Fujiya says had 9 food poisoning cases in 1995
Source: Reuters
(Adds details, share price) TOKYO, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Japan's cake maker and retailer Fujiya Co. Ltd. <2211.T>, which last week admitted to shipping products made with stale ingredients, said on Wednesday it had received reports of nine cases of food poisoning in 1995, a development that could further taint the Japanese household name. Fujiya reported the cases to local health authorities at the time, but neither the authorities nor Fujiya made them public. "Under regulations in those days, only food poisoning cases affecting 20 people or more were made public," Fujiya spokesman Keita Nakajima said. "We will promptly announce any food poisoning cases from now on." The company said that in June 1995, nine people who had eaten its cream-filled pastry product called "Peko-chan no Hoppe" had experienced vomitting, stomachaches and diarrhea. The products were made at its factory in Osaka in western Japan. "Peko-chan" is Fujiya's iconic cartoon mascot, and the product name means "Peko-chan's cheeks". Fujiya said it recalled the products and halted operations at the plant for two days at the time. Shares in Fujiya ended trade up two yen at 201 yen on Wednesday after tumbling more than 13 percent since last week when the company first said it would halt output and pull products from its nearly 900 stores after it shipped pastries made using old milk. The president of Fujiya said on Monday he would resign to take responsibility for the matter, which also prompted retailers such as Seven & I Holdings Co. <3382.T> and Aeon Co. <8267.T> to pull Fujiya products from their stores. Japan's health ministry on Wednesday ordered the Tokyo-based company to improve its safety and hygiene standards.
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