TOKYO — In Japan, a popular brand of sliced white bread is undergoing a recall due to the inadvertent inclusion of rat parts in some loaves.
Pasco Shikishima Corp., a major food supplier based in Nagoya, is recalling 104,000 packs of its Pasco bread from 15 prefectures after discovering what appeared to be a small animal part in a batch of super fermented “chojuku” bread produced at a factory west of Tokyo. While the contaminated products have already been recalled, the company is also recalling other items produced on the same line. Furthermore, the line will be temporarily suspended to investigate the cause and enhance countermeasures.
A company spokesperson confirmed to NBC News that the contamination came from a “small black rat.” The company issued a statement on Tuesday apologizing for the inconvenience and trouble caused to customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Fortunately, there have been no reports of consumers falling ill due to this issue.
This recall adds to a series of food safety incidents in Japan, a country known for its high standards of cleanliness. Earlier in March, major drug maker Kobayashi Pharmaceutical was instructed to recall three dietary supplement products containing red yeast rice, which were linked to five deaths and over 100 hospitalizations.
In a separate incident last year, police arrested several individuals following a string of pranks known as “sushi terrorism.” In these incidents, diners at Japan’s conveyor belt restaurants filmed themselves engaging in unhygienic behavior such as licking the rim of a cup before returning it and spraying food with hand sanitizer.
Regarding the rat-part recall, commenters on the social media platform X showed support for the brand but also expressed some hesitation. One commenter mentioned having Pasco products at home “and have been eating them normally.”