President Michel Temer sought to downplay the scandal, calling it a "fuss" and noting that only three of the more than 4,000 meatpacking plants in Brazil have been forced to close.
Still, he acknowledged that it has caused "an economic embarrassment for the country" as he spoke to a conference organized by the Council of the Americas.
The European Union, mainland China and Chile have halted some meat imports from Brazil, a major blow to the struggling economy of a country that is among the world's largest exporters of meat.
The center said that it was taking the precaution despite the fact that no inspection in the past three years has ever flagged meat or poultry imports from Brazil.
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Brazilian investigators charge that health inspectors were bribed to overlook the sale of expired meats. Police also allege that the appearance and smell of expired meats was improved by using chemicals and cheaper products like water and manioc flour.
The government has barred the exports of meats from 21 plants being investigated, but that has not fully allayed concerns of the countries it exports to. Sales for internal consumption in Brazil are not affected.
Despite the about-face, supermarket chains in South Korea were pulling Brazilian chicken products from the shelves today.
The European Union has temporarily barred the companies involved in the scandal from shipping to the EU, while Chile announced a temporary suspension of Brazilian meat imports.