A batch of imported pork has tested positive for ractopamine for the first time since the nation lifted import restrictions in 2021, but the additive was within legal limits.
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) pork monitoring dashboard on Tuesday last week showed that a 23-tonne batch of pork from Australia tested positive for ractopamine at 0.001ppm.
According to the FDA’s regulations, ractopamine limits are set at 0.04ppm for pork liver and kidneys, and 0.01ppm for pork meat, fat and other edible parts.
Photo: Taipei Times
This marks the first detection of ractopamine in imported pork since the market was opened, shifting some public concern beyond US pork to include other sources.
As of Wednesday last week, a total of 42,184.01 tonnes of pork had been imported to Taiwan this year, accounting for 24 percent of pork on the market.
In addition, 9,727.09 tonnes of pork liver, kidneys and other edible pork parts have been imported, accounting for 7 percent of this market.
Although the government encourages businesses to voluntarily disclose the origin of their pork, it is largely unknown where most imported pork ends up, Consumers’ Foundation chairman Teng Wei-chung (鄧惟中) said yesterday.
A study by the foundation found that only 2 out of 600 products were identified as pork originating from the US, which is far below the actual ratio, Teng said.
Imported pork could be used in processed foods or mixed meats, which means consumers could only be sure that their food does not contain ractopamine if the business clearly labels its meats, he said, calling on the Cabinet to do more in this regard.
Yang Chen-chang (楊振昌), head of occupational medicine and clinical toxicology at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, called on the government to improve policies, including mandating clearer origin labeling, so that consumers can make informed choices.
Ractopamine, a beta-agonist used to promote leanness in livestock, can cause symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, tremors or gastrointestinal discomfort if consumed in large quantities, he said.
Although no adverse effects in humans have been documented, concerns about long-term exposure remain, he said.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Hsu Yu-chen (許宇甄) said the government was “doing nothing” while the New Taiwan dollar’s increasing value has made the cost of importing pork containing ractopamine cheaper.
The Cabinet is focused only on political struggles and mass recalls, neglecting food safety and public health, she said.
Businesses have abandoned previous promises not to import pork containing ractopamine, yet the government remains silent, she said, calling on Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) to take responsibility and step down.
The pig farming industry is a pillar of Taiwan’s economy, accounting for 39.6 percent of the livestock industry in 2023 and employing about 600,000 people, Hsu said, citing data from the Ministry of Agriculture.
If the domestic pork industry declines in competitiveness compared with cheaper foreign pork containing ractopamine, Taiwan’s economy would sustain a severe blow, she said, calling on the administration of President William Lai (賴清德) to take the situation seriously.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare should require that processed foods containing pork clearly indicate the meat’s origin and whether it contains ractopamine to protect food safety and ensure people know what they are buying, she added.
Additional reporting by Lin Hsin-han and CNA
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