アサリ産地表示、厳格化　根拠書類の保存徹底で―熊本産偽装問題・消費者庁など

　熊本県産アサリをめぐる産地偽装問題で、消費者庁と農林水産省は１８日、食品表示基準のガイドラインを改正すると発表した。アサリの産地を証明する資料を例示し、輸入業者や国内生産者に産地表示の根拠となる書類の保存徹底を求める。同庁は「そろえていない場合、不適切な表示が疑われる。適正化に一定の効果がある」と説明。月内にも改正し、都道府県に通知する。（2022/03/18-10:04）

The Japanese government said Friday it will revise food labeling guidelines following suspicions that many asari clams branded as being produced in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto were produced overseas.
   The revised guidelines will call on importers and domestic producers to show asari clams' certificates of origin and preserve documents that indicate the origin, the Consumer Affairs Agency and the fisheries ministry said.
   If such documents are not shown, improper labeling will be suspected, a Consumer Affairs Agency official said. The new guidelines will take effect as early as this month.
   Under Japan's food labeling law, the origins of asari clams are determined based on where they were raised for the longest period of time if they were raised in two or more places.
   Imported asari clams are mostly adult shellfish, according to the ministry. The current guidelines provide opportunities for false labeling because they do not indicate a specific method of certification.