February 19, 2004

Japan Happy With Thai Chicken Products Safety

Thai Commerce Minister Watana Muangsook said Wednesday that Japan's major food companies were satisfied with the safety standard of Thai chicken products after they discussed the issue with Thai authorities.
 
"Japanese importers said the safety standard of Thai chicken products is among the highest in the world," Watana told reporters after a meeting with food companies from Japan and European countries.
 
No representatives from the Japanese companies attended the news conference.
 
Japan, the largest importer of Thai chicken products, has banned cooked and uncooked chicken imports from Thailand since late January on fears of bird flu.
 
The bird flu virus was confirmed in Thailand Jan. 23 and has killed seven people in the country and forced authorities to cull more than 26 million birds.
 
The Thai health ministry has said the H5N1 virus infecting chickens can be destroyed by heat in the cooking process, citing studies by the World Health Organization.
 
Watana said Japanese officials will investigate chicken processing plants in Thailand on Thursday before deciding whether to lift the ban.
 
Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said Tuesday Japan is likely to remove the ban on cooked chicken by the end of this month.