China's quality supervisor is suspending the import of Irish pork products
and animal feed over concerns the food may be contaminated with a potentially
harmful chemical.
The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine
(AQSIQ) also urged local entry-exit inspection and quarantine inspectors to
recall and return pork products already in China if they were made in Ireland
after Sept. 1.
Statistics showed China has imported 2,047 tons of pork products since
September.
The ban went in to effect on Monday. AQSIQ hasn't said when it will be
lifted.
On Dec. 6, Ireland announced its pork products were suspected to be tainted
with dioxin, a chemical derived from petroleum and believed to be adverse to
human health.
Irish authorities started to recall possibly contaminated pork products made
after Sept. 1 and suspended pork export to China.