More than 100,000 packs of sliced bread have been recalled in Japan after parts of a rat’s body were discovered in two of them, the manufacturer said on Wednesday.
Food recalls are rare in Japan, a country with famously high sanitation standards.
Pasco Shikishima said it is investigating how the rodent’s remains crept into its products.
The company says so far it is not aware of anyone getting sick after eating the processed white Chojuku bread, long a staple of Japanese breakfast tables.
About 104,000 packs of bread have been recalled.
“We would like to deeply apologize for causing any problems for our customers and clients,” the company said in a statement on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Pasco confirmed that the two packages of bread were contaminated with parts of a black rat.
Pasco produces the bread at a factory in Tokyo, whose assembly line has been suspended pending an investigation.
“We will strengthen our quality management system to ensure there is no recurrence,” it added.
Cleanliness and hygiene are taken seriously in Japan, but food poisoning and recalls occasionally make Japanese headlines.
Last year, supermarket chain 7-Eleven apologized and announced a recall after a cockroach was found in a rice ball.
The latest health scandal in Japan involves a recall by drugmaker Kobayashi Pharmaceutical of dietary supplements intended to lower cholesterol.
The company said last month it is investigating five deaths possibly linked to the products, which contain red yeast rice.
