Itoham sausages tainted by toluene

Troubled meat processor Itoham Foods Inc. said Friday that a recent series of consumer complaints about a foul odor on its sausages was probably caused by residue of a chemical used as glue in its plastic package.

Earlier, the food maker had detected toluene in its sausage product Co-op Arabiki Pork Wiener after receiving complaints from consumers that the sausages smelled like paint thinner. Toluene, a clear liquid, gives off such an odor.

According to Itoham officials, the chemical is used as glue in pasting two sheets of thin plastic film together. Although toluene is usually dried out by heat during production, a film-pasting machine malfunctioned, failing to dry some of it, they said.

Dai Nippon Printing Co., the maker of the plastic film, reportedly alerted Itoham.

Itoham has recalled some 10,000 packs of the sausages made by the malfunctioning machine, which have an expiration date of Nov. 14.