Meat that has been injected with artificial marbling must have that information clearly labeled on its packaging starting on July 1, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Thursday.
FDA technical specialist Chen Yu-hsuan (陳瑜絢) said that the new policy requires the labeling to say “artificial marbling” in Chinese, adding that the label must also instruct consumers to cook the meat before eating.
Restaurants must clearly indicate marbling on menus, signs or cards when serving this type of meat, she said.
Photo: Taipei Times file photo
Artificially marbled meats have been injected with animal fat, vegetable oil or other types of fats and mixed with other products to create the illusion of marbling, an FDA statement said.
Marbled meat tends to be more tender and flavorful, making a marbled appearance appealing to consumers, although the meat is lower in cost when marbled artificially.
Businesses could face fines of NT$30,000 to NT$3 million (US$1,058 to US$105,783) for not complying with the new labeling rules after July 1, as per the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation (食品安全衛生管理法), while intentionally deceptive labeling could net a fine of between NT$40,000 to NT$4 million, the FDA said.
Separately, the FDA said that regulations are being drafted related to the use of aloe in edible products, and would be in place by Jan. 1 next year.
Regulations to govern the use of aloe are necessary as capsules and packaged beverages containing the product could cause uterine contractions or miscarriages in pregnant women, FDA official Liao Chia-ting (廖家鼎) said.
Only properly peeled leaves of aloe vera and aloe ferox would be allowed in edible products, Liao said.
Edible products would be limited to no more than 10 parts per million of the compound aloin, and must contain warnings for pregnant women on their labels, he said, adding that products containing less than 1 ppm of aloin would not require a label.
The proposed regulations include fines ranging from NT$30,000 to NT$3 million for improper labeling, he added.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS