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Prohibition on Japanese Milk Imports to Continue
China's exit-entry inspection authorities said Thursday they will not allow Japanese milk into the country unless Japanese milk products are tested and deemed to be safe, according to China Daily.
More than 14,100 people in Japan suffered from food poisoning after drinking tainted milk from Snow Brand Milk Products Co Ltd in late June to July 11, prompting Japan and some of importers to impose emergency measures to prevent further cases of food poisoning.
Snow Brand, which has been temporarily shut down, was to resume operations, Japanese media reported.
Last week, the State Administration for Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine (SAIQ) in China issued a notice that told local ports to halt the importation of the Snow Brand products, and to closely inspect Snow Brand products already allowed into China, said Chen Xitong, an inspection and quarantine official.
Shanghai is the major destination for Japanese dairy products, Chen said.
In the first six months of this year, Shanghai imported nearly 66 tons of Snow Brand products. Nearly all of the products have been sold, said Zeng Yuguang of the inspection and quarantine branch in Shanghai.
Zeng said his agency has received no reports of tainted milk in Shanghai.Fifty tons of milk products, although labelled Snow Brand, were actually powdered milk produced in Australia, Zeng said.
Only 16 tons were actually milk imports from Japan, he said.
All of the imports, whose quality warranty expired on May 30, passed the quality inspection of the Shanghai agency, he said.
Beijing received a small number of the Snow Brand products, Chen said. He declined to give a precise figure.
On Wednesday, Snow Brand said it would resume operations at some of its factories by week's end. The factories were closed following an outbreak of food poisoning from its products.
The company said in a statement the Ministry of Health has decided that 10 of the factories had no significant food hygiene problems and they were given the go-ahead to resume operations, Reuters reported.
Chen said China's import ban on Snow Brand milk products won't be affected by the Japanese company's latest move. Negotiations between Chinese and Japanese authorities are needed before Japanese milk products can again enter China, he said.
The inspection and quarantine office is also prohibiting Snow Brand products from being mailed or carried into China. If found, Snow Brand products will be confiscated and destroyed, said the inspection and quarantine notice.
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