July 10, 2012

EU against international limit on ractopamine

A decision for the creation of an international limit on ractopamine usage has been opposed by the EU, which believes that the substance should not be used due to possible human health risks.

Responding to a vote at the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the world's global food standards body, a European Commission communiqué said it would continue to ban ractopamine in all 27 EU member states, in domestic meat production and in imports: "[The] EU bans imports of meat from certain countries because they use iractopamine, and we intend to continue to do so," said Frédéric Vincent, a Commission health and consumer policy spokesperson.

Several countries, including China, Russia, and India, also oppose ractopamine use, said the communiqué.

The Codex Commission proposed a set amount of ractopamine to be considered safe for human consumption at the annual meeting of its 185 member countries in July. The United Nations (UN) created Codex to set international food quality and safety guidelines.

Codex based the limit on a risk assessment of acceptable levels of ractopamine consumption by a UN and World Trade Organisation joint committee, said the European Food Safety Authority, which has rejected the findings because of claimed "weakness and uncertainties".