BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Government has banned the importation of corned beef into the Federation following concerns with meat – emanating from Brazil – which has been used in these items.
Concerns were raised by governments in the region over the quality of meat used by processors to produce the corned beef.
Reports out of the South American country indicated that bribes were paid to auditors by the processors to obtain false sanitary licences and they were accused of using rotten meat and poultry in their products.
In a statement released today (Mar. 24), Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Hazel Laws confirmed what had been widely reported, that the ban was going to be implemented.
According to Dr. Laws’ statement, a meeting of the National Agriculture, Health & Food Safety Advisory Committee, was called yesterday and the following consensus was reached:
“(1) To impose a temporary ban on the importation of all animal and animal products from Brazil as we have lost confidence in that country’s certification process for the export of meat.
“ (2) To remove/withdraw from the shelves all corned beef imported from and originating in Brazil, for detention until we have received more information on the specific batch numbers and companies that are implicated in the packaging of rotten beef in that country.”
This action comes in the wake of similar decisions being made in St. Lucia, Dominica and Jamaica, among others.
Dr. Laws noted that the action was taken as a precaution measures to protect the general population from “potentially tainted products”.
The National Agriculture Health & Food Safety Advisory Committee is comprised of representatives of the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, the Department of Consumer Affairs, the Bureau of Standards and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department.
