Rat parts were found inside bread manufactured by Japanese company

 

A major Japanese food supplier, Pasco Shikishima Corporation, has recalled over 100,000 packs of its popular sliced white bread after rat parts were found inside some loaves. The recall affects the company's "chojuku" bread, known for its extra chewy texture, which was manufactured at a factory in western Tokyo.

The company announced the recall after two packets of bread were found to contain parts of a small animal, later confirmed to be a rat. No one has fallen sick after consuming the product, but the company is investigating how the rat parts ended up in the bread.

The recall is the latest in a series of food safety scandals to hit Japan, which has a reputation for reliable food exports. In recent years, there have been instances of food tampering, contamination, and mislabeling, including a scandal involving Toyota-owned automaker Daihatsu Motor Co., which admitted to tampering with safety tests for 30 years.

Pasco Shikishima Corporation is a major supplier of baked goods, employing over 3,700 staff at 12 factories across Japan. The company has apologized for the incident and is working to determine the cause and implement countermeasures.

The recall has sparked a flurry of comments on social media, with customers expressing shock and disappointment. Some have referenced an advertisement for the bread, which features a family declaring their love of good toast and a voice-over saying, "We put nothing unnecessary in it." Others have made sarcastic comments, with one user writing, "I bet it tastes good for small animals too."

The incident has raised concerns about food safety in Japan, with some customers expressing worry about the reliability of the country's food exports. The recall is a reminder that even in a country known for its attention to detail and quality control, food safety incidents can still occur.

Pasco Shikishima Corporation has said that the recalled product is not sold overseas, but the incident has sparked a wider conversation about food safety and the importance of quality control in the food industry. The company's swift action in recalling the product and investigating the incident has been praised by some, but others are calling for greater transparency and accountability in the food industry.