Voluntary food recalls tripled in '07

Kyodo
Feb 9, 2008

The number of voluntary food recalls more than tripled in 2007 because of false-labeling scandals, according to a food safety inspection body.

The number of recalls initiated by manufacturers and retailers jumped to 756 from 237 in 2006, the Food and Agricultural Materials Inspection Center said Thursday. In 2005, there were 302, the state-affiliated body said.

Analysts said the number of recalls swelled as consumer confidence in food safety deteriorated following a spate of labeling scandals involving falsely advertised ingredients and altered use-by dates.

But the figure could shoot up further because of the fears being generated by the food-poisoning outbreak involving Chinese-made "gyoza" dumplings, the analysts said.

In 2007, labeling scandals, including falsification of use-by dates, topped the list of reasons for issuing recalls at 322 cases, or 42 percent of the total, followed by incomplete labeling in which additives were omitted, accounting for 111 cases, or 15 percent, and poor quality, which accounted for 102 cases, or 13 percent.