Recall follows discovery of “mucus-like” substance found in a number of cans

South Korea’s major liquor maker Hitejinro Co disclosed that it has been recalling 1.24 million cans of its FiLite beer after a semisolid substance was found in the product.

The announcement was made by the company’s CEO Kim In Gyu, who addressed the concerns surrounding certain batches of 355ml can products produced at the company’s Gangwon plant between March 13 and 25.

In a statement posted on its website, the company said it had received consumer complaints about the affected products and promptly took preventive measures, including recalling products produced on April 3 and 17, and conducting thorough inspections of its production lines.

On April 22, Hitejinro became fully aware of the extent of the issue and immediately halted the shipment of the affected products, actively pursuing a comprehensive recall.

In response to the problem, officials at South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety visited a Hitejinro plant in Hongcheon, 98 kilometres northeast of Seoul, and found that the company had only used detergents to clean the beer injector on March 13, March 25, April 3 and April 17, due to a lack of sterilisers. Hitejinro is required to use both detergents and sterilisers in the cleaning process.

The ministry will issue a correction order and impose a fine on Hitejinro over the violation of the Food Sanitation Act, the statement said.

Hitejinro has assured the public that there are no health risks associated with the issue. Despite this, Hitejinro has decided to recall all 355ml can products produced on the four affected dates to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.