06.09.2008

Mexico - USA

The government of Mexico has voluntarily suspended shipments of meat and processed poultry to the United States after U.S. officials raised concerns about the quality of Mexican food processing and inspections.
The department's Food Safety and Inspection Service identified systemic problems with sanitation controls and recordkeeping during an annual audit that took place in Mexico between June 24 and July 31.
The voluntary suspension began Aug. 29. About 2% of beef and poultry in the U.S. comes from Mexican producers.
It was not known how long the suspension would last as Mexico takes steps to improve food safety.