SAPPORO — The president of a Hokkaido meat processing company said Wednesday that one of its plants shipped products made from minced beef and pork that was labeled only as ground beef.
Meat Hope Co. President Minoru Tanaka told reporters Wednesday night that he approved the mixing of minced pork with minced beef when the company exhausted its beef stock. The products were then labeled as ground beef, Tanaka said, adding, "We have to accept the blame for the deception."
The mixture was processed into "beef" croquettes and other products and distributed to food firms nationwide, including a subsidiary of major frozen food maker Katokichi Co.