October 5, 2012

Taiwan reveals the discovery of ractopamine in.US.-sourced meat that is used to make pork balls.

The livestock feed additive is banned in pork imports in Taiwan but allowed in imported beef parts.

Officials gave the news at a press conference held to announce the results of an inspection of foods used by breakfast stores in New Taipei.

The pork balls were found to contain 0.4 parts per billion (ppb) of ractopamine. The probe also found pork burger that contained 9.3 parts per billion of chloramphenicol, an antibiotic also banned in pork in Taiwan.

Taiwan's government amended laws allowing ractopamine in beef imports, a move urged by Washington, US. The Food and Drug Administration has set a maximum allowable residue level of the drug at 10 parts per billion.

Taipei has stated that a total ban on the drug in imported pork will be maintained.