August 14, 2020

Brazil's agriculture ministry seeks China clarification on coronavirus-contaminated poultry

On August 13, the government of Shenzhen city in China identified a Brazilian meat plant owned by Aurora, the country's third largest processor of chicken and pork, as the source of chicken wings that tested positive for COVID-19. Brazil's agriculture ministry is now seeking clarification on the matter, GDNOnline reported.

The Shenzhen government identified the plant by its registration number in a posting on its website, that when checked against Brazilian records linked it to an Aurora facility in Brazil's southern state of Santa Catarina. This followed an earlier Reuters report: https://www.efeedlink.com/contents/08-13-2020/4c37a8b0-d594-46ed-8bb1-17e711d462cb-a181.html

Aurora, an unlisted company, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Brazil's Agriculture Ministry said in a statement that it was seeking clarification on the matter but had not received official notification from Chinese authorities.

"There is no scientific evidence of transmission of the COVID-19 virus from frozen food or food packaging," the ministry said, citing the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

The Shenzhen government said a sample taken from the surface of the imported frozen chicken wings had tested positive. Other samples of the same cargo tested negative.

In the earlier Reuters report, a China-based official at a Brazilian meat exporter said it is difficult to pinpoint when the poultry was contaminated.

Registered meat plants in Brazil follow strict sanitary procedures and their products are safe, the Brazilian Ministry said.

As of August 12, six Brazilian meat plants remained bannedfrom exporting to China, according to the Chinese customs agency's website, also due to COVID-19 concerns.