Contaminated rice threatens sake and shochu

Discovery of contaminated rice has led to a health scare in Japan. The rice, found to have twice the legal level of methamidophos, a toxic pesticide, was used to make alcoholic beverages.

Over 1 million bottles of sake and shochu have been recalled after contaminated rice shipments meant for glue factories found their way to breweries and distilleries instead.

Asahi recalled 650,000 bottles of shochu while Nishi Shuzo, which makes the Satsuma Hozan shochu, recalled 300,000 bottles and destroyed 1.17 m bottles in its inventory, worth approximately Yen 400m. According to the Japan Times, the disaster is thought to have cost the shochu and rice cracker industry Yen 2 billion.

Fionnuala Synnott 17/09/08