Russia has banned chilled meat imports from the United States and Germany, the food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said.

The regulator said that the American suppliers failed to provide information about the use of ractopamine, a feed additive that promotes leanness in animals raised for their meat.

The ban on chilled poultry, beef, and pork imports from Germany was imposed due to the spread of the Schmallenberg virus. In the view of Rosselkhoznadzor, the guarantees of the German sanitary service to the effect that the meat was safe proved to be ineffective.