Japanese sausage recall after cyanide scare 伊藤ハム

伊藤ハム、有害地下水の東京工場を一時停止

2008年10月28日19時19分

　伊藤ハムは２８日、地下水から有害なシアン化合物が検出された東京工場（千葉県柏市）の操業を一時停止すると発表した。同工場が担っていた首都圏向けの生産は他の工場に移管する。再開時期は未定。

　２９日から一部を停止し、１１月１日から全面停止する。外部識者を交えた調査対策委員会を立ち上げて、原因究明や供給体制、管理体制を見直し、再開時期を決める。

　東京工場は年間５万トンのハム・ソーセージ、調理加工品を供給する能力があり、現在国内向けの２５％を生産している。停止中は、豊橋工場、西宮工場、子 会社の伊藤ハムデイリー東北工場（宮城県栗原市）に人員を振り分け、東京工場の生産分を補う。受託製造していたスーパーなどの自主企画商品（ＰＢ）も他工 場での生産に切り替える。

Japanese sausage recall after cyanide scare

TOKYO (AP) — A major Japanese meat processor said Sunday it was recalling millions of packages of sausages and pizzas after finding cyanide in water at one of its plants.

Itoham Foods Inc. said in a public notice published in national newspapers Sunday that tests have found up to three times the government limit of cyanide in the well water normally used in the products.

The announcement was the latest in a raft of recalls following reports of contamination.

The industrial chemical melamine was found in a host of Chinese-made milk products in September, triggering massive recalls in dozens of countries, including Japan.

Separately, Japan's top instant noodle maker, Nissin Food Products Co., announced domestic recalls Friday of its Cup Noodle instant noodles after a woman grew sick from eating noodles that were later found to be tainted with an insecticide.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Japan | Tokyo | Chinese-made | Chiba | Cup Noodle | Nishinomiya

The latest recall covers nearly 2.7 million packages of sausages and pizza sold in Japan.

Itoham said it had detected large amounts of cyanide in the water at two of the three wells at its factory in Chiba, near Tokyo. Tests were still being carried out on sausages to see if they had been tainted.

Cyanide, often used in fertilizers, can seep into ground water, where small amounts are often found.

Itoham spokesman Yoshiro Matsuzaki said this was the first time in its 40 years of operation that the company had found unhealthy levels of cyanide in its wells.

The country's second-biggest meat processor, based in Nishinomiya, western Japan, said it believed the products would not pose any risk to health if consumed. The company said it has not received any reports of health problems and the recalls are voluntary.

"Please accept our sincere apology," Itoham said in a statement. "We will do our utmost to prevent future problems and ensure product safety."

Japan has been hit by several high-profile food scandals involving contamination and mislabeling, and the government is considering creating a new, specialized agency to monitor food and product safety.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Pr