Chicken Firm Inspected Over Mislabeling Meat, Eggs
JAPAN - The Akita prefectural government inspected a food processing company in Odate, Akita Prefecture, on suspicion of selling mislabelled smoked chicken meat and eggs, prefectural government officials said.
22 October 2007
2 minute read
The officials said Hinaidori Co. advertised its smoked products as being made from a special breed of locally produced poultry known as Hinaidori chicken, but in fact did not use the breed. The company also is suspected of violating the Food Sanitation Law.
Hinaidori President Seiichi Fujiwara told the officials that his company did not use any Hinaidori chickens in its smoked meat and eggs, admitting that it began falsely labeling such products more than 10 years ago.
According to the officials, inspectors from the Odate health center inspected the company Tuesday after a tip from an anonymous person the previous day.
On Saturday, officials from the prefectural government visited the company and questioned Fujiwara and three of the company's 16 employees.
The employees told the officials that they used chicken from farmers and companies in the area.
Source: DailyYomiuriOnline
