Boasting 'HACCP Certification'... Quail Eggs Found with Bacteria 258 Times Over the Standard Limit

'Safe to Eat Peeled Quail Eggs' Product
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Initiates Sales Suspension and Recall Measures

Bacterial counts exceeding 285 times the standard limit were detected in peeled quail egg products certified under the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has ordered a halt in sales and a recall.

The product in question is "Safe-to-Eat Peeled Quail Eggs," manufactured by the agricultural corporation Join Maengdong branch located in Eumseong, Chungbuk. The recall targets products manufactured on October 30, with a distribution and consumption deadline until January 27 of next year. Packaging units include 270g, 500g, and 1kg. The packaging surface states, "Produced in a HACCP-certified manufacturing facility, safe-to-eat peeled quail eggs."

Quail egg product with bacteria detected exceeding the standard level.
[Photo by Food Safety Korea]

Sold under the brand "Saengchaeum" by S&Food, this product displayed the HACCP certification mark on the front of the package and was promoted as a reliable ingredient with a label indicating it is a heat-sterilized (pasteurized) product.

However, government sampling test results told a different story. The product was found to contain bacteria far exceeding the standard limit.

The testing agency, the Korea Fermented Soybean Products Cooperative, randomly sampled five products and conducted bacterial culture tests, revealing bacterial counts ranging from 6.5 million to 14.25 million CFU/g. This exceeds the maximum allowable limit of "50,000 CFU/g or less" by 130 to 285 times.

The recall targets products packaged in 270g, 500g, and 1kg units manufactured on October 30. The expiration date is January 27, 2024, and the barcode numbers are 8809387741610 (270g), 8809387741627 (500g), and 8809387741351 (1kg).

Self-quality inspection results of 'Keunmam Haejangguk' manufactured by Podumeat located in Iksan-si, Jeonbuk.
Photo by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety urged, "Consumers who purchased the product should return it to the place of purchase, and sellers who have the product in stock should stop sales and return it to the distributor for recall."

Previously, on the 30th of last month, the Food Safety Nation of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety confirmed E. coli contamination in "Keunmam Haejangguk," produced by the livestock processing company Podu Meat, based on their self-quality inspection results, leading to a sales halt and recall. The recall targets products with a consumption deadline of November 12, 2024. The packaging unit is 430g.