The US has suspended imports of French processed meat and poultry products, including French delicacies like foie gras, because of food safety concerns.
Steve Cohen, a spokesman for the US department of agriculture ’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said inspections of French processing plants had found that sanitation systems failed to meet US standards, reported Dow Jones News .
Cohen did not provide details of particular problems, but said officials believe the move is vital to maintaining consumer confidence and protection.
French plants will have to satisfy US food safety standards if trade is to resume, Cohen added.
Officials in France, however, said they had found no problems at the plants.
“France shares neither the observations of the American authorities nor the conclusions they felt should be taken,” the French agriculture ministry was quoted by Dow Jones as saying.
