Present status of inspection systems for imported rice in Japan

Abstract

As Japan suffered damage caused by cold weather, rice production dropped to 26% below normal last year and Japan decided to import rice from foreign countries such as Thailand, the USA, China and Australia. Three inspection stages have been carried out to assure the safety of the rice before permission to import into Japan is given: 1) inspection of the rice by the Overseas Merchandise Inspection Co. Ltd. (OMIC) located in the exporting country for various kinds of pesticides, toxic heavy metals and aflatoxins, 2) rice samples in the same lot are sent to Japan by air for further analyses of the same contaminants mentioned above by the Japan Grain Inspection Association, 3) if the inspection results show no violation of Japan Food Sanitation Acts, the rice is shipped to Japan, and the third inspection is conducted by the Quarantine Office according to the Food Sanitation Acts, and by the Plant Quarantine Station and the Food Agency. The rice is then permitted to be imported if no problems are detected. Test items in Quarantine Centers are for 61 pesticides established by Japan Food Sanitation Acts and other pesticides suspected to be used in the exported countries, and aflatoxins. As of July, no samples contained more than the maximum residue limits of these chemicals.