December 26, 2003

Unauthorized Pig Vaccine Use At Nippon Meat Subsidiary

Japan's Nippon Meat Packers Inc said on Wednesday that one of its subsidiaries had used an unauthorized pig vaccine, the latest in a series of scandals at the embattled meat processor.

Nippon Meat, since a beef mislabeling scandal in August 2002, has been trying to regain public trust. It said in a statement a subsidiary based in Japan's northern Aomori prefecture had used the banned vaccine at pig farms in several locations around Japan between 1998 and 2002.

Nippon Meat, which is Japan's biggest sausage maker, said it was no longer using the vaccine, which is used to prevent Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and is legal in Canada and the United States.

The vaccine helps strengthen the immune system of pigs. The company said there is no danger to humans who eat meat from vaccinated pigs.

The news is bad timing for Nippon Meat, coming just after the United States reported its first case of mad cow disease.

That news helped push down Nippon Meat's shares 2.64 percent to 1,069 yen ahead of the announcement. The Nikkei average fell 0.01%.

Nippon Meat's shares are still languishing 31% below a 2002 high of 1,549 yen, hit just before the mislabelling scandal which led retailers to yank the company's products from shelves.