July 4, 2008

South Korea imposed a temporary ban on pork imports from a Chilean exporter after detecting dioxin over allowed levels in the company's frozen pork products, according to the agriculture ministry.

The ministry has quarantined all shipments from the exporter until Chile finds the cause and implements proper measures, the ministry said, without naming the company.

"The amount of dioxin found in the 5.4 tonnes of frozen pork was 3.9 picogramme per gram of fat, above the permissible limit of 2 picogramme," the ministry said.

One picogramme is one-trillionth of a gramme.

South Korea has imported 16,050 tonnes of pork from Chile this year, including 1,568 tonnes from the export, according to the ministry.

Pork imports account for 20 percent of total consumption in South Korea. Demand for pork has also increased as demand for beef and chicken meat declined due to fears of mad cow disease and the bird flu.