Tokyo (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Under orders from the Health Ministry an import-export company has decided to withdraw tonnes of the product after discovering it caused food poisoning in at least 10 people.
The frozen dumplings – produced by a Chinese company in Tianyang, by Hebei Foodstuffs import and export and brought into the country by Japan Tobacco Foods Co. – contained traces of an organic phosphorus insecticide called methamidophos, which caused severe abdominal pains, vomiting and diarrhoea. Three people in Hyogo province and 7 in Chiba, close to Tokyo, fell ill. Among them a 5 year old child who has only recently regained consciousness after a period in coma.
The Japanese Health Ministry has suspended all imposts from Tianyang and ordered the withdrawal of dozens of frozen dumpling from market shelves.
This morning Beijing authorities announced that they will open up an inquest into the episode.
The quality and safety of Chinese exports has been in crises since last year’s discovery of dangerous materials in toothpaste, animal foodstuffs, toys and medicines.