Covid Clusters in Overseas Food Processing Facilities
Germany
An outbreak occurred in Tönnies, the biggest meat processing plant in Germany recently. Over 1,500 employees have tested positive as of June 22nd [1].
USA
Tyson Foods Inc. announced on Jun 19th that 481 of its workers recently tested positive for coronavirus at locations in Arkansas, nearly half of whom were at the Springdale plant. [2]
China
On Jun 21st, Pepsi China declared during a conference that a Pepsi factory in Beijing had eight employees who tested positive by June 20th, two of whom had been to Xinfadi (“新发地”), the new Beijing cluster. Pepsi closed the branch on Jun 15th, when the first case was confirmed. [3]
UK
Covid-19 also hit three meat plants in the UK in June: Kober Ltd in West Yorkshire and two poultry processing plants in Wales: 2 Sisters and Rowan Foods.[4]
China's reaction
Since Jun 18th, China GAC has announced:
The suspension of pork importation from Tönnies Lebensmittel GmbH &Co. KG[5] and poultry importation from a Tyson plant located in Springdale[6].
Poultry from the UK is not approved for access to China yet. [7]
A beef enterprise Agra from Brazil[8] and a pork enterprise Tulip from the UK[9], decided to suspend exportation to China because of employee infections.
Import Challenges
New requirements have already been implemented by GAC to mitigate any potential COVID-19 related food safety risks. Mandatory coronavirus testing of all imported agri-foods and requirements to sign a declaration of commitment to comply with WHO coronavirus food safety recommendations and China's new COVID-19 food safety requirements have also been implemented.
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