RIYADH: Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA) said on Tuesday it was closely monitoring Japanese food and animal-feed imports to screen products as a response to the nuclear disaster there.
Foodstuffs from Japan will not be allowed into the country unless they come with certificates from the country's health and safety authorities confirming that they conform to international standards pertaining to radiation.
The Kingdom launched an inspection drive to check radiation on food imported from Japan following the March 11 earthquake that caused high levels of radiation leaks from nuclear reactors.
All food imports originating from areas affected are completely blocked.
The SFDA assured consumers that Japanese food products currently available in the Saudi market are safe.
Countries such as Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, India, Singapore and parts of China have begun screening the imported Japanese food for radiation. Italy banned all Japanese food imports outright.The European Union has also issued an alert recommending radiation checks on all imports that have come out of Japan since March 15.
© Arab News 2011
