December 29, 2005

Japan finds contaminated US corn

Japanese authorities said they have tightened inspections on US corn imports, after recently finding a shipment contaminated by aflatoxin, a poisonous fungus.

The contaminated US corn arrived at central Japan's Yokkaichi port lately, according to Yasuki Matsui of the health ministry's quarantine station administration.

Aflatoxin is known to cause illness in animals and is associated with liver cancer in humans.

Matsui said the fungus was detected by sample testing from among 200 tonnes of yellow corn imported from the US.

The ministry has ordered the importer to either destroy or return the whole contaminated shipment.

Official data stated that for this year up to Dec 20, Japan imported a total of 3.76 million tonnes of US corn.