Japanese recall initiated due to rodent components detected in sliced white bread.
A fresh panic has joined the long list of food safety issues haunting Japan's booming economy, renowned for its fine-tuned food exports.
In a statement, Pasco Shikishima Corporation is on the case of discovering how a piece of a small creature made its way into two portions of sliced bread, reassuring that no one has fallen sick from eating the tainted loaves as yet.
Later, they admitted to CNN that the remnants belonged to a rodent.
This incident involved a batch of white "chojuku" bread, a popular variety famous for its extra chewy texture, manufactured by a western Tokyo prefecture factory.
The corporation promised to recall all products produced on the same assembly line and temporarily halt the line to determine the cause and rectify the issue. The recall includes around 104,000 packs.
"We deeply appreciate your preference for our products," the statement grinned.
The compromised product doesn't see the light of day overseas, shared a company representative.
Japanese natives often opt for white bread as an alternative to their traditional cuisine when craving Western-style meals, called "yoshoku."
Pasco, with a history dating back to 1920, has a nationwide reach, employing thousands at bakeries scattered all over the country.
The recall isn't the only food trial faced by Japan lately.
In a March scare, authorities withdrew three dietary supplements by Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, one of Japan’s major drug makers, after several deaths were reported. Over a hundred others ended up hospitalized.
Warabeya Nichiyo, a food provider, shocked the public with two instances of cockroaches found in their rice balls, which were sold at a Saitama 7-Eleven convenience store, north of Tokyo.
Simonized food chains, serving the world-famous beef rice bowls and sushi, had to endure "food terrorism" pranks involving people licking shared soy sauce containers or using used chopsticks for communal ginger.
Pasco's recall has sparked a storm on social media, with customers conflicted between their fondness for the products and the horrific find.
One of the affected users said, "I was planning to freeze them past the expiration date when the news came... I loved the chojuku the most."
Some targeted the company by mocking their previous ad.
A 15-second commercial revolving around an excited family celebrating their love for toasted bread in the morning with a voice-over claim: "We don't put any undesirable items in it."
One user remarked cynically, "I love chojuku bread. It's safe and contains no dubious additives. I also feed it to my child."
"I guess it's tasty for small animals too," they quipped.
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In response to the rodent contamination, Pasco Shikishima Corporation is initiating a food business recall of around 104,000 packs of their white bread.
Despite facing food safety challenges, Pasco continues to operate as a thriving entity in Japan's food business, with a broad national reach.
Source: edition.cnn.com
