NZ food exporters need to understand the mood in Japan

New Zealand food exports to Japan can be tainted by China's current food manufacturing woes

When the TV news in Japan leads with a food product recall story five evenings in a row, it’s a big issue

No slick PR spokes-people allowed here, each evening the company directors importing gyoza or dumpling are frog marched out to front-up on TV to ‘please explain’ and make yet another deep bow to the people of Japan.

The gyoza made in China at a Japanese accredited factory was somehow contaminated with a pesticide and today a report that a second toxin has been found in the same product.

Before we gloat, this is not a China manufacturing problem; it’s now an imported foreign food to Japan problem that affects New Zealand exporters

The production batch of 8,820 gyoza packs are somewhere in Japan, astonishingly only 33 have been recovered as of Tuesday, the rest we assume have been consumed. 

New Zealand should be monitoring the fallout as lobbyists in Japan are using the opportunity to influence an already jittery Japanese consumer about the value of regionally made food using local ingredients, the growing issue of Japans dependency of imported food and the trustworthiness of the already stringent food hygiene import procedures.

Gallerie Japan, Fukuoka based importers and direct retailers of premium New Zealand products to Japan taken steps and customised a 2D barcode technology that uses a standard Japanese mobile phone to help consumers identify a recalled product or assure consumers of the products safety.

It will be first featured on a New Zealand product later this month after the Japan quarantine testing is complete and on four other NZ products by May 2008.

There after each new product shipment arriving in Japan will be allocated the unique printed 2D barcode along with the distribution and ingredients information in Kana as required by law. The system will also allow traceability in the distribution network around Japan, either food services or retail. 

Should a recall happen or a media alert for a similar product type, consumers can go to their pantry at home, use their mobile phone to scan the 2D code on the product label and the appropriate information is displayed via a phone based website with hyperlinks to a help desk.

This application can not prevent a recall but allows instant consumer notification and accurate information and follow up procedures if required.

In Japan when a food recall occurs, it’s used to sway public opinion, the misinformation mud currently being tossed around sticks to all countries. China is taking much of the heat but it’s being manipulated into a foreign food import problem which will impact on New Zealand

Alternative preparations as a back plan in Japan may include practicing the deep bow; one should bend to about 45 degrees at the hip for the slow count of three or more, looking extremely sheepish