Rosselkhoznadzor tightens control over US meat products
MOSCOW. Aug 5 (Interfax) - Russia's veterinary service Rosselkhoznadzor has tightened control over livestock product imports from the United States.
The service said it had information that salmonella containing turkey mince had caused an outbreak of food poisoning in the United States. "It has not yet been established which specific company produced the poor quality and dangerous product," Rosselkhoznadzor said.
Russia's veterinary service has asked its U.S. counterpart for information about which companies the dangerous product came from, to specify the reasons for salmonella contamination and to outline the measures taken to prevent the supply of contaminated products to Russia.
Foreign media have reported that the U.S. Agriculture Department last week issued a warning about cases of antibiotic-resistant salmonella registered from March. So far 76 cases have been reported and it is more widespread in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, California and Pennsylvania.
Cargill is named as the producer and it has recalled over 16,000 tonnes of turkey mince produced at a plant in Springdale, Arkansas from February 20 to August 2 2011.
"The import and turnover of poultry and poultry products produced by Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation in Springdale (Arkansas) has been banned" says a statement from Russia's consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, issued Thursday evening.
Rospotrebnadzor said there had been an increase in the number of salmonella cases in the United States from March to August.
"The likely cause of the infection was turkey mince produced by Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation at the plant in Springdale," the watchdog said.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention said 79 people had become ill and one person died. Twenty-six states have been affected.
"The plant in question has been closed." Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation on August 3 began a recall of over 16,300 tonnes of cold and frozen turkey mince produced at the plant from February 20 to July 2 2011. All packages marked P-963 need to be recalled," the watchdog said.
Rosselkhoznadzor has tightened control over all animal origin products from the United States.