'Japanese fast food chain Yoshinoya was discovered to have been illegally selling products with ingredients from one of the Japanese prefectures currently under a food import ban. The revelation has stoked fears that other such products may be available on store shelves. It’s also prompted the FDA head to step up its own inspections of Japanese food products from the designated region.Inspectors were opening packages of natto beans imported from Japan to check if the soybeans or the accompanying flavoring packets contained ingredients from prefectures affected by radiation. Consumers have complained that flavoring packets included in a natto product sold by fast food chain Yoshinoya were produced in Ibaraki Prefecture, one of the regions affected by radiation from the Fukushima disaster. The FDA has pledged to strengthen its import inspection regime, with imports of food from Ibaraki and four other prefectures still banned by Taiwan. But one lawmaker pointed to a tomato flavored hot pot broth imported to Taiwan from another radiation-affected region in arguing that products from the area were still getting through. Johnny Chiang KMT LegislatorThis is where it clearly states where it was manufactured and we can clearly see the abbreviation KK which stands for Fukushima.Chiang Yu-mei FDA Director The goal of our (inspections) is to examine complex packaging and the packets inside them to see if these products come from any of the five (radiation-affected prefectures). If there is no labeling then the manufacturer must take responsibility. If there is labeling then we will check to see if the product conforms to our requirements which only permit imports from the 42 municipalities (not affected by radiation).The FDA this week stepped up its customs inspections of Japanese food imports, having switched from random testing to per-batch testing. It’s part of a tougher regime meant to guard against high-risk products such as natto and instant noodles, in which complex packaging may conceal ingredients from regions currently under the import ban.'
Tags: English news , 民視 , 民視新聞 , 英語新聞 , Formosa News
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