[Agricultural Fisheries and Livestock News=Reporter Hong Jeong-min] The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (hereinafter referred to as the "Agency") announced that during the quarantine process of 21.8 tons of heat-treated poultry meat and duck ham imported from China on the 2nd, the avian influenza (AI) gene was detected on the 13th, leading to the disposal and reshipment of the products. The Agency also stated that it will strengthen the quarantine of heat-treated poultry meat from China. According to the Agency, the quantity in question was not circulated domestically, and the detection this time was of the avian influenza (AI) gene, not the live AI virus. The Agency clarified that infection cannot occur with the gene alone. The heat-treated poultry meat in which the avian influenza gene was detected was imported on August 19th.