On the 4th, the General Administration of Customs of China issued an announcement stating that recently, Chinese customs detected excessive levels of zearalenone and total mold count in imported U.S. sorghum, and salmonella in imported U.S. poultry meat and bone meal.
The announcement said that to protect the health of Chinese consumers and the safety of livestock production, and in accordance with the "Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" and its implementation regulations, the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine" and its implementation regulations, the "Supervision and Administration Measures for the Inspection and Quarantine of Grain Entering and Leaving the Country", and the "Supervision and Administration Measures for the Inspection and Quarantine of Feed and Feed Additives Entering and Leaving the Country", as well as the relevant provisions of the World Trade Organization's "Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures", it has been decided to suspend the import qualifications of the involved company C&D (USA) INC. for sorghum and suspend the import qualifications of American Proteins, Inc., Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc., and DARLING INGREDIENTS INC. for poultry meat and bone meal from the date of this announcement.
Additionally, in another announcement, the General Administration of Customs pointed out that recently, Chinese customs have repeatedly detected the legally prohibited drug furazolidone in imported U.S. chicken products. To protect consumer health and safety, based on the "Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" and its implementation regulations, the "Management Measures on the Safety of Imported and Exported Food", and other related regulations, it has been decided to suspend the import qualifications of Mountaire Farms of Delaware, Inc. and Coastal Processing, LLC for poultry products from the date of this announcement.
A relevant official from the General Administration of Customs stated that the measures taken by the administration are necessary, scientific, and reasonable, in line with China's relevant laws and regulations, and are also consistent with international common practices.
The authorities pointed out that zearalenone is a fungal toxin produced by various fusarium species, which, if entering the food chain through feed, can pose a threat to both animal and human health. Salmonella is a zoonotic bacterium, and animals consuming contaminated feed may suffer reduced performance or death, while consumers eating contaminated animal products may experience symptoms such as diarrhea, and in severe cases, it may cause death.