Oops! Frozen Pork Knuckles Contaminated with Ractopamine - Importer Promises Enhanced Controls
Pigmeat in Australia discovered containing Ractopamine
Here's the scoop: Think twice about your next pork knuckle craving, folks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uncovered traces of the controversial veterinary drug, ractopamine, in two batches of imported frozen pork knuckles from Australia. Yikes!
The Deets: These two shipments, weighing a hefty 47.25 tonnes, had 0.002 and 0.003 parts per million (ppm) of the substance, staying under Taiwan's legal limits. But remember, the legal limit for ractopamine in pork meat and fat should be 0.01ppm, and in organs, it's 0.04ppm [1][2].
Catch my drift? This little faux-pas comes just days after another shipment from Australia tested positive for the feed additive at Taiwan’s border. The culprit behind both shipments - the same manufacturer, but a different trading company according to FDA Director-General Chiang Chih-kang [3].
Huahung International Trading Co., the importer of the latest two shipments, issued a mea culpa, expressing apologies and promising tighter controls to safeguard against recurrences [3] .
Now, what about beef? Since 2012, beef imports have been allowed into Taiwan with little traces of ractopamine. To date, 249,609 batches have been tested at the border, with a meager 2,493 testing positive for the substance [3]. Out of these, only six batches exceeded the limits and were either destroyed or returned.
So, what's the big fuss about ractopamine anyway? Ractopamine, used for promoting muscle growth in animals, is employed as a feed additive in 26 countries, including bigwigs like the US, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and South Korea [3]. However, concerns about its potential negative impact on both animal and human health have led to bans in the EU and China [3].
Here's the bottom line: Ractopamine's presence in imported pork to Taiwan is the latest chapter in an ongoing story about food safety, health risks, and trade policies. Stay tuned for more developments!
[1] The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[2] Health Risks of Ractopamine Consumption[3] Taiwan's Lifting of Ban on Pork with Ractopamine[4] US-Taiwan Trade Issues and Ractopamine Concerns[5] Public Concerns and Calls for Stricter Monitoring
- The recent discovery of ractopamine in two shipments of frozen pork knuckles from Australia has raised concerns about food safety and health risks, particularly for individuals with certain medical conditions.
- Despite staying under Taiwan's legal limits, the presence of ractopamine – a controversial veterinary drug used for promoting muscle growth in animals – in imported pork highlights the need for enhanced control measures in the food-and-drink industry.
- Hunanh International Trading Co., the importer of the latest two shipments with ractopamine, has promised tighter controls to prevent similar incidents, acknowledging the impact on health and wellness, as well as consumer lifestyle and trust.
- Ractopamine, while employed as a feed additive in several countries, has been banned in the EU and China due to concerns about its potential adverse effects on both animal and human health.
- In light of these events, it is crucial for importers and regulators to continually monitor food and drink products, including pork, to ensure the safety and quality of the items they are buying and consuming.
