Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Office of Import Food Safety,
Food Inspection and Safety Division,
Pharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau,
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Inspection Results of Imported Foods Monitoring
and Guidance Plan for FY 2018

Interim Report

December 2018
Food Inspection and Safety Division
Pharmaceutical Safety and Environmental Health Bureau
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Inspection Results of Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan for FY 2018 (Interim Report)

1. Introduction

In order to ensure the safety of foods, etc., imported into Japan (hereinafter, “imported foods”), the government established the Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan for 2018 (hereinafter, “the Plan”) as per the regulations of Article 23, paragraph 1 of the Food Sanitation Act (Act No. 233, 1947; hereinafter, “the Act”), and monitoring and guidance for imported foods is being conducted based upon the Plan.
(The Plan is formulated based on the Guidelines for Monitoring and Guidance for Food Sanitation (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notification No. 301 of 2003) after conducting collection of public comments and risk communication. The plan is published in the Official Gazette as an official report according to the regulations of Article 23, paragraph 3 of the Act.)
This document publishes an outline of the implementation status of the monitoring and guidance for imported foods, conducted in accordance with the plan, for the period from April to September 2018.

Reference: Website on “For the Safety of Imported Food”
http://www.mhlw.go.jp/topics/yunyu/tp0130-1.html

Safety of Imported Food

2. Overview of the Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan for FY 2018

(1) What is the Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan?

It is the plan for the implementation of monitoring and guidance for the import of foods by the Japanese government as stipulated by Article 23, paragraph 1 of the Act.

[Purpose] To further ensure the safety of imported foods by the national government promoting intensive, effective and efficient monitoring and guidance for imported foods and importers.

(2) Principles for Monitoring and Guidance on Imported Foods

Under the Article 4 of the Food Safety Basic Act (Act No.48 of 2003) (that is, Food safety shall be ensured by taking the necessary measures appropriately at each stage of the domestic and overseas Food Supply Processes.), the Plan is prepared in order that three stages of food safety measures are taken, namely, in the exporting country, at the time of importation, and at the time of domestic distribution.

(3) Priority Items for Monitoring and Guidance

*1: Systematic inspections based on statistical approach considering that take into account the volume of imports, violation rates and other factors, for each food type, in order to broadly monitor a wide variety of imported foods.

*2: Inspection for products with a high probability of violation where an inspection is ordered for the importer, and import and distribution is not permitted without the results being in compliance with the Act (Article 26 of the Act).

*3: Regulations by which the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may prohibit the sale or import of specified foods, without inspections, in cases where it is deemed specifically necessary from the perspective of preventing harm to public health (Articles 8 and 17 of the Act).

(4) Promotion of Foods Safety Measures in Exporting Countries
(5) Guidance for Importers on Voluntary Safety Control

3. Results of Imported Foods Monitoring and Guidance Plan for FY 2018 (Interim Report: Tentative)

Figures in brackets are for the same period in the previous year.

The number of import notifications made from April through September of 2018 was 1,228,569 [1,225,011], and the weight of notified items was 12,197 thousand tons [12,255 thousand tons] (Table 1).

　Inspections were carried out on 103,262 items [102,756 items] (monitoring inspections on 30,496 items [29,709 items], ordered inspection on 28,842 items [30,130 items], and independence inspection on 45,769 items [46,119 items], deducting duplicates) of these, 385 cases [384 cases] were found to be in violation of the Act, and steps were taken for their reshipment, disposal, etc.

　Regarding violations categorized by provision, violations of Article 11 of the Act (compositional standards for food (microbial, agricultural chemical residues and veterinary drug residues) and standards for the use of additives in food, etc.) were the most common in 249 cases, followed by 124 cases in violation of Article 6 (adhesion of hazardous or toxic substances such as aflatoxin, cyanide), 14 cases in violation of Article 18 (standards for apparatus or containers and packaging), 9 cases in violation of Article 10 (use of undesignated additives), 2 cases in violation of Article 9 (absence of health certificates of meat) (Table 2).

　Monitoring inspection was conducted for 30,496 cases (60,295 cases compared to the planned cumulative total of 98,521 (implementation rate: approx. 61%)), and of which, 82 cases (running total of 84 cases) were confirmed to be in violation of the Act, and steps were taken for their recalls, etc. (Table 3). For imported foods that were found to be in violation of the Act by monitoring inspection, the inspection rate to 30% as necessary, to identify probable of violations (Table 4). Additionally, for imported foods that are considered to have a high probability of violating the Act, inspections were strengthened by making them subject of ordered inspections (Table 5).

　As of September 30, 2018, 17 items from all exporting countries and 70 items from 30 countries and 1 region were made subject to ordered inspection, and inspection was carried out for 28.842 cases (running total of 43,386 cases). Of these, violation of the Act was found in 118 cases (running total of 118 cases), and steps were taken for their reshipment or disposal, etc. (Table 6).

　As an emergency measures based on information from overseas, etc., reshipment, etc., was carried out for natural cheese contaminated with Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26 from France, and wheat suspected to be contaminated with unauthorized genetically modified wheat from Canada. In addition, based on the information that food poisoning cases caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus suspected to be caused by raw consumption sea urchin from china have occurred in Japan, independence inspection was carried out for raw consumption sea urchin from the suspected manufacture. (Table 7).

Table 1. Notification, Inspection and Violation (AprSep 2018: Tentative)
Notifications
(cases)*1		 Imported Weight
(thousand tons)*1		 Inspections*2
(cases)		 Proportion
*3
(%)		 Violations
(cases)		 Proportion
*3
(%)
1,228,569 12,197 103,262 (28,842) *4 8.4 385 0.03
(FY2017)
1,225,011		 12,255 102,756 8.4 384 0.03

*1 Cargoes of planned Import System (excluding time of first importation.) are not included.

*2 Inspections by authorities, registered inspection organizations and foreign official laboratories, deducting duplicates.

*3 Proportion as compared to notifications.

*4 Number of ordered inspections.

Table 2. Violations by Legal Provision (Apr­Sep 2018: Tentative)
Provision violated Violations
(cases) 		Proportion (%) Brief details of Violations
Article 6
(Foods and Additives prohibited to distribute) 		124 31.2 Aflatoxin contamination in almonds, peanuts, dried fig, corn, pistachio nuts etc.; decay, deterioration and fungus formation due to accidents during the transport of wheat, rice, coffee beans, buckwheatetc. detection of cyanide from cassava processed products, etc; detection of methanol from brandy etc.,
Article 9
(Limitation on distribution, etc. of diseased meat) 		2 0.5 No health certificate attached or incomplete
Article 10
(Limitation of distribution, etc. of additives) 		9 2.3 Use of undesignated additives (cyclamic acid, azorubin, patent blue, carmine, TBHQ)
Article 11
(Standards and criteria for foods and additives) 		249 62.6 Violation of standards for constituents for vegetables or frozen vegetables (excess of standards on residual agricultural chemicals), violation of standards for constituents for meat, aquatic foods and processed products (excess of standards on residual veterinary drugs, excess of standards on residual agricultural chemicals), violation of standards for constituents for other processed products (coliform bacteria positive, etc.), violation of criteria on use of additives (sulfur dioxide, tar dye, etc.), violation of standards for constituents for additives, detection of unauthorized genetically modified, etc.
Article 18
(Standards and criteria for apparatus, containers and packaging) 		14 3.5 Violation of standards for apparatus, containers and packaging
Total 398(Gross )*1
385(Actual )*2		  

*1 Gross number of inspection cases by inspected substances

*2 Number of notification cases for which inspections were carried out

Table 3. Implementation of Monitoring Inspections (AprSep 2018: Tentative)
Food Groups Inspected Substances *1 Planned Number in FY*2 Actual Number Violations
Livestock Foods
Beef, pork, chicken, horse meat,
other poultry meat, etc.		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 2,178 1,184 0
Residual agricultural chemicals 1,221 1,022 0
Additives 118 76 0
Pathogenic microorganism 657 374 0
Standards for constituents 385 252 0
Radiation irradiation 29 20 0
Removal of SRM - 1,030 2
Processed Livestock Foods
Natural cheeses, processed meat
products, ice cream, frozen (meat)
products, etc.		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 2,266 1,288 1
Residual agricultural chemicals 1,637 1,074 0
Additives 1,247 803 0
Pathogenic microorganism 3,704 2,225 0
Standards for constituents 2,057 1,327 4
Radiation irradiation - 3 0
Aquatic Foods
Bivalves, fish, crustacea(shrimps,
crabs), etc.		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 2,057 1,162 0
Residual agricultural chemicals 1,458 1,080 0
Additives 297 179 0
Pathogenic microorganism 1,194 764 0
Standards for constituents 324 266 0
Genetically modified food 59 54 0
Radiation irradiation 64 28 0
Processed Aquatic Foods
Processed fish products (fillet, dried
or minced fish, etc.), frozen food
(aquatic animals, fish), processed
marine product eggs, etc.		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 3,873 2,799 0
Residual agricultural chemicals 3,423 2,763 0
Additives 1,594 1,340 1
Pathogenic microorganism 3,851 2,575 0
Standards for constituents 5,825 3,221 25
Mycotoxins - 1 0
Radiation irradiation - 6 0
Agricultural Foods
Vegetables, fruits, wheat, maize,
pulses, peanuts, nuts, seeds, etc.		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 2,170 1,852 0
Residual agricultural chemicals 9,999 5,889 16
Additives 534 483 3
Pathogenic microorganism 1,434 1,191 0
Standards for constituents 355 226 0
Mycotoxins 2,297 1,371 7
Genetically modified food 443 269 0
Radiation irradiation 119 86 0
Processed Agricultural Foods
Frozen food(vegetables),
processed vegetable products,
processed fruit products, spices,
instant noodles, etc		 Antibacterial substances, etc. 299 419 0
Residual agricultural chemicals 7,040 5,183 6
Additives 4,761 3,487 0
Pathogenic microorganism 2,210 1,415 1
Standards for constituents 3,518 2,512 10
Mycotoxins 2,535 1,716 1
Genetically modified food 302 178 0
Radiation irradiation 448 265 0
Other Foods
Health foods, soups, seasonings,
confectionery, cooking oil and fat,
frozen food, etc.		 Residual agricultural chemicals 1,074 743 0
Additives 3,883 2,409 0
Pathogenic microorganism - 2 0
Standards for constituents 1,196 498 4
Mycotoxins 656 418 0
Genetically modified food - 3 0
Beverages
Mineral waters, soft drinks,
alcoholic drinks, etc.		 Residual agricultural chemicals 118 126 0
Additives 1,075 762 1
Standards for constituents 657 442 0
Mycotoxins 118 97 0
Additives / Apparatus, containers and packaging / Toys Standards for constituents 1,762 1,337 2

Total (gross)

 98,521*2

60,295*3
Implementation
rate of 61%

84*3

*1: Examples of inspected substances

*2：10,000 cases planned as enhanced monitoring were added to the number of items by item of each food groups

*3：Running total of Inspected Substances. Actual number is 30,496（Monitoring Inspections）, and 82（Violations）

Table 4. Items Subject to Enhanced Monitoring Inspections*1(Apr-Sep 2018*2 )
Country/Region Subject Item Inspected Substances
China Green soybean Difenoconazole, Haloxyfop
Broccoli Haloxyfop , Metolachlor
Red pepper Propiconazole
Chrysanthemum flower Chlorpyrifos
Perilla Atrazine
Buckwheat Haloxyfop
Rape flower Haloxyfop
Parsley Chlorfenapyr
Australia Broad beans Fluquinconazole
Apple juice Patulin
Thailand Durian Metalaxyl and Mefenoxam
Boiled crab for raw consumption Vibrio parahaemolyticus*2
Philippines Banana Fipronil
Boiled crab for raw consumption Vibrio parahaemolyticus *3
Peru Quinoa Methamidophos
Corns Methamidophos
Iran Processed pistachio nut product Aflatoxin
Ghana Cacao beans Chlorpyrifos
Cambodia Coffee beans Chlorpyrifos
Taiwan Bee larva Oxytetracycline
Turkey Processed almond product Aflatoxin
Paraguay Chia seed Aflatoxin
USA Raspberry Etoxazole
Vietnam Straw mushroom Chlorpyrifos
Mexico Red pepper Propiconazole
Russia Honey Chloramphenicol

*1 Include the Items which were rescinded from inspection order, and exclude the items which were transferred to inspection order.

*2 Item which all (100%) import declarations were inspected as a measure to enhance inspections during the summer period, (Jun-Oct 2018).

*3 Item which 30% of import declarations were inspected as a measure to enhance inspections during the summer period, (Jun-Oct 2018)

Table 5. Items transferred to Inspection Order (Apr-Sep 2018)
Country/Region Subject Item Inspected Substances
China Ginger Thiamethoxam
Sorghum Aflatoxin
Ghana Cacao beans Fenvalerate
France Natural cheese Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli
O26
Myanmar Sesame seeds Aflatoxin
Table 6. Major Items subject to Ordered Inspections and Inspection Outcomes (Apr-Sep 2016: Tentative)
Country/Region Major subject item Major Inspected Substances Inspections violations
All exporting countries
(17 items)		 Almond, Chili pepper, Peanut, etc. Aflatoxin 6,105 64
Cassava, Beans containing cyanide Cyanide 226 3
Salted salmon roe Nitrite 123 0
China
(16 items)		 Vegetables (Green soybean, Onion, Spinach, etc.), Lychees, Short-neck clam Endrin, Chlorpyrifos,
Difenoconazole Thiamethoxam,
Dieldrin (including aldrin),
4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid,
Prometryn, etc.		 11,896 14
Bivalves Paralytic shellfish poison,
Diarrhetic shellfish poison		 4,030 0
All processed products Cyclamic acid 340 0
Eel, Soft-shelled turtle Enrofloxacin, Oxolinic acid,
Sulfadimidine		 66 0
Lotus seed, Sorghum Aflatoxin 24 0
South Korea
(12 items)		 Bivalves Paralytic shellfish poison,
Diarrhetic shellfish poison		 103 0
Tomato, Cherry tomato Fluquinconazole 34 0
Cultured olive flounder Enrofloxacin, Oxytetracycline 2 0
Arch shell Vibrio parahaemolyticus(MPN) 1 0
USA
(8 items)		 Dried dates, Corn, Pistachio Aflatoxin 1,747 10
Celery Bifenthrin 371 0
Natural cheese Listeria monocytogenes 3 0
Thailand
(7 items)		 Okra, Green asparagus,
Banana, Mango, Mangosteen		 EPN, Imazalil, Chlorpyrifos,
Cypermethrin, Propiconazole,		 708 0
Boiled crab Vibrio parahaemolyticus 31 0
Italy
(6 items)		 Processed almond products Aflatoxin 57 0
Natural cheese Listeria monocytogenes 15 0
Rice Pirimiphos-methyl 7 0
Philippines
(5 items)		 Okra, Mango Chlorpyrifos, Cypermethrin,
Phenthoate etc.		 123 0
Tuna Salmonella spp. 120 2
Vietnam
(5 items)		 Squid, Shrimp, Filefish Enrofloxacin, Chloramphenicol,
Sulfadiazine, Furazolidone		 14,807 9
All processed products Cyclamic acid 76 0
Fishery foods Shigella 6 0

Other (23 countries and 1 region, total 30 items)

 2,365 16

Total (Gross)*1
(Actual)*2

43,386
28,842

118
118

*1 Gross number of Itemized cases violations

*2 Item number of the consultation to be a violation of the law

Table 7. Major Enhanced Monitoring based on Overseas Information (Apr-Sep 2016)
Month of
enhancement		 Subject
country		 Subject food and details Background and status
May France

Natural cheese
(Contamination with Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26)

Information was received stating that in the France a manufacturer was conducting voluntary recall of natural cheese for contamination with Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O26. When an import notification was made for such recall products, steps were taken for reshipment, etc.
Jun Canada

Wheat
(Unauthorized genetically modified wheat)

Information was received stating that unauthorized genetically modified wheat was confirmed in Canada. When an import notification was made for wheat from Canada, steps were taken for the inspection.
Sep. China

Raw consumption sea urchin
(Contamination with Vibrio parahaemolyticus)

Information was received stating that food poisoning cases caused by Vibrio parahaemolyticus suspected to be caused by raw consumption sea urchin from china have occurred in Japan. When an import notification was made for raw consumption sea urchin from the suspected manufacture, steps were taken for the independence inspection.
(Reference) Description of Key Terms
Term Description
Atrazine Agricultural chemical (triazine herbicide)
Aflatoxin Mycotoxin (produced by the fungus Aspergillus, etc.)
Genetic modification Technology such as fragmentation of bacterial genes, followed by arrangement of the gene sequences or introducing the arranged genes into other organism’s genes.
Imazalil Agricultural chemical (imidazole fungicide)
Etoxazole Agricultural chemical (oxazoline insecticide)
Endrin Agricultural chemical (organochlorine insecticide)
Enrofloxacin Veterinary drug (new quinolone synthetic antibacterial agent)
Oxytetracycline Veterinary drug (tetracycline antibiotical agent)
Oxolinic acid Veterinary drug (quinolone synthetic antibacterial agent)
Chloramphenicol Veterinary drug (chloramphenicol antibiotical agent)
Chlorpyrifos Agricultural chemical (organophosphorus insecticide)
Chlorfenapyr Agricultural chemical (Insecticide with pyrrole ring)
Diarrhetic shellfish toxin Shellfish poison (mainly refers to toxins produced by a harmful plankton accumulated in bivalves)
Salmonella spp. Pathogenic microorganism (A bacterium that is ubiquitous in the intestines of animals as well as in nature, such as rivers, sewage and lakes. It contaminates meat, mostly poultry and eggs, and causes acute abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever and vomiting.)
Cyanide Harmful or poisonous compound (cyanide-related compounds (e.g., cyanogenic glycoside) found in vegetables such as some varieties of beans.
Difenoconazole Agricultural chemical (triazole fungicide)
Cypermethrin Agricultural chemical (pyrethroid insecticide)
Sulfadiazine Veterinary drug (synthetic antibacterial agent)
Sulfadimidine Veterinary drug (synthetic antibacterial agent)
Thiamethoxam Agricultural chemical (neonicotinoid insecticide)
Vibrio parahaemolyticus Pathogenic microorganism (A bacterium living in seawater (estuaries, coastal areas, etc.) that commonly contaminates fish and shellfish, and causes abdominal pain, watery diarrhea, fever and vomiting.)
Enterohemorrhagic E. coli Pathogenic microorganism (A bacterium that normally lives in the intestines of animals. It contaminates foods and drinking water by way of feces and urine, and causes acute abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea together with large amounts of blood after early cold-like symptoms.)
Dieldrin (including aldrin) Agricultural chemical (organochlorine insecticide)
Deoxynivalenol Mycotoxin (produced by the fungus Fusarium)
Sulfur dioxide Additive (antioxidant agents)
Patulin Mycotoxin (produced by fungi such as Penicillium and Aspergillus,etc.)
Haloxyfop Agricultural chemical (herbicide)
Bifenthrin Agricultural chemical (pyrethroid insecticide)
Pirimiphos-methyl Agricultural chemical (organophosphorus insecticide)
Fipronil Agricultural chemical (phenylpyrazole synergist）
Phenthoate Agricultural chemical (Organophosphorus insecticide）
Furazolidone Veterinary drug (nitrofuran synthetic antibacterial agent),generates AOZ when metabolized
Fluquinconazole Agricultural chemical (triazole fungicide)
Propiconazole Agricultural chemical (triazole fungicide )
Prometryn Agricultural chemical (triazine herbicide)
Paralytic shellfish poison Shellfish poison (mainly refers to toxins produced by a harmful plankton accumulated in clams)
Methamidophos Agricultural chemical (organophosphorus insecticide)
Metalaxyl and Mefenoxam Agricultural chemical (anilide fungicide)
Metolachlor Agricultural chemical (acid amide herbicides)
Listeria monocytogenes Pathogenic microorganism (A normal flora in the natural environment that contaminates daily products and processed meat products, and causes influenza-like symptoms including tiredness and fever)
4-Chlorophenoxyacetic acid Agricultural chemical (plant growth regulator)
EPN Agricultural chemical (organophosphorus insecticide)
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