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
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
SECOND SPEECH: All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist the CCP, despite their differences, the president said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday discussed how pro-Taiwan and pro-Republic of China (ROC) groups can agree to maintain solidarity on the issue of protecting Taiwan and resisting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The talk, delivered last night at Taoyuan’s Hakka Youth Association, was the second in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. Citing Taiwanese democracy pioneer Chiang Wei-shui’s (蔣渭水) slogan that solidarity brings strength, Lai said it was a call for political parties to find consensus amid disagreements on behalf of bettering the nation. All political parties should work together to defend democracy, protect Taiwan and resist
By refusing to agree spending increases to appease US President Donald Trump, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez threatened to derail a summit that NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte needs to run smoothly for the sake of the military alliance’s future survival. Ahead of yesterday’s gathering in The Hague, Netherlands, things were going off the rails. European officials have expressed irritation at the spoiler role that Sanchez is playing when their No. 1 task is to line up behind a pledge to raise defense spending to 5 percent of GDP. Rutte needed to keep Spain in line while preventing others such as Slovakia
RSS