More than 1,000 people in Japan have fallen ill after eating frozen food that may have been tainted with a pesticide and has sparked a recall of about six million packages.
According to the Associated Press, food maker Maruha Nichiro Holdings bought full-page advertisements in major newspapers in Japan on Wednesday apologizing and warning customers to avoid eating any of the tainted items.
The AP reported that some of the tainted products include pizza, croquettes and pancakes manufactured in a Gunma Prefecture Japanese factory. Individuals have reportedly been experiencing symptoms of food poisoning, such as vomiting and diarrhea, after consuming the tainted products.
"The products will have a strong smell and eating them may cause vomiting and stomach pain," Maruha said in a statement, according to the AP, along with 51 color photos of the questionable products.
The company has recalled 6.4 million of their products, with 1.49 million packages recovered so far, a company spokeswoman said, according to Japan Today.
Health officials stated high levels of a pesticide, known as malathion, could be behind the illness. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Malathion can cause death if it's consumed in high concentrations. The pesticide is often used in farming to kill fleas. Police are reported investigating how the products become with malathion,
According to Japan Today, the number of people affected by the tainted products has jumped to about 1,700. Japan's Health Ministry confirmed that 556 people became ill. One report stated that a nine-month-old baby was hospitalized due to vomiting on Monday after eating a product called creamy corn croquettes.
