Beef imports from Harris Ranch Beef Company, a processing plant in California, have been suspended following the discovery of bones in the imports from that plant.

The Food & Environmental Hygiene Department inspected beef from the plant last night and found bones in the imports.

The department will contact the relevant authorities for more information concerning the imports in question.

Beef imports from the United States resumed on December 29 last year.

According to an agreed protocol, only boneless beef from cattle less than 30 months' old, with high-risk materials such as brain and spinal cord removed during slaughtering, can be imported from designated plants approved by the US.