Poultry products must be packaged beginning 2008

KOREA - All poultry products in the nation`s food supply chain must be sealed in packages beginning in 2008, the government said yesterday.

To raise food safety standards, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry said its revised bill to be submitted to the National Assembly in June will apply the standard in two stages.

First, in 2007, the estimated 80,000 ducks and chickens slaughtered each day in Korea must be packaged.

Several ducks or chickens may be placed in a container, or a single duck or chicken could be vacuumed packed with a stamp of approval showing the butcher`s name and address.

By 2008, all poultry in grocery stores or traditional markets must be individually packaged.

Operators of meat shops will be required to hold a special meat handling license.

The revised bill also calls for the labeling of the bird`s origin, such as whether it is domestic or imported.

Source: Korea Herald