April 28 2009 (FoodBizDaily) -
In another precautionary action against the swine flu virus threat in the US and Mexico, now is China to prohibit US and Mexican imports of live pigs and pork products.
Shipments from April 26 will be returned or destroyed, and those before April 26 will undergo virus checks before entering China.
China is the world's biggest pork producer and consumer, and is mostly self-sufficient in pork products, except last year when an outbreak of blue ear disease in the country made it buy US pork products. Pork forms 60% of China's total meat consumption.
Swine flu has claimed over 100 lives in Mexico. The US and Canada have reported cases of infections, with possible cases in Israel, Europe, and New Zealand. The epidemic has been declared a "public health emergency of international concern" by the World Health Organisation.
FoodBizDaily.com - Staff writer