Mexico bans U.S. lettuce
Mexico bans U.S. lettuce
The Mexican government has taken the unprecedented action of banning all imports of U.S. lettuce, according to alerts issued by the Produce Marketing Association and the United Fresh Produce Association.
The ban was effective Monday, Oct. 9, and according to the Mexican commissioner of health promotion, was prompted by the recent precautionary recall of 8,533 boxes of California lettuce from one shipper. In addition to closing its borders to U.S. lettuce, the Mexican government has also ordered stores to remove all U.S. lettuce from their shelves and urged Mexicans not to consume any lettuce imported from the United States, according to the PMA notice.
The Mexican government gave no information on when the ban might be lifted, why it covered all U.S. lettuce, or why it was taking this severe action based on a precautionary recall by one shipper, The Nunes Co. in Salinas, CA -- especially when those actions were praised Monday by regulatory officials at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for taking preventive action and recalling the lettuce despite no evidence of a health threat, the PMA and United alerts said.
"The government of Mexico's announcement to ban imports of all U.S. lettuce is surprising since none of the recalled product was shipped to Mexico, 97 percent of the recalled product has already been confiscated, and the recall involved only "green leaf lettuce sold under one brand harvested from one farm, shipped only from October 3 through October 6," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in his association's alert. "This reaction is of great concern because it isn't in line with the actual facts of the recall, and it is actually counterproductive to advancing food safety as it punishes responsible, preventative actions aimed at protecting public health."
The ban was effective Monday, Oct. 9, and according to the Mexican commissioner of health promotion, was prompted by the recent precautionary recall of 8,533 boxes of California lettuce from one shipper. In addition to closing its borders to U.S. lettuce, the Mexican government has also ordered stores to remove all U.S. lettuce from their shelves and urged Mexicans not to consume any lettuce imported from the United States, according to the PMA notice.
The Mexican government gave no information on when the ban might be lifted, why it covered all U.S. lettuce, or why it was taking this severe action based on a precautionary recall by one shipper, The Nunes Co. in Salinas, CA -- especially when those actions were praised Monday by regulatory officials at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for taking preventive action and recalling the lettuce despite no evidence of a health threat, the PMA and United alerts said.
"The government of Mexico's announcement to ban imports of all U.S. lettuce is surprising since none of the recalled product was shipped to Mexico, 97 percent of the recalled product has already been confiscated, and the recall involved only "green leaf lettuce sold under one brand harvested from one farm, shipped only from October 3 through October 6," United Fresh President Tom Stenzel said in his association's alert. "This reaction is of great concern because it isn't in line with the actual facts of the recall, and it is actually counterproductive to advancing food safety as it punishes responsible, preventative actions aimed at protecting public health."
