January 15, 2004

 

 

South Korea's Daesang Recall US Beef On Mad Cow Scare

 

South Korean foodstuffs maker Daesang Co. said Thursday it has recalled all products, valued at about 4 million won (US$3.4 million), containing ingredients derived from U.S. beef. 

 

Daesang's decision to recall and dispose of some 600 tons of products follows the United States' confirmation of its first case of mad cow disease on Dec. 26.

 

The food company started recalling three instant food products containing ingredients from U.S. beef three days after the confirmation of the outbreak of the brain-wasting disease.

 

"There weren't any particular problem with the products. But we went ahead and recalled them anyway to relieve public anxiety," a Daesang official said.

 

"We incurred sizable financial costs, but are proud of our action, especially with so many consumers showing support for it," he added.

 

The products recalled from Seoul and its neighboring regions will be disposed of Friday in Yongin, some 49 kilometers south of Seoul, according to the company.

 

Those collected from other parts of the country will be disposed of in their respective regions.

 

Daesang will restart production of the same products next week, using ingredients from Australian beef, the company said.

 

CJ Corp., South Korea's biggest producer of processed foods, remains unmoved from its position of last month that it will keep its products containing U.S. beef ingredients on shop shelves.

 

"In line with government policy, which does not ban the use of products using red meat from the U.S., we have no plan to recall our products at the moment," a CJ official said.

 

The company is seeking other sources of ingredients such as Australian beef to ensure product safety, he added.