Recall of Questionable Foods Goes Unheeded

Recall of Questionable Foods Goes Unheeded

A rat's head in a shrimp snack and a razor blade in a tuna can raised public concern over food safety here in March, but it is little known that such foods were not recalled properly due to loose rules and management's failure to act.

According to the Korea Food and Drug Administration's report to Rep. Jeong Ha-gyun of the Pro-Park Alliance, only 7.2 percent of Saewukkang (fried shrimp snack) and 36.4 percent of canned tuna were returned to the makers.

The government asked the food manufacturers to collect all products from the same batch on the market, but since it was not an obligation, the companies largely ignored the request.

Nongshim, the maker of Saewukkang, set out to collect 3,906 kilograms of the snack, a mere 5 percent of the government's required 61,276 kilograms. Once the maker collected 4,434 kilograms, it promoted it as if it had achieved its goals, Jeong said. The same thing happened with Dongwon's canned tuna.

The largest problem occurs when food makers try to cover up the fact that they were required to collect a complete batch of troubled brand foods on the market. From 2005 to June 2008, the food administration has posted 355 recall orders and requested companies to announce the results, but only 16 were undertaken.

We need to change the rules to oblige responsible firms to announce the results of recalls to let the public know about the trouble so they can avoid it. Also opening the recall rate to the public
is essential, Jeong said.