Fijian corned beef faces temporary ban in Samoa

Probe into allegations of foreign elements found in product

Foods Pacific Limited’s Sales Manager Mohit Shrivastav is currently in Samoa investigating claims that foreign objects were found in Farmers Style Corned Beef. Farmers Style Corned Beef is a product of Foods Pacific Limited, the sale and consumption of which has been temporarily banned in Samoa after foreign elements were claimed to have been found in a can. Samoan media- Talamua Online News reported that Samoan Health Ministry said: “The local suppliers, all supermarkets and retail outlets are advised not to sell the Farmers style Corned Beef to the public until further notice. The Ministry has also emphasized to the public not to consume the product. “The ban is the result a complaint from a family who believed the corned beef they bought from a local shop, looked like ‘body organs’ and not beef.” The website quoted Samoan Health Principal Education and Promotion Officer Siufaga Tuala Tolutasi that their ministry has a standard procedure in dealing with such cases and when the investigation was concluded, they would act upon its findings”. Foods Pacific Limited has refused to comment on the issue, informing the Fiji Sun that their sales manager will be in Samoa till Monday to investigate the matter. Industry, Trade and Tourism Minister Faiyaz Koya said: “We have not received any report yet from the PICTA (Pacific Islands Countries Trade Agreement) with regards to the issue (ban on sale and consumption of the corned beef. “Once we receive the report, we will deal with it. “That’s a newspaper article which has been published and PICTA is responsible of notifying us about the issue,” he said.

Mr Koya said he could not make any further comments unless they get any specific notification and the matter has to be investigated properly.