December 22, 2010

South Korea to implement imported beef tracking system

South Korea will initiate a tracking system for imported beef this week as part of its effort to enhance consumer rights and for easier recall of substandard products, the government said Tuesday (Dec 21).

The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said the system, which will officially take effect today, December 22, calls on importers and distributors to notify consumers of the country of origin, packing date, shelf life and names of all companies involved in the meat processing and shipment chain.

"The information can be cross-referenced on the Internet and by mobile phones, with easy checking services available for smartphone users starting on January 1," said Lee Sang-soo, head of the ministry's animal quarantine division.

He said as all beef clears customs, it will be given a barcode-based, 12-digit import identification label that must be attached to the packaging throughout its domestic distribution process.

"Beef products that do not have the label will be barred from circulation," the official said.

Local polls showed roughly 90% of all consumers wanted some sort of fast tracking system for imported beef to allow them to make informed choices of the meat they buy as more foreign meat is brought into the country.

In the first 11 months of this year, South Korea imported about 223,000 tonnes of beef from Australia, the US, New Zealand and Mexico.

The tracking system is also expected to aid government recalls if food safety issues are raised abroad, and makes it easier for authorities to check if restaurants, butcher shops and retailers are properly informing consumers on the country of origin of beef they are selling. At present, Australia operates a similar tracking system for its domestic market.

Seoul started to track imported beef on a voluntary trial basis in early March with the necessary infrastructure being set up throughout the distribution chain. All South Korean beef has been subject to a tracking system since June 2009 as part of the government's effort to enhance market transparency and consumer confidence.