Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
【United Daily News╱Reporters Huang Yiyuan, Zheng Chaoyang, Xue Heyu, Shi Jingru／Taipei Report】
2012.03.13 10:36 am
The Council of Agriculture (COA) recently conducted tests on pig hair and blood samples from pig farms and found two farms with traces of the banned lean meat additive "salbutamol." A meat market also detected one case. Lai Xiushui, honorary professor at National Taiwan University's Department of Veterinary Medicine, stated that salbutamol is 2,000 times more toxic than ractopamine, is difficult to metabolize in animals, and remains in the body for extended periods in high concentrations. Consuming meat containing these additives poses significant health risks.
Yi Mei General Manager Gao Zhiming confirmed last night that Yi Mei's NT$100 million testing lab recently received multiple requests to test meat for lean meat additives. Among them, one domestic pork sample was found to contain salbutamol, which is banned worldwide.
Gao Zhiming said that for a long time, including in government testing labs, there have been cases of domestic pig farmers using banned salbutamol. "Rome wasn't built in a day," he noted.
Last night, the COA urgently announced "Enhanced Measures for Illegal Inspections of Pig Farms," unprecedentedly requiring all pig farms to submit a self-declaration starting tomorrow (March 14) certifying that their pigs for sale are free of lean meat additives. Those who fail to comply will face intensified inspections, and if additives are later detected, they will be subject to heavy fines and criminal penalties.
Government Information Office Director Yang Yongming said pig farms found with banned substances will not be allowed to auction their pigs. They must undergo two months of testing to confirm compliance before resuming sales.
COA Deputy Minister Wang Zheng Teng stated that this crackdown is a major shock to pig farmers and may temporarily affect supply. However, to safeguard public health and the integrity of the pig farming industry, drastic reforms are necessary. He believes this will be "short-term pain for long-term gain" and will encourage the majority of law-abiding farmers. Wang openly admitted that the COA has been heavily criticized recently over the lean meat additive issue in U.S. beef. "It's time to go on the offensive and show the COA's determination!"
Yang Guanzhang, chairman of the Republic of China Swine Association, supports the self-declaration measure, hoping to eliminate "bad apples" and restore consumer trust in Taiwanese pork.
Huang Guoqing, deputy director of the COA's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, said that since 1998, the COA has conducted annual tests on pig farms and meat markets. Out of tens of thousands of samples, over 100 cases detected banned substances like salbutamol, accounting for about 2%. "Some pig farmers have been using these additives all along."
Huang noted that violators were previously fined NT$30,000 to NT$150,000. Last year, a supplier of smuggled banned additives was sentenced to five years in prison. Domestic pig farmers with repeated violations—numbering 100 to 200—will face stricter inspections starting tomorrow. Those caught using banned additives more than twice within a year will be fined NT$250,000 to NT$1.25 million. The Department of Health will also trace suppliers, destroy products, impose fines of NT$60,000 to NT$6 million, and publish violators' names. Severe cases may result in business suspension or revocation of company registration.
Huang added that farms with past violations will be tested three to seven days before auction. Farms unwilling to submit self-declarations will also face increased inspections by local governments.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NATS4/ 6958023. shtml#ixzz1p0XXB9zs
Pork Tested Positive for Banned Clenbuterol
2012.03.13 10:36 am
The Council of Agriculture (COA) recently conducted tests on pig hair and blood samples from pig farms and found two farms with traces of the banned lean meat additive "salbutamol." A meat market also detected one case. Lai Xiushui, honorary professor at National Taiwan University's Department of Veterinary Medicine, stated that salbutamol is 2,000 times more toxic than ractopamine, is difficult to metabolize in animals, and remains in the body for extended periods in high concentrations. Consuming meat containing these additives poses significant health risks.
Yi Mei General Manager Gao Zhiming confirmed last night that Yi Mei's NT$100 million testing lab recently received multiple requests to test meat for lean meat additives. Among them, one domestic pork sample was found to contain salbutamol, which is banned worldwide.
Gao Zhiming said that for a long time, including in government testing labs, there have been cases of domestic pig farmers using banned salbutamol. "Rome wasn't built in a day," he noted.
Last night, the COA urgently announced "Enhanced Measures for Illegal Inspections of Pig Farms," unprecedentedly requiring all pig farms to submit a self-declaration starting tomorrow (March 14) certifying that their pigs for sale are free of lean meat additives. Those who fail to comply will face intensified inspections, and if additives are later detected, they will be subject to heavy fines and criminal penalties.
Government Information Office Director Yang Yongming said pig farms found with banned substances will not be allowed to auction their pigs. They must undergo two months of testing to confirm compliance before resuming sales.
COA Deputy Minister Wang Zheng Teng stated that this crackdown is a major shock to pig farmers and may temporarily affect supply. However, to safeguard public health and the integrity of the pig farming industry, drastic reforms are necessary. He believes this will be "short-term pain for long-term gain" and will encourage the majority of law-abiding farmers. Wang openly admitted that the COA has been heavily criticized recently over the lean meat additive issue in U.S. beef. "It's time to go on the offensive and show the COA's determination!"
Yang Guanzhang, chairman of the Republic of China Swine Association, supports the self-declaration measure, hoping to eliminate "bad apples" and restore consumer trust in Taiwanese pork.
Huang Guoqing, deputy director of the COA's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine, said that since 1998, the COA has conducted annual tests on pig farms and meat markets. Out of tens of thousands of samples, over 100 cases detected banned substances like salbutamol, accounting for about 2%. "Some pig farmers have been using these additives all along."
Huang noted that violators were previously fined NT$30,000 to NT$150,000. Last year, a supplier of smuggled banned additives was sentenced to five years in prison. Domestic pig farmers with repeated violations—numbering 100 to 200—will face stricter inspections starting tomorrow. Those caught using banned additives more than twice within a year will be fined NT$250,000 to NT$1.25 million. The Department of Health will also trace suppliers, destroy products, impose fines of NT$60,000 to NT$6 million, and publish violators' names. Severe cases may result in business suspension or revocation of company registration.
Huang added that farms with past violations will be tested three to seven days before auction. Farms unwilling to submit self-declarations will also face increased inspections by local governments.
Source: http://udn. com/ NEWS/ NATIONAL/ NATS4/ 6958023. shtml#ixzz1p0XXB9zs