Des Moines, IA - The spinal material that halted U.S. beef exports to Japan was from a six-month-old animal, which is considered "absolutely safe" to consume in the United States, a beef trade group insisted Friday.

The American Meat Institute also said the veal came from a lone plant which has been identified and "delisted" from export authorization by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

The identity of the plant wasn't disclosed.

"While we in the American beef industry deeply regret" the matter, "we are confident this product is safe," institute president J. Patrick Boyle said at a Washington news conference.

"Had this product been shipped within our own country there would have been no question or concern about its safety," Boyle said.

He said that mad-cow disease - the basis of Japan's two-year ban on U.S. imports - has never been discovered in an animal as young as that involved in the shipment.

Boyle, president of the Meat Institute, indicated he believed that an immediate resumption of Japan's ban on U.S. beef was an overreaction.

"We do not support a full ban, absolutely not," he said. "This involves one plant, one shipment." But Boyle said it would be "perfectly appropriate" for the Japanese government to take regulatory action against the processing plant involved.

As part of its response to the incident, the USDA will be retraining and adding U.S. inspectors of beef exports to assure that they comply with importing countries' standards, Boyle said.

"We're supportive of revalidating our export processes," he said.

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