Japanese firms recall contaminated spinach

Three Japanese firms have recalled batches of frozen spinach imported from China after they were found to contain higher-than-permitted levels of the pesticides fenvalerate and chlorpyrifos.

Ajinomoto Frozen Foods, a unit of the Ajinomoto group, said it was recalling all the frozen spinach it had imported from China after it found that fenvalerate levels were twice those permitted under Japanese food laws.

Meanwhile, Marubeni said it had destroyed some 40 tons of Chinese frozen spinach after discovering higher-than-permitted residues of chlorpyrifos. The spinach was used in six different ready meals sold through the Lawson convenience store operator, and Tokyo health officials said the pesticide levels found in the meals were 14 times higher than permitted

Chlorpyrifos is an organic phosphorous insecticide used on apples and pears, and excessive intake can cause convulsions or respiratory difficulties in humans, the officials cautioned. Ajinomoto stressed that the amount of fenvalerate detected in the spinach it had imported from China was not sufficient to cause harm.