According to Russia's state service, Rosselkhoznadzor, traces of the beta-agonist growth promoter, ractopamine, were found in shipments of pig meat from Canada and Brazil in June.

The use of ractopamine is banned in Russia.

The Canadian authorities responded by initiating an investigation into the allegations, which is due to be completed by the end of this month.

Deputy head of Rosselkhoznadzor, Eugene Nepoklonov, requested that the timing should be coordinated with the veterinary services of Russia's partners in the Customs Union, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

He also appealed to the Veterinary Service of Canada for information to help an assessment of Russia's assessment of the risks of porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED).

Mr Nepoklonov has also expressed serious concerns about the detection of ractopamine in meat from two Brazilian companies, which, he said, is a flagrant violation of the agreements on the nonuse of this substance in the development of products for the Russian market.

An investigation into the findings is being undertaken by the Brazilian authorities.