asked the USDA to investigate the cause of the incident.
Japan banned all US beef imports in 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease was discovered in the US. Japan resumed buying US beef in 2006 after a bilateral trade agreement setting new safety standards.
Under the agreement, US exporters must remove spinal columns, brain tissue and other parts considered linked to the mad cow disease. US beef shipments to Japan must also come only from cattle age 20 months or younger, which are believed to pose less risk.
