Over one lakh packets of sliced bread were recalled in Japan after the manufacturer Pasco Shikishima said that rat remains were found inside some loaves, as per a report in the Independent. The company is now investigating how parts of "a small animal" got inside two packets of sliced bread. Pasco Shikishima further informed that no one has reported falling ill after consuming the sliced white Chojuku bread.
"We would like to apologise deeply for causing trouble to our customers and clients. We will strengthen our quality management system to ensure there won't be a recurrence," the company said in a statement.
They added, "We will recall the products below that were produced on the same factory line and halt the line in question in the meantime to determine the cause and implement countermeasures. We express our sincere gratitude for your exceptional choice of our products."
The firm stated that they were discovered in a batch of white "chojuku" bread, which is a type of hyper-fermented bread with an exceptionally chewy texture, produced by a plant located in the western prefecture of Tokyo. The factory in Tokyo has been suspended and a probe has also been ordered.
Notably, there have been other food scares in Japan in recent years besides this recall. As per a report in CNN, several deaths in March prompted Japanese health officials to request the recall of three nutritional supplements made by large pharmaceutical manufacturer Kobayashi Pharmaceutical. Over a hundred other people were hospitalised.
According to Reuters, food supplier Warabeya Nichiyo said in August last year that two cases of cockroaches were discovered in rice balls it supplied to a 7-Eleven convenience shop in Saitama, north of Tokyo.
