Following the discovery of insects in Harim’s raw chicken products, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has begun an on-site investigation into the matter.
The MFDS announced that it would conduct an on-site inspection to ensure the implementation of preventive measures submitted by Harim on Nov. 3. This action follows the agency’s demand for Harim to establish a plan to prevent such occurrences.
An extermination company identified the insects found in Harim’s raw chicken as larvae from the beetle family Ptinidae.
The MFDS and the local government of Jeongeup City explained the cause of the incident, stating, “The larvae resided in the bedding of the animal welfare farms and were ingested during the fasting period before slaughter, ending up in the gizzard. It is assumed that they settled in the esophagus area after bursting during the removal process in slaughtering.”
An MFDS official stated, “We will review the adequacy of the company’s preventive measures following the cause investigation and the local government of Jeongeup City is planning administrative measures following the detection of foreign substances.”
In relation to the issue, Harim Group Chairman Kim Hong-kook sparked controversy with his statement on Nov. 1, claiming that the foreign matter in question “poses no health problems to humans at all.”